SDG 17: Partnerships for Goals

SDG 17: Partnerships for Goals

The SDGs can only be realized with strong global partnerships and cooperation. The world is more interconnected now than ever before and improving technological know-how and sharing of best practices is an important way to disseminate ideas and foster innovation. Coordinating policies to help developing countries manage their debt, as well as promoting investment for the least developed, is vital for sustainable growth and development.

Sunway University is committed to supporting the goals by engaging in regional cooperation, policy development, knowledge transfer and advocacy work.

Resources

 

To advance the global goals, Sunway University is committed to being a part of national, regional and international networks such as the SDSN as well as the SDSNA though its own centres:  Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, Jeffrey Sachs Centre on Sustainable Development and Sunway Institute for Global Strategy and Competitiveness.

Collaborations

The success of any partnership is not only measured by how it has benefitted the partners involved, but also how it has impacted the communities that we serve.

Community and Outreach

17.2 Relationships to support the goals

17.2.1 Relationships with regional NGOs and government for SDG policy
Have direct involvement in, or input into, national government or regional non-government organisations, SDG policy development - including identifying problems and challenges, developing policies and strategies, modelling likely futures with and without interventions, monitoring and reporting on interventions, and enabling adaptive management

The Sunway Centre for Planetary Health jointly authored and participated in the Malaysia Policy Brief of the 2022 Lancet Countdown Report on Health and Climate Change, an NGO-industry-academia collaboration providing expert recommendations to the Malaysian government on three priority areas affecting the health of Malaysian citizens. 

The Sunway Institute for Global Strategy and Competitiveness IGSC is a strategic partner of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia to work on the Roadmap for the National Agenda on Water Sector Transformation 2040 Development Study. This is a national agenda to transform the water sector into a dynamic & vibrant economic sector, identifying gaps in the current water ecosystem and providing recommendations for addressing water security and water management issues in the country.

View Policy Brief 2022

 

 

 

 

View Water Transformation 2040

View Volume IX - Water as an Economic Sector

(see page 14 Volume IX where Sunway University's involvement is explained)

17.2.2 Cross-sectoral dialogue about SDGs
Initiate and participate in cross-sectoral dialogue about the SDGs, e.g. conferences involving government or NGOs

Accelerating Progress on SDGs in Malaysia: A Conversation with Professor Jeffrey Sachs.

This dialogue session brought together policymakers, development actors, academics and civil society representatives, for an overview of the current global situation on achievement and progress against the Sustainable Development Goals and its implications for countries like Malaysia.

Equity Seminar

The equity seminar series addresses barrier-breaking topics through events that represent marginalised communities from various sectors of society, including academics, industry experts, government bodies and the public community.

  1. Sunway Centre for Planetary Health together with Pacific Disaster Centre hosted a Seminar on Women Pushing for​ Transformation – A Dialogue on the Future of​ SDG, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Planetary Health. Introduce the need for a broader overarching planetary health approach in how communities, organizations and governments prepare for, mitigate the impact of, and adapt to current and future risks, including pandemics, natural hazards and climate change. It will highlight the role of women in pushing for transformation.
     
  2. An equity webinar titled Improving challenges of women and girls in Science using lessons learned from COVID-19 was hosted by Sunway Centre for Planetary Health. The Centres  Chief Planetary Health Scientist addresses these challenges.

17.2.3 International collaboration data gathering for SDG
Participate in international collaboration on gathering or measuring data for the SDGs

SDGs for Malaysian States is a portal for monitoring performance of the national and state government against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). 
This is an international collaboration involving experts from the SDG Transformation Center in Paris. Using a thematic division of SDGs, the goal is to learn the progress and challenges faced by states in achieving the SDGs. This journey starts with overall SDG performance at the national level. Thereafter, you are able to study the SDG performance by every state through the interactive dashboards. You can find a section to choose a Goal for individual goal level and its indicator level assessment. Finally, the section of Major SDG Challenges by State (Indicator Level) highlights the major SDG challenges for every state.

17.2.4 Collaboration for SDG best practice
Through international collaboration and research, review comparative approaches and develop international best practice on tackling the SDGs

As a Signatory of the SDG Accord, Sunway University is committed to embedding the SDGs into our education, research, leadership, operations, administration, and engagement activities. The SDG Accord is a public declaration of an institution’s commitment to sharing and reporting on their progress towards the SDGs – giving rich insight into the actions undertaken by higher and further education and their outcomes in our communities and the world at large.

17.2.5 Collaboration with NGOs for SDGs
Collaborate with NGOs to tackle the SDGs through: student volunteering programmes, research programmes, or development of educational resources

Sunway University signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nicol David Organisation (NDO) to collaborate and work together on providing internship opportunities, research development
and further education alliance for NDO students. NDO, armed with a mission to empower girls and boys to realise their full potential and gain long lasting values, through sports, will collaborate with Sunway University in co-development of educational programmes to support the mission of NDO. 

Sunway University will also co-create mentorship programmes involving Sunway University students in mentoring relationships with NDO students. 
 

View NGO collaboration

 (see page 18 of report)



 

Student Volunteering Programmes

There is a longterm collaboration with Tzu Chi Charity Foundation where Sunway students join other volunteers on third Sundays of the month to help at the recycling centre.

Research Programmes

The Centre organised the first convening of Southeast and South Asian Planetary Health Alliance Hub members in 2022. Agreements were reached on a primary focus on building resilient communities, conducting research studies in parts of the Indo-Pacific region, finding ways to hear and amplify the voices of vulnerable and indigenous communities, and administering a regional-level landscape analysis to better understand who is doing what, where, on the promotion of planetary health. 

Development of Educational Resources

An online SDG Education Course was developed for the campus community in partnership with the SDG Academy, the education and training division of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), SDG Academy has a mandate of promoting transformative education through the creation and curation of high-quality content on sustainable development, sharing of innovative pedagogies and training models, and providing open access to learning resources for a global audience.

17.3 Publication of SDG reports

17.3.1 - 17.3.17 Publication of SDG reports - per SDG
Publish progress against SDG1 - SDG 17, either individually or within an annual report

The University publishes an annual report that demonstrates progress against each of the sustainable development goals, in areas of leadership, research, education and external engagement. 

17.4 Education for the SDGs

17.4.1 Education for SDGs commitment to meaningful education
Have a commitment to meaningful education around the SDGs across the university, relevant and applicable to all students

A campus-wide SDG Education course was launched for all staff and students. The course is designed to strengthen our staff and students' foundational understanding of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. As it is important for all SEG staff to be educated on this topic, they are required to complete this course within this year and their progress will be reported.

17.4.2 Education for SDGs specific courses on sustainability
Have dedicated courses (full degrees, or electives) that address sustainability and the SDGs.

The University has not only developed specific Sustainable Development courses at the master and PhD level but has also embedded sustainability electives within a wide range of courses.

17.4.3 Education for SDGs in the wider community
Have dedicated outreach educational activities for the wider community, which could include alumni, local residents, displaced people

Campus with a Conscience, a philosophy distinctively unique to Sunway University, is a platform where knowledge is turned into action and outreach and reflects a community built upon individuals who stay accountable to our planet and its people.  All Campus with a Conscience initiatives are open to all staff and students, alumni and the wider community.