UniNEtZ - Universities and Sustainable Development Goals

The project UniNEtZ

UN Agenda 2030

In September 2015 the UN unanimously adopted the “Agenda 2030” (“Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”), in which an action plan for “people, planet and prosperity” in the form of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets are specified. In order to meet the obligation to implement the SDGs in Austria, all federal ministries were commissioned to implement the “Agenda 2030” in a coherent manner by a resolution of the Council of Ministers in January 2016.

Responsibility for sustainable development

The Alliance for Sustainable Universities in Austria has invited all universities in a joint, coordinated effort to support the implementation of the SDGs in Austria. Under the name UniNEtZ - “Universities and Sustainable Development Goals”, a project designed for the performance agreement period 2019-2021 was developed as part of several project development workshops.

Goals

UniNEtZ aims to support the implementation of Agenda2030 in Austria. There are numerous sub-goals associated with this, of which only a few essential ones are listed here:

  • Preparation of a report to the Austrian federal government on how Austria can implement the SDGs
  • Involvement of universities with SDGs in research, teaching, further education, responsible science and in university management
  • Attempt to interact with "the other 50%" (system losers)

For more information see the UniNEtZ website.

SDG Working Groups: Leadership and Participation

UniNEtZ works in groups that each deal with one SDG in more detail. Cross-linking between the working groups is very important, as the SDGs are indivisible and can only be implemented together. The partner universities can participate in UniNEtZ in two forms: Participation in or leadership of an SDG group.

In addition, there are open, UniNEtZ-wide working groups on methodological approaches and the dialogue with society.

More details, information and contacts to UniNEtZ: https://ccca.ac.at/en/homepage

 

UniNEtZ at the BOKU

BOKU has taken the lead for the following SDGs:

SDG 2 (Andreas Melcher)

SDG 6 (Günter Langergraber)

SDG 15 (Georg Gratzer)

The BOKU is working on the following SDGs in terms of participation:

SDG 1 (Andreas Melcher)

SDG 4 (WG BNE of the BOKU: https://short.boku.ac.at/agbne)

SDG 7 (BOKU Energy Cluster: https://boku.ac.at/boku-energiecluster)

SDG 11 (Marion Huber-Humer)

SDG 12 (Gudrun Obersteiner)

SDG 13 (Herbert Formayer)

UniNEtZ coordination at the BOKU

If you are interested or have questions about the project, please contact:

Center for Global Change and Sustainability (gW/N)

DP DI Franz Fehr, MSc
BOKU SDG-coordinator
UniNEtZ Council Chairman

E-Mail: franz.fehr@boku.ac.at