On February 29, 2020, the University of Toronto’s Media Ethics Lab at St. Michael’s College, in collaboration with the School of Cities, hosted Advancing SDGs at UofT, a day of design thinking to explore opportunities for pursuing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the University of Toronto.
The aim was to grow on existing initiatives, generate innovative ideas, and produce a blue print for advancing the UN Global Goals at UofT in areas ranging from integrated learning to open research, and civic engagement.
Bringing together 30 UofT students from different areas of expertise and from the tri-campuses, including observers and stakeholders from our community, this event aimed to foster creativity and encourage multidisciplinary collaboration to ideate, design and prototype ideas for a sustainable future.
How are Research, Teaching, Operations, and Outreach relevant to the SDGs and their targets? How can students play an active role in advancing SDGS and their targets?
Through intensive brainstorming and guided discussion, participants were encouraged to use system and design thinking techniques to gain new perspectives that generate unique results. Participants were also divided into three working groups, each focused on unique research questions and frameworks concerning SDGs, discussing UofT’s impact on the SDGs, or how UofT can work to advance the global SDG’s and build a better future for everyone; brainstorm the SDGs impact on UofT, and how awareness and application of the Global Goals can improve the University; thinking on Toronto as a city, localizing the Global Goals within our urban landscape, and exploring the importance of urban sustainable development… being the University “for” Toronto!
Adapted from SDSN Australia/Pacific (2017): Getting started with the SDGs in universities: A guide for universities, higher education institutions, and the academic sector. Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Edition. Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Australia/Pacific, Melbourne.
Adapted from SDSN Australia/Pacific (2017): Getting started with the SDGs in universities: A guide for universities, higher education institutions, and the academic sector. Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Edition. Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Australia/Pacific, Melbourne.
We look forward to publishing a Report of the findings that emerged from this process of collaborative design. This report will be also a blueprint for future discussion in the field, to sketch the future of the University of Toronto and unleash the power to create a better world by 2030. Stay tuned!
