NC State Participates in UN Sustainable Development Goals Action and Awareness Week
The Office of Global Engagement is leading campus participation in the first annual UN Sustainable Development Goals Action and Awareness Week (March 1 – 5, 2021). The week will feature a series of events and programs to highlight the many ways in which NC State is advancing the mission of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The purpose of this week is to promote awareness of the 17 SDGs among students in higher education and inspire them to take action in support of the goals on their campuses and in their local community.
NC State University is an official signatory of the University Global Coalition and has committed to their goal of “increasing students’ understanding of the most pressing challenges facing the world today as articulated in the SDGs, and inspiring students to play an active role in driving change and finding new solutions.”
NC State Sustainability highlights many of the ways that the university community is involved in research, teaching and practice related to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Beginning during the Fall 2021 Semester, NC State will launch a campus programming initiative focused around the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This initiative, scheduled to last through the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years, will feature a wide array of programs each semester focused around a cluster of SDGs. The purpose of the SDG Campus Programming Initiative is to educate students at NC State as to what the SDGs are, why they are a blueprint for peace and prosperity in the world, and promote engagement in support of the goals.
“Our students today face considerable challenges in creating a bright and prosperous future for themselves”, said David Hawley, Manager of Global Programming in the Office of Global Engagement. “The Sustainable Development Goals established that young people are the driving force for sustainable development – but only if they are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and confidence in their abilities to enact this change through active participation.”
Global Learning for All
The SDG programming plan is part of the Office of Global Engagement’s strategic framework entitled “Global Learning for All: building a more equitable and sustainable world” to support the new university strategic plan for the next decade. Specifically, the expansion of online, hybrid and campus based models for engagement across cultures will make global learning more inclusive and accessible for the entire campus community.
Through engaging students, faculty and staff in various activities, collaborative SDG programming under the Global Learning for All umbrella will provide participants with a better understanding of the SDGs, their importance in a global context and NC State’s contribution to addressing these critical issues.
The website and white paper detailing the Global Learning for All framework will be shared widely in March. As NC State finalizes its 2021-2030 strategic plan, colleges and other units across the university are invited to incorporate Global Learning for All concepts and UN SDG programming into their own strategic plan implementation strategies. The Office of Global Engagement welcomes the opportunity to partner with and support units in these efforts.
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