Moving Towards the Sustainable Development Goals: The Unleash Innovation Lab Experience (original) (raw)
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Sustainability, 2021
This article shares the strategy for mainstreaming the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the University of Valencia (UV), which, although limited in its scale, may compel other Higher Education Institutions to think in technological and social progress aligned with the 2030 Agenda. It explicates a process driven by the UV, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN), and in collaboration with the Service for Geospatial, Information, and Telecommunications Technologies from the UN Support Base in Valencia (Spain) to prepare the online event: “The United Nations We Want”. It was the culmination of a collaborative project between students and faculties from different scientific, technological, social, legal, humanistic, and health disciplines that structure the University of Valencia. The intention was that new generations experience the role they can have to shape the future we want, while the university community as a whole can become part of transformati...
The Unexplored Contribution of Responsible Innovation in Health to Sustainable Development Goals
Responsible Innovation in Health (RIH) represents an emerging Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) approach that could support not only the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) "Good health and well-being" but also other SDGs. Since few studies have conceptualized the relationships between RIH and the SDGs, our goal was to inductively develop a framework to identify knowledge gaps and areas for further reflections. Our exploratory study involved: (1) performing a web-based horizon scanning to identify health innovations with responsibility features; and (2) illustrating through empirical examples how RIH addresses the SDGs. A total of 105 innovations were identified: up to 43% were developed by non-profit organizations, universities or volunteers; 46.7% originated from the United States; and 64.5% targeted countries in Africa, Central and South America and South Asia. These innovations addressed health problems such as newborn care (15.5%), reduced mobility and limb amputation (14.5%), infectious diseases (10.9%), pregnancy and delivery care (9.1%) and proper access to care and drugs (7.3%). Several of these innovations were aligned with SDG10-Reduced inequalities (87%), SDG17-Partnerships for the goals (54%), SDG1-No poverty (15%) and SDG4-Quality education (11%). A smaller number of them addressed sustainable economic development goals such as SDG11-Sustainable cities and communities (9%) and SDG9-Industry and innovation (6%), and environmental sustainability goals such as SDG7-Affordable and clean energy (7%) and SDG6-Clean water and sanitation (5%). Three examples show how RIH combines entrepreneurship and innovation in novel ways to address the determinants of health, thereby contributing to SDG5 (Gender), SDG10 (Inequalities), SDG4 (Education) and SDG8 (Decent work), and indirectly supporting SDG7 (Clean energy) and SDG13 (Climate action). Further research should examine how alternative business models, social enterprises and social finance may support the STI approach behind RIH.
Public Health and Sustainable Development: training future generations in a developing country
IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ, 2020
The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Colombian Caribbean Region is a priority, specifically in the city of Santa Marta, because in this city are several factors involved in public health problems known as Social Determinants of Health: the city has lack of vegetation and high population density which can be a conditioning factor for the progressive increase in temperature and for heat index; and power outages are common. Therefore, in this paper is presented the curricular design of the course "Public Health and Sustainable Development" offered at Universidad del Magdalena. This course covered three topics in its order: 1) the relationship between sustainability and health; 2) the knowledge about SDGs and their global agenda; 3) and ways for increase healthy life and sustainable development in context. With these three topics the SDGs analyzed were: #3 Good health and well-being #4 Quality education, #6 Clean water and sanitation, #7 Affordable and clean energy, #11 Sustainable cities and communities, and #13 Climate action. The evaluation was based on rubrics, the students presented oral workshops and group written reports, and a final report that addressed the relationship between health and public and SDG. It can be concluded that the students achieved a first level of knowledge in the relationship between public health and the SDGs. This work identified that there are three main environmental problems of the city of Santa Marta: the public supply of drinking water for human consumption, continuous increase of high temperatures, and lack of vegetation. In this way, new buildings must generate an impact on public health, guaranteeing a healthy urban environment. In Santa Marta, the University must have a central role as an integrating axis, promoting healthy and sustainable behavior in society; and based in this work there are elements for a climate emergency declaration in Universidad del Magdalena.
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) is one of the world’s leading universities in the fields of technology and natural science and the largest technical university in Switzerland. More than 18,500 students from over 110 countries are studying at ETH Zurich. About 500 professors teach and conduct research in the fields of engineering, architecture, mathematics, natural sciences, and system-oriented sciences as well as economics, management, and the social sciences. ETH Zurich’s mission in education is to equip its students with the highest level of knowledge and skills; the ability to feel at ease and act in complex and rapidly evolving environments, while at the same time being able to maintain an understanding for ethical and cultural values. Accordingly, the ETH Sustainability Summer Programme aims to foster students’ ability to innovate and act as change agents for sustainability. Collaborations between different departments and competence centres at ETH Zurich as well as national and international partner organizations provide an interdisciplinary environment that offers insight into various aspects of sustainable development. Focus is not only on providing theoretical knowledge but also on providing practical, hands-on experience through specific case studies. Since the first ETH Sustainability summer school was held in 2010, more than 160 students have joined. Participants have come from 34 different countries, 42 universities and 44 disciplines. Students have been able to work in diverse cultural and environmental settings — in Switzerland, Ethiopia and Singapore. Renowned experts from 47 external organizations, including academia, industry, public administration and NGOs have shared their knowledge and expertise with the participants. Here we evaluate and discuss the challenges and successes of the programme over the past five years from a practitioner’s perspective.
Engagement with Sustainable Development in Higher Education
Sustainable Development Goals Series
The Sustainable Development Goals Series is Springer Nature's inaugural cross-imprint book series that addresses and supports the United Nations' seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. The series fosters comprehensive research focused on these global targets and endeavours to address some of society's greatest grand challenges. The SDGs are inherently multidisciplinary, and they bring people working across different fields together and working towards a common goal. In this spirit, the Sustainable Development Goals series is the first at Springer Nature to publish books under both the Springer and Palgrave Macmillan imprints, bringing the strengths of our imprints together. The Sustainable Development Goals Series is organized into eighteen subseries: one subseries based around each of the seventeen respective Sustainable Development Goals, and an eighteenth subseries, "Connecting the Goals, " which serves as a home for volumes addressing multiple goals or studying the SDGs as a whole. Each subseries is guided by an expert Subseries Advisor with years or decades of experience studying and addressing core components of their respective Goal. The SDG Series has a remit as broad as the SDGs themselves, and contributions are welcome from scientists, academics, policymakers, and researchers working in fields related to any of the seventeen goals. If you are interested in contributing a monograph or curated volume to the series, please contact the Publishers: Zachary Romano [Springer; zachary.romano@ springer.com] and Rachael Ballard [Palgrave Macmillan; rachael.ballard@ palgrave.com].