The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Higher Education Institutions: Current Challenges and Opportunities

Overview Sustainable Development Goals (Illustration: United Nations)

Format	Online-Workshop (Language: EN)
Date Time	November 11^th 2026 11:00 am - 04:30 pm CET
Who?	This program is intended for lecturers and researchers within the European University Alliance UNINOVIS.
Link	Registration and Information

Background

The integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within higher education institutions is of utmost importance in today’s rapidly evolving global landscape. Issues related to sustainable development, climate change, digitalisation, and social inclusion and equality are high on national agendas and are ever present in national discourses.

Higher education institutions are uniquely positioned to contribute to the realisation of the SDGs and – in extension – drive sustainable and inclusive development. However, the integration of the SDGs in higher education institutions has until now taken place with varying levels of success. The challenges faced are often contextual, but some of the wider challenges include:

Curriculum Integration: Incorporating the SDGs into existing curricula across diverse disciplines can be complex, as it requires a rethinking of current courses to include sustainability perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches.

Measurement and impact assessment: Higher education institutions need robust systems and methodologies to measure progress and outcomes, both qualitatively and quantitatively, to ensure accountability and demonstrate the value of their contributions to the SDGs.

Stakeholder engagement: Successfully integrating the SDGs requires engagement with a broad range of stakeholders, including students, faculty, industry partners, and the local community.

Cultural and Organizational Change: Embedding the SDGs into the fabric of the university often involves significant cultural and organizational change. This process can encounter resistance, as it may challenge existing norms, practices, and power structures within the institution.

The THWS is organising an online workshop for professors and researchers of the UNINOVIS Alliance to discuss these challenges and come up with solutions.

Agenda

Session 1	Time	11:00 am - 12:30 pm CET
	Session	Current challenges and opportunities in integrating SDGs within higher education institutions
	Format	Panel discussion
	Description	Guiding question: How can higher education institutions move from SDG commitments to meaningful, measurable, and lasting institutional change? The panel discussion will bring together representatives from global and institutional perspectives, and will discuss challenges and barriers, opportunities and good practices, and provide an outlook for the post-2030 future.

Session 2	Time	12:00 pm - 03:00 pm CET
	Session	Wider challenges in integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within higher education institutions (part 1)
	Format	World Café
	Description	The world café sessions aim to dive deeper into the challenges higher education institutions face in integrating SDGs within their institutions and will come with concrete examples on how these challenges can be addressed. Session 2 will focus on two topics: Topic 1: SDGs and IDGs in teaching and learning Focus: Curriculum, pedagogy, competencies and institutional support Central question: What prevents higher education institutions from embedding the SDGs and IDGs meaningfully into teaching and learning Topic 2: Research, transfer and stakeholder engagement Focus: Research priorities, knowledge exchange, partnerships and societal impact Central question: What prevents higher education institutions from aligning research and external engagement with the SDGs and translating knowledge into societal impact?

Session 3	Time	13:30 pm - 04:30 pm CET
	Session	Wider challenges in integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within higher education institutions (part 2)
	Format	World Café
	Description	The world café session continued. Session 3 will focus on two topics: Table 3: Measurement and impact assessment Focus: Indicators, evidence of change, accountability and learning Central question: How can higher education institutions measure and demonstrate the contribution and impact of their activities towards the SDGs? Table 4: Cultural and organizational change Focus: Leadership, institutional culture, governance, incentives and resistance to change Central question: What cultural and organizational changes are needed to embed the SDGs into the core mission and everyday practices of higher education institutions?

If you have any questions about the workshop and/or your registration, please contact:

Wouter de Regt

wouter.deregt[at]thws.de

About UNINOVIS:

UNINOVIS brings together eight higher education institutions from across Europe that share a common goal: to promote education, research, and innovation in the field of applied data science in order to address today's societal challenges. The alliance operates under the motto “Data for L.I.F.E.” and focuses on lifelong learning, innovation and integration, promoting ecological and digital change, and European excellence. The alliance contributes to building a data-literate, inclusive, and sustainable Europe where knowledge and innovation serve both people and the planet.

Learn more about UNINOVIS - Data for L.I.F.E.

Funding information: UNINOVIS

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the National Agency. Neither the European Union nor National Agency can be held responsible for them.