The Innovative application of the SDGs in Universities- An example from Sogndal
What is sustainable development? How sustainable are we? How do we become ‘more sustainable’?
This podcast series will present how the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can answer these pressing questions that universities worldwide are facing. The podcasts will follow the master thesis of Victoria Slaymark and her fellow student Jan Zeiß, where they use the UN SDGs to serve as a guide improve the sustainability of their University, Høgskulen på Vestlandet.
The SDGs are innovative as they holistically include all dimensions of sustainable development: social, environmental and economical. The 17 SDGs and corresponding 169 targets describes what a sustainable world would look like, and the 232 targets describe how to get there. They are also the first Utopian roadmap that can be applied globally, everywhere! In this way, the UN SDGs have the potential to revolutionise universities as they can be used by all universities to assess how sustainable they are and to guide them how to become more sustainable. But still, no university has yet fully operationalised the SDGs within their institutions.
Victoria and Jan will describe how to fully operationalise the SDGs in all areas of Universities; in their education, research, governance and operations, and outreach. They believe Universities must fully live the SDGS in order to foster and enable society to transition to a sustainable society.
Victoria Kate Slaymark
Peter Haugans perspectives on the SDGs:
In this podcasts he explains how his work and research is connected to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Along with others, he focuses specifically on working towards achieving Goal 14: Life Below Water. Yet, he highlights that he cannot simply work towards Goal 14 in isolation. To have his goal in sight, he must consider all of the 17 UN SDGs together! The UN SDGs are innovative and unique as require him to consider how they interplay to either act as synergies for or barriers against him working towards Goal 14.
Peter Haugan is professor of oceanography at the Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen and adjunct research director at Institute of Marine Research in Norway. He is presently the elected chair of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC of UNESCO). He teaches and supervises master and PhD students in oceanography and renewable energy. He has a broad background in natural science ranging from petroleum reservoir simulation to polar and climate research and is presently heavily involved in research for sustainable development and science diplomacy.