Sustainability and the SDG's at SDU

Knowledge and education for a sustainable future

At SDU, we are strongly committed to contributing to a more sustainable future for future generations. We do this through our research and innovation, education and teaching, management, campus operations and our regional and global collaborations. We see our efforts in these areas as coherent and contributing to SDU being a living laboratory for the development of sustainable solutions.

When it comes to research, our contribution is embedded in the way we conduct research: as a classical, research-intensive university based on deep academic knowledge, and as a modern university seeking holistic solutions through interdisciplinary research projects.

The knowledge needed to solve the complex problems of sustainability often requires interdisciplinary research drawing on knowledge from two or more disciplines. At the same time, developing solutions to complex social, environmental and economic challenges will also increasingly require collaboration between universities, industry etc., as no one has the internal capacity to deliver results alone.

Our strategic focus is on supporting initiatives that promote sustainability as a theme for transdisciplinary research and collaboration

It is important to stress that for SDU, academic freedom is an essential prerequisite for the independence, quality and legitimacy of research – and thus also the University’s ability to contribute in response to today’s major societal challenges.

Universities provide students with the knowledge and skills to contribute to a sustainable future. At SDU, academic competences such as critical thinking, systems thinking, integrated problem solving etc., combined with a strong depth of expertise, provide our graduates with a strong starting point for taking an active part in the sustainable transformation.

Our strategic focus is to develop and expand offerings for students who want to become skilled in sustainability

In our latest sustainability report, you can read current examples of how we work with sustainability in research and education.