Higher Education Institutions and the Sustainable Development Goals: Understanding Engagement and Prioritization within Canadian Research-Intensive Universities
Abstract
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are increasingly coming on board to engage with the United Nations Agenda 2030 - Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By leveraging their global connectivity and other advantageous traits, such as their research and knowledge production capability, HEIs are uniquely positioned to be leaders in sustainable strategic planning. To date, however, no systematic attempt has been made to investigate how Canadian HEIs are engaging with the SDGs. In response to this knowledge gap, this research seeks to understand: In what ways are Canadian HEIs (specifically, U15s) engaging with the SDGs, and why? And what SDGs are being prioritized within Canadian HEIs (U15s), and why? This research undertook two phases; first, a content analysis of the HEIs’ strategic documents on SDGs was conducted; and second, an analysis of interviews with participants from the HEIs was undertaken. Findings illustrate how the Canadian HEIs are engaging with the SDGs across many areas of operation from courses and research to community outreach. Results from the document analysis indicate that SDGs 17 (partnership for the goals), 4 (quality education), and 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure) have higher levels of engagement among the HEIs. Additionally, the interviews provide further context and perspective on the HEIs SDG engagement. These findings can be valuable for future research aiming to provide best practice recommendations to Canadian HEIs, specifically the U15s, to improve their overall SDG engagement. This research also helps to increase overall awareness and understanding of the role HEIs can play in global initiatives.