Academia

Academia

Academia is fundamental for SDG 16 and SDG 16 is fundamental for academia. Research and education help realize the SDGs and SDG 16 in particular. Universities can produce and share cutting-edge research that is needed to understand how the SDGs can be achieved and to learn from successes and set-backs. Universities can also educate future generations on the importance of sustainable development and the SDGs. This is particularly important for SDG 16 as this Goal did not exist in the preceding Millennium Development Goals. In turn, researchers require access to information and the fundamental freedoms that SDG 16 protects in order to operate in their societies.

Supporting and engaging with academia is therefore critical for governments to implement and monitor progress on the SDGs, especially SDG 16. There are many different ways of doing so. For example, governments can involve researchers with specific expertise in policy development, provide them with access to government data and support universities’ efforts to educate students on the SDGs.

In order to connect academic institutions and to ensure that academic research informs the SDG process systematically, the UN Secretary General established the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) in 2012. In addition, universities in many countries are forming networks and SDG centres which allow them to focus on SDG relevant research. Governments and UN organisations have also started to involve academia more actively.

DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR ACADEMIA AND SDG 16 

 

UN Web TV, "The role of universities in achieving SDG 16", Video 

Photo credit: @ UNDP

BROWSE KEY RESOURCES FOR ACADEMIA AND SDG 16