This is what EAUC had to say recently about universities and the SDGs:
Universities and colleges recognise our unique role in fostering and empowering youth as a force for change, and in fulfilling the urgent need for new knowledge, rigorous debate and critical academic engagement to support the SDGs. The SDGs can inspire our teaching and learning with their goal of education, for all, for sustainable development. The SDGs can be a focus for our research: this vision of a fair future for our shared planet generates an agenda of innovation and discovery, but also scrutiny and challenge. The SDGs offer a catalyst for engagement beyond our institutions, with policymakers and publics alike. But they also provide an opportunity to turn our gaze inwards, striving for inclusion, equity and sustainability in all aspects of our operations. In our collaborative endeavours towards common goals, universities and colleges embody the spirit of the SDGs. We recognise our potential as agents of change for sustainable development - at the heart of local communities, and as part of national, regional, and global networks.
I read this and wondered how much of this applied to schools. A lot, you might think. After all ...
- don't schools have a role in fostering and empowering youth as a force for change?
- shouldn't schools be encouraging rigorous debate and critical engagement to support the SDGs?
- can't schools use the SDGs to inspire teaching and learning using their goal of education, for all, for sustainable development?
- won't the SDG vision of a fair future for our shared planet generate an agenda of innovation and discovery for schools?
- couldn't the goals also generate opportunities for scrutiny and challenge?
- isn't it the case that the SDGs provide a catalyst for engagement beyond schools?
- might not they also provide opportunities to help schools strive for inclusion, equity and sustainability in their operations?
- may not schools have the potential to be agents of change for sustainable development at the heart of local communities, and as part of national, regional, and global networks?
I thought so ...
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