The Role and Performance of Universities According to the SDGs

1. Jun 9th, 2021
The Role and Performance of Universities
According to the SDGs

2. About Sustainability Knowledge Group
Our Vision is
to make Sustainable Business a Choice for companies and
organizations around the world.
Sustainability Knowledge Group is a global advisory firm dedicated in creating value, through strategic
CSR and Sustainability solutions. We provide tailor made training, coaching and advisory services
grounded in international theory and successful application.
Sustainability Knowledge Group emphasizes in implementing methodologies that bring tangible results,
measurable impact and create better businesses.
The fundamentals of how we conduct business
Reliability Professionalism
Empathy
Accountability Integrity
2
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group

3. Services
CSR Coaching
• Coaching for Sustainability
Professionals
• Sustainability Residential &
Retreat
Consulting Service Lines
• Sustainability Reporting
• Sustainability Strategy
• Stakeholders & Social Impact
• Environmental Impact
• Communication & Recognition
International Society of
Sustainability Professionals
(ISSP) UAE Chapter
• Open meetings
• Networking
• Resources & Research
• Partnerships & Advocacy
Sustainability Training
• Internationally Certified
ILM &CPD training
courses
3
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group

4. Our clients include*
• Banking
• Oil & Gas
• Construction
• Consulting
• Concessionaire
• Education
• FMCG
• Facility Management
• Local Authorities
• NGOs
• Telecommunications
• Technology
* sample clientele
Our reach
4
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group

5. The Role and Performance of Universities According
to the SDGs
5

6. 6
Universities are powerful engines of global, national and local innovation, economic
development, and societal well-being. Universities and knowledge institutions occupy a
unique position within society and play an important role in building knowledge-based
societies. With nine years remaining to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), there is an urgent need for the education sector to help society transform into
sustainable development paths through four main areas:
•Learning and Teaching
•Research
•Organizational Governance, Culture and Operations of the University
•External Leadership
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group
The Role and Performance of Universities According to the SDGs
Source: An overview of university contributions to the SDGs

7. 7
Universities and the SDGs both need each other. The SDGs are a global framework that
enjoys strong acceptance and adoption among governments, companies and civil
society. The SDGs agenda covers a wide range of interlinked social, economic and
environmental challenges, and universities’ unique functions and expertise are essential
to overcoming all of these challenges.
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group
The Role and Performance of Universities According to the SDGs
Source: The case for university engagement in the SDGs

8. 8
The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings
In 2021, Times Higher Education (THE) surveyed 2,000 potential international students.
The study found that 79% of students believe that universities have an important role in
achieving the SDGs, while 9% believe that sustainability is the most important factor in
choosing their university.
Since its launch in 2019, the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings is the only
ranking for evaluating the global performance of universities according to the SDGs.
The ranking provides a comprehensive and balanced comparison based on all the SDGs
across four broad domains: research, supervision, awareness, and education. On a scale
from 0 to 100, the highest score is 100, and the lowest score is 0. THE Impact Ratings
helps identify best practices for universities and their participation in advancing SDGs
and encourage collaboration between universities, industry, and government. Besides,
the ranking provides a powerful resource to help students locate where to study.
In April 2021, the third edition of THE Impact Rankings 2021 was issued. The overall
ranking includes 1,177 universities from 94 countries/regions, offering a new vision of
excellence in higher education.
The top ten in the overall ranking include universities from seven countries and three
continents – Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, the United States and New Zealand –
and when looking at the top 100 universities in the ranking, 24 countries/regions from
six continents appear.
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group
The Role and Performance of Universities According to the SDGs

9. 9
According to THE Impact Rankings 2021, the highest-scoring institution is the
University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. UK universities also top three tables
on individual SDGs: 11, 12, and 14.
Part of the improvement in the UK is due to their increased representation, with 52
institutions participating in 2021 in the ranking. Besides, Manchester offers £15
million a year in financial support to students from underprivileged backgrounds to
support equality and is committed to zero carbon by 2038. In addition, it has already
disposed of more than 250,000 avoidable single-use plastics. However, there are
concerns that government cuts in research funding could undermine this success.
The ranking described the UK, Australia and Canada as the “Golden Triangle” of
countries that performed the best on all goals. Universities in other countries rank first
in the specific SDGs:
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group
The Role and Performance of Universities According to the SDGs

10. 10
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group
The Role and Performance of Universities According to the SDGs

11. 11
Universities in Portugal and South Korea ranked first in improvement. Portuguese
universities have made sustainable development part of their strategic plans and
established sustainability offices. They also created the Portuguese Sustainable Campus
Network to help university staff share knowledge and best practices, resulting in an
improvement in SDGs 3, 16 and 17.
Besides Portugal, universities in South Korea showed greater improvement in SDGs 4, 5
and 10. This improvement is because universities in South Korea have followed the
pace set by the government in the Green New Deal and the Digital New Deal.
Joint Statement of Global University Leaders on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development
In March 2021, leaders gathered for a first-of-its-kind online forum for university
presidents on “The Role of Universities in the 2030 Agenda“. The forum was hosted by
Zhejiang University (ZJU) in China, and individual universities highlighted their SDG-
related initiatives during the meeting.
ZJU announced a plan that includes making sustainability a part of campus culture,
becoming a leader of low-carbon action, and transforming its campus into “resource-
saving and environmentally friendly living laboratories”. Yale University in the United
States also announced that despite increasing campus space, they had reduced
greenhouse gas emissions by 43% over the past fifteen years.
Presidents of 56 universities in 30 countries signed a “joint statement by world
university leaders on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development“.
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group
The Role and Performance of Universities According to the SDGs

12. 12
The statement aims to commit the presidents of 56 universities across six continents to
work together to achieve the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. The signatories agreed on
a five-part initiative:
• Implement the concept of sustainable development across activities and operations;
• Improve sustainable development competence of students, faculty and staff;
• Support a wider spectrum of scientific research, including blue-sky discovery and
transdisciplinary research, in response to global challenges;
• Work with global partners to provide innovative solutions and leveraging technology;
and
• Uphold open science to facilitate constructive cross-border collaboration to solve
specific problems.
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group
The Role and Performance of Universities According to the SDGs

13. 13
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group
Have Trusted us for Training and Consultancy Assignments
Banking/Financial
Investment funds
Groups &
International
Conglomerates
Concessionaire
PPP
Retail/FMCG Energy Hospitality

14. 14
© 2021 Sustainability Knowledge Group
Have Trusted us for Training and Consultancy Assignments
Telecoms Consultancies
International
Agencies & Non
Profits
Utilities
Learning
Institutions
Real Estate
Logistics

15. United Kingdom
85 Great Portland Street,
First Floor, W1W 7LT,
London, UK
Cyprus
Vasili Michailidi 9,
CY-3026, Limassol, Cyprus
United Arab Emirates
Jumeirah Business Centre
(JBC), Jumeirah Lake
Towers (JLT), Dubai, UAE
Contact:
Email: contact@sustainabilityknowledgegroup.com
Tel.: +44 (0)20 32392990