Solving the world’s biggest challenges
16 August 2018
Ways in which the University’s research and teaching aims to transform the world into a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable place is the uniting factor for several sustainability initiatives this month.
A travelling exhibition of posters showcasing staff and students involved in research and teaching that directly relates to a number of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (or Global Goals) is now on display on the ground floor of the Science Centre (building 302), and will be travelling to various faculties and campuses over the upcoming months.
The goals address crucial issues like poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, access to work, peace, prosperity and environmental protection.
Staff members, students and peers featured in the posters are involved in research ranging from protection of indigenous people’s rights in international law and establishing water security in developing countries to ethical practices in the global fashion industry and investment in renewable energy development.
Sustainability manager Dr Lesley Stone says the display continues the University’s efforts to identify and raise the profile of sustainability-related research and teaching.
“Our initial review discovered more than 1300 academic staff with research of relevant to one or more of the Global Goals, and 900 courses that are building in some way students’ knowledge and skills for a sustainable future.”
The initiative “provides a fabulous sense of the rich diversity of academic endeavour that we are privileged to support, while also highlighting the interconnected nature of sustainability and an inspirational community of interest upon which we can build.
The University’s ongoing efforts to raise the profile of, and contributions to, the Global Goals also extend to the national arena. As part of New Zealand’s commitment to the goals, the country is expected to shortly begin work on a Voluntary National Review (VNR) to be submitted to UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
Our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, recently initiated a proposal to Universities NZ for a collaborative, sector-wide contribution to New Zealand’s country review.
The proposal, which was co-sponsored by vice-chancellors from AUT, Massey University and Victoria University of Wellington, and has now been agreed to by all vice-chancellors, will enable Universities NZ to take a leading role in New Zealand’s sustainable development agenda to 2030. This will include establishment of an advisory group of nominees from each university to coordinate contributions to this collaborative effort.
Another relevant recent development is the launch of the Faculty of Science Research Theme ‘A Sustainable Future – From the Mountains to the Sea, Mai i te kāhui Maunga ki Tangaroa’.
The theme focuses on the sustainability of our terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments, climate and human resilience. It hopes to foster connections and new collaborations between individuals and groups across career stages, academic disciplines and different traditions of knowledge production, including Mātauranga Māori, to achieve research excellence.
The launch was led by Professor Jacqueline Beggs (Biological Sciences, and theme leader), Dr Viji Sarojini and Dr Jonathan Sperry (Chemical Sciences) and Kathryn Howard (research programme manager, Faculty of Science).
It provided an overview of the theme and an opportunity to network and discuss what the participants want to create for the future. For more information, contact Professor Jacqueline Beggs.