International Conference on Sustainable Development Goals: Actors and Implementation

Dr Rajesh Tandon, as UNESCO Chair, will present a paper entitled Making the Commitment: Contributions of Higher Education to SDGs” in Barcelona, Spain at the International Conference on Sustainable Development Goals: Actors and Implementation.

The International Conference is one of the activities organized by the Global University Network for Innovation (GUNi) as part of the International Summer School on Higher Education and Research Leadership activities. It aims to provide intellectual guidance and scientific evidences to the challenges of SDGs, with a humanist and critical thinking, promoting research and education to build a fair global community and more sustainable societies.

Among the many publications by Dr Rajesh Tandon, the most recent and a very important one has been the 6th GUNi World Report on Higher Education titled, ‘Towards a Socially Responsible University: Balancing the Global with the Local’. Dr Tandon has contributed to the book as a guest editor, which deals with the dual responsibilities of universities at local and global scales; exploring the potential conflict, or intrinsic difficulties, in addressing both local demands of society and global demands to contribute to a more equitable and sustainable world. The report argues that social responsibility emerges as the need to reconsider social relevance of universities, through dual engagement at local & global levels. This involves adopting an engaged approach towards Higher Education Institution (HEI) missions – engaged teaching/engaged research/engaged service. The report also says that HEI responsibilities include ensuring achievement of SDGs & building capacities for SDG policies, planning and management. 

For more information on the conference, visit http://www.guninetwork.org/activity/international-conference-sustainable-development-goals-actors-and-implementation