On 30th March, 2021, university presidents from 30 countries unite for the 
first time to announce action on climate change by signing the Joint Statement 
of Global University Leaders on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 
witnessed by UN officials, according to Zhejiang University.

At the first global online forum for university leaders, hosted by Zhejiang 
University in China, presidents from 56 universities across six continents have 
committed to working together to meet sustainable development goals (SDGs). The 
initiative includes five key aspects which all signatories have agreed to: 
implementing the concept of sustainable development, improving sustainable 
development competence, supporting scientific research in response to global 
challenges, working with global partners to provide innovative solutions and 
constructive transnational cooperation on specific issues.

Among the top 50 universities on the QS World University Rankings, 80% have 
developed their university-level sustainability strategy, plans or operational 
activities. According to Zhaohui Wu, President of Zhejiang University (ZJU), 
the purpose of the forum was to bring together leaders from some of the best 
universities to share these visions and best practices on SDGs and explore 
opportunities for potential cooperation in safeguarding a sustainable future. 

With less than 9 years to go to meet targets and the pandemic slowing progress, 
the forum allowed leaders to share essential expertise on how to scale up 
efforts to deliver on the 2030 Agenda. The event gave academics a platform to 
clearly outline their action plans for human-oriented, innovation-driven and 
down-to-earth sustainable development. 

UN officials, including Nikhil Seth, UN Assistant Secretary-General and 
Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, joined the 
panel of speakers including Peter Salovey, President of Yale University, Pam 
Fredman, President of the International Association of Universities, and Eric 
Labaye, President of Ecole Polytechnique.

Speakers reinforced how universities can work together to harness the power of 
technology to expand access to quality education. They also discussed how they 
should draw on their academic ecosystem to support scientific collaborations 
and knowledge transfer across disciplines.

Universities that have signed the initiative include Peking University, Kyoto 
University, Korea University, National University of Singapore, Harvard 
University, Yale University, University of Toronto, University College London, 
Ecole Polytechnique, University of Oslo, Peter the Great St. Petersburg 
Polytechnic University, the University of Sydney, Stellenbosch University and 
Universidade Estadual de Campinas, etc.

Nikhil Seth, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, said: "SDGs 
belong to each of us and everything we do impacts on the achievement, in the 
aggregate, to SDG achievement."

Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO, said: 
"The organization of the forum is timely, especially given the increasingly 
pivotal role of universities not only in fostering understanding and knowledge, 
but also in contributing to the building of knowledge-based societies and for 
the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."

Pam Fredman, President of the International Association of Universities, Paris, 
said: "Co-operation and cohesion among Higher Education Institutions and 
organisations will foster knowledge development and sharing."

Peter Salovey, President of Yale University, said: "Yale University has reduced 
greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent over the past 15 years, even though the 
campus square footage has increased significantly."

Svein Stolen, Rector at the University of Oslo, said: "More equal and mutually 
beneficial partnerships must be developed upon scientific principles, academic 
values, a shared vision and shared goals which place people and the planet at 
the centre."

At the forum, ZJU launched its own sustainable action plan to enhance its 
engagement with the SDGs. Zhaohui Wu, President of Zhejiang University, said: 
"The 'Global ZJU for Social Good' plan establishes five objectives and 
associated actions to improve our sustainability-related education, research, 
and practices within the ZJU community and among other stakeholders in China 
and beyond. We aim to advocate for responsible sustainability, educate for a 
sustainable future, advance scientific collaborations, partner for collective 
well-being and create greener campuses."

Source: Zhejiang University

Image Attachments Links:

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=388068

   Caption: On 30th March, 2021, university presidents from 30 countries unite 
for the first time to announce action on climate change by signing the Joint 
Statement of Global University Leaders on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable 
Development, witnessed by UN officials.