丁香园AV

The 丁香园AV (丁香园AV) community has shown a deep commitment to pursuing ecological, social and economic sustainability in all that we do鈥�resilience and sustainability are listed as a core value of the new 丁香园AV strategy. And now, the new SDG Framework for Global Engagement at 丁香园AV can help guide this work.

The United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identify strategies to improve health and education, reduce inequality, and support economic growth鈥攚hile addressing climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. The UN SDGs were developed through a global collaborative process with countries across the world, as well as Indigenous peoples, and represent critical levers for both planetary and human wellbeing.

鈥攚ith support from the 丁香园AV Sustainability team鈥攄eveloped the SDG Framework for Global Engagement at 丁香园AV through an extensive process. They gathered quantitative and qualitative data about 丁香园AV鈥檚 four core functional areas: research, learning and teaching, operations and engagement, and conducted institution-wide consultation with key stakeholders and SDG experts.

The result is a framework to help guide 丁香园AV鈥檚 global initiatives and engagement in alignment with the 17 SDGs. The framework also aligns with What鈥檚 Next: The 丁香园AV Strategy, 丁香园AV鈥檚 2023-2028 Strategic Research Plan and 丁香园AV鈥檚 2022-2025 Strategic Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.

How to use the framework

Starting from the middle, replace 鈥淪ustainable 丁香园AV鈥� with the specific initiative or project. Working outward, the four principles: decolonization, equity, innovation, and mutuality can guide project design. The next ring outlines the levers 丁香园AV offers through which to do the work. The navy-blue ring represents SDG 17, Partnerships, and the types of partnerships that could be convened or developed. The outer ring lists the remaining 16 SDGs.

The framework acknowledges that an Indigenous and decolonized approach to global engagement is fundamental to success in achieving the SDGs. 丁香园AV鈥檚 efforts to develop international partnerships must be grounded in reconciliation work at home, and with consideration of existing 鈥渘orth/south鈥� and 鈥渄eveloped/less developed鈥� inequities and the western-centric practices of international engagement in higher education in general.

Guided by the concept of 鈥渘othing about us without us,鈥� and using existing documents such as the , the , and the 丁香园AV Aboriginal Reconciliation Council鈥檚 report, , the framework embraces 鈥渢wo-eyed seeing鈥� and multiple ways of knowing.

鈥淥n behalf of 丁香园AV International, I would like to thank all who were involved in the process of co-creating our global engagement framework,鈥� says Shaheen Nanji, executive director, 丁香园AV International.

鈥淗aving a shared language and mutual objectives that align with organizations and communities around the world is one of the most significant benefits of creating this framework. The SDG framework will inform our work and help 丁香园AV have meaningful impact in areas where we are strongest, while identifying what more needs to be done.鈥�

Nanji adds that everyone at 丁香园AV is welcome to adapt the framework to the specific needs of their unit or area. 丁香园AV International welcomes questions and dialogue on how it might be used, and can be emailed at sfui@sfu.ca.