The role of universities in accelerating the sustainable development goals in Europe

Filho, Walter Leal ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3993-8974, Sierra, Javier ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2427-9619, Price, Elizabeth ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5723-7856, Eustachio, João Henrique Paulino Pires ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6782-3904, Novikau, Aliaksandr ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1974-9543, Kirrane, Maria, Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2198-6740 and Salvia, Amanda Lange ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4549-7685 (2024) The role of universities in accelerating the sustainable development goals in Europe. Scientific Reports, 14 (1). 15464. ISSN 2045-2322

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Abstract

The process of implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were approved by the UN General Assembly in 2015 has not been simple, being influenced by variety of social, economic, and logistical problems. It has also been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are to date no specific studies aimed at assessing the extent to which higher universities institutions in Europe are active in the SDGs implementation process. Departing from this research need, this paper reports on a study aimed at examining the current degree of engagement of European universities in the implementing the SDGs. By using a multi-methods approach, which entails a review of existing documents, a survey involving participants from 22 countries and case studies, the paper maps, documents and disseminates examples of what European universities are doing to implement the SDGs, the challenges they face, and the solutions being deployed to overcome them.