Bengaluru: The first-ever Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Handbook to provide a step-by-step approach for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), was released as part of a virtual event by the PACT2030 initiative by its secretariat QS I-GAUGE in Bangalore on 8^th July 2022.

The SDG Handbook was developed based on the insightful discussions and exchange of ideas between some of the top HEIs during the PACT2030 inaugural conclave held at Goa in March 2022. The Handbook is customised to work as a ready reckoner to Indian HEIs towards the planning and implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in their campuses and society at large. It unravels the current global scenario on what is happening on the SDG front, the facts and figures from India on each of the 17 SDGs and lists out recommendations to Indian HEIs to scale up their involvement.

Present at the launch was Shri Vijay K Nambiar, Former Special Advisor to UN Secretary-General and Former Chief of Staff of the United Nations, who presided over the event as Chief Guest and, while launching the SDG Handbook for Indian Higher Education said, “In India, there is a critical need to accelerate the contributions and leadership of academic institutions for realising the SDGs. This necessitates the platform for academic involvement from local to national and thereon to the international level; PACT2030 is such a forum.” He also added that he hoped that this initiative would contribute to putting India on the world map of education and SDGs overall.

Also present at the event was Shri Sarbjit Singh Sahota, Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist at UNICEF India, who delivered a keynote address and said that “There is a need for collective action, but the sense of urgency required for climate action is missing. Organisation and institutional support, something like PACT2030 inspire solution providers, and larger communities to participate in solving the challenges continuously as universities have excellent opportunities to remain continuously engaged in problem-solving”.

The event also witnessed a panel discussion on the role of Academic Leadership and Capacity Building in Accelerating SDGs, which was a riveting intellectual engagement and fruitful exchange of thoughts. Dr Geeta Thakur from Manav Rachna University moderated the panel and Dr Lakshmi Priya from Uttaranchal University; Dr Krishnendu Sarkar from NSHM Knowledge Campus; Dr Deepak Nallaswamy from Saveetha University and Dr Supriya Patil from Savitri Bhai Phule Pune University were the panel members.

Students of Jagdish Sheth School of Management presented their SDG Initiative called "Kanyathon - an Experiential Program for Social Impact". Mr Sanjay Padode, President of Vijaybhoomi University presented a Case study on the SDG progress after the PACT2030 Conclave held in Goa in March 2022.

Dr Ashwin Fernandes as convenor of the PACT2030 initiative and on behalf of the secretariat QS I-GAUGE welcomed the gathering and said, “The success of our collective journey to 2030 will greatly depend on how effectively institutions, who are in the driving seat of implementation of this transformative national agenda by engaging their faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders in implementation efforts and thereby bridging the gap between existing practices and SDGs”. He further, added, “This Handbook provides a comprehensive overview and light assessment of the institutional response to the SDGs in the country, at the national level. It is desirable to further deepen this assessment and repeat it regularly, partnering with other actors”.

The event was live-streamed on the YouTube Channel of QS I-GAUGE: https://bit.ly/QS-I-GAUGE-SDG-Handbook-for-Indian-HEIs-Launch

Download the Handbook from: https://www.pact2030.org/

About PACT2030

PACT2030 (Pledge, Act, Change, and Transform) is a social enterprise that has been constituted by

QS I-GAUGE to empower academic institutions to think beyond their boundaries and care for the world. It has a long-term vision and is a scalable model on global platforms. PACT2030 brings together like-minded leaders, founders, and chancellors of academic institutions, policymakers, and the government to engage all the intelligent forces for creating a better world.

Over 30 Indian universities joined together to sign the historic “Goa Declaration” pledging for better and improved action on achieving Sustainable Development Goals in their institution and cities, as part of the three-day PACT2030 conclave, held in Goa from 10-12 March 2022.

PACT2030: Goa Declaration - Pledging members:

1. Alliance University, Bangalore, Karnataka
2. Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab
3. Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab
4. Himalayiya University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
5. Hindustan Institute of Technology & Science (Deemed to be University), Chennai, Tamil Nadu
6. IIHMR University, Jaipur, Rajasthan
7. Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
8. Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education (Deemed to be University), Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu
9. Karpagam Academy of Higher Education (Deemed to be University), Coimbatore Tamil Nadu
10. Manav Rachna University, Faridabad, Haryana
11. Marwadi University, Rajkot, Gujarat
12. MIT World Peace University, Pune, Maharashtra
13. NIMS University, Jaipur, Rajasthan
14. NITTE (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, Karnataka
15. NIET, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
16. O. P. Jindal Global Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, Sonipat, Haryana
17. Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
18. Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
19. Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh
20. UPES, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
21. Vijaybhoomi University, Karjat, Maharashtra
22. World University of Design, Sonipat, Haryana

About QS I-GAUGE

QS I-GAUGE is a brand incorporated in India as an independent private-sector initiative specialised in rating colleges, universities, and schools. It brings together the global expertise, experience, and reputation of UK-based QS Quacquarelli Symonds, along with deep local knowledge of luminaries from Indian education. QS I-GAUGE has rated and certified more than 150 colleges and universities across India and helping them improve the overall quality of Education.

Photo Caption

Top academicians from Indian Higher education joined together for a panel discussion convened as part of “SDG Handbook for Indian Higher Education” launch. The Handbook is developed by the Thought Leadership team of QS I-GAUGE.