The Academic Secretary and the UM Global Department invited the representatives of the different departments to reflect on sustainability and university administration as applicable to the reality and identity of the University of Montevideo. The topic, which originated in the previous workshop of Internalization of June 2022, was undertaken through a series of informative talks and a team analysis by groups divided by disciplines.

On Thursday, August 4, in the School of Engineering building, a series of presentations were carried out to explain the nature of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that ONU proposes, the role of universities, the impact of their teachings on the social context and students' vision regarding themes of sustainability.

The University's Academic Secretary, Dr. Enrique Etchevarren, analyzed how UM, according to its mission, vision, and values, can provide content or actions relating to the SDGs and, in turn, provide new tools for students in their personal and professional lives. Etchevarren highlighted the importance of creating and instructing incentives aligned with sustainability criteria beyond those existing in the establishment as a product of the mission, vision, and values that characterize UM.

Subsequently, Florencia Berruti, from the School of Communications commented on specific mechanisms and types of jobs regarding corporative sustainability in business models, the preoccupation with collisions that involve present and future generations, the SDG's theme tendencies, and the possible institutional planning.

Afterward, Elizabeth Scherschener, talked in detail about ONU's 2030 SDGs for Universities, the measuring of its impact, and its relationship with the Times Higher Education (THE) Ranking. The speaker explained that higher education and scientific investigation are explicitly cited in several SDGs, and this presents social, economic, and environmental challenges that universities have the opportunity to address. Furthermore, she remarked that "universities have an important social impact since they are employers, consumers, and investors."

In the end, the different teams were given time to work as a group for their internal organization and distribution of actions.

The university's SDGs.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), also known as Global Goals, were proposed in 2015 by the United Nations as a universal appeal to put an end to poverty, protect the planet and guarantee that, by 2030, everyone can enjoy peace and prosperity.

More information about the UN SDGs is at this link.