{"id":17885,"date":"2023-10-07T18:29:48","date_gmt":"2023-10-07T12:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/?p=17885"},"modified":"2023-10-07T18:29:50","modified_gmt":"2023-10-07T12:59:50","slug":"aligning-higher-education-with-the-united-nations-sdgs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/07-10-2023\/aligning-higher-education-with-the-united-nations-sdgs","title":{"rendered":"Aligning Higher Education with the United Nations SDGs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ Education<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In Context<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Educational institutions have to rethink their approach so that it is in tune with the NEP which will be crucial in realising the 2030 deadline for SDGs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Sustainable Development Goals<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The United Nations Document \u201c<strong>Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development<\/strong>\u201d.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This agenda contains 17 goals and 169 targets.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The agenda is built on the <strong>Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)<\/strong>, which were adopted in 2000 and were to be achieved by 2015.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SDGs provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth \u2013 all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"285\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17887\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image.png 460w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-150x93.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goals<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Though it has been eight years since the inception of these goals, the SDGs Report 2023 flagged<strong> slow progress <\/strong>and painted a<strong> grim picture.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The reasons are cited as the prolonged effects of <strong>COVID-19<\/strong>, impacts of the <strong>climate crisis<\/strong>, the <strong>Russia-Ukraine conflict<\/strong>, and a <strong>weak global economy<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The lack of progress towards the goals is a <strong>universal experience<\/strong>, but it has been more pronounced in the <strong>Least Developed Countries (LDCs)<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India,<\/strong> despite having managed the crises of the global economy and relatively succeeded in overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic, has<strong> suffered a setback in achieving these goals<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About the National Education Policy 2020<\/span><\/strong><br><br>&#8211; The NEP 2020 is founded on the <strong>five guiding pillars<\/strong> of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability.\u00a0<br>&#8211; In school education, the National Education Policy 2020 stresses on the core values and principle that education must develop:\u00a0<br>1. <strong>not only the cognitive skills<\/strong>, that is, \u2013 both \u2018foundational skills\u2019 of literacy and numeracy and \u2018higher-order\u2019 skills such as critical thinking and problem solving \u2013\u00a0<br>2. <strong>but also, social and emotional skills<\/strong> &#8211; also referred to as \u2018soft skills\u2019 -including cultural awareness and empathy, perseverance and grit, teamwork, leadership, communication, among others.<br>&#8211; It recommends a plethora of <strong>reforms at all levels of school education<\/strong> which seek to ensure quality of schools, transformation of the curriculum for the age group of 3 to 18 years.\u00a0<br>1. For that, the <strong>&#8220;10 + 2&#8221; structure<\/strong> will be <strong>replaced with the &#8220;5+3+3+4<\/strong>&#8221; model.<br>&#8211; It seeks to:<br>1. Increase public investment in education,\u00a0<br>2. Strengthen the use of technology and\u00a0<br>3. Increase focus on vocational and adult education, among others.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">NEP 2020 and SDGs<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>SDG4:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It pertains to access to quality education. It is a prerequisite for the achievement of other goals.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India\u2019s role towards achieving SDG4:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India, with a long-standing history of equitable and inclusive education, has accelerated efforts to ensure the achievement of SDGs through various reforms.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Among them, the<strong> National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 should be given credit <\/strong>to a great extent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>NED 2020 &amp; SDGs:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>NEP 2020 has been prepared in tune with most of the SDGs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Though NEP 2020 calls for changes at all levels of education, <strong>priority should be accorded to higher education<\/strong> as it accelerates social mobility, empowers people through creativity and critical thinking, and grants them employment skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Role of Higher Education in\u00a0 Sustainable development<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>OECD\u2019s data:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), people with a higher education degree are more <strong>employable <\/strong>and<strong> earn an average of 54% more<\/strong> than those who only have completed senior secondary education.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Role in achieving SDGs: <\/strong>A university-inclusive education, thus,\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Better protects people against poverty (SDG1),&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prevents them from hunger (SDG2), s<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supports them for good health and well-being (SDG3),&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Promotes gender equality (SDG5),&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provides them decent work, which in turn drives economic growth (SDG 8), and&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduces inequalities (SDG10).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Role of Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary systems of education produce multitalented people who can pursue research, and find innovative solutions to global challenges such as\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Affordable and clean energy (SDG7),&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sustainable cities and communities (SDG11),&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Climate change and global warming (SDG13), as well as studying their impact on an economy and the earth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Suggestions<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Integrated approach:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To accelerate the progress towards achieving the 2030 agenda, the 56,205 higher educational institutions and universities in India should work together.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multidisciplinary outlook:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Universities should come out reinvigorated and play a part in the <strong>education, innovation, culture, and civic life <\/strong>of their local communities.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Community health, energy-saving measures, efficient resource allocation, waste reduction, development of local skills, as well as the sharing of services, infrastructure, and facilities with other universities or external partners should become a culture in universities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthening the research-teaching nexus:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Universities should strengthen the research-teaching nexus in university education.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>That way, students will become direct benefactors of the knowledge generated from research.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adopting sustainability as a mantra:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is high time that universities adopted sustainability as a mantra and incorporated SDGs into their institutional strategies, both in daily administration and in teaching and research.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Role in socio-economic development:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It has been realised that higher education cannot work in isolation; rather it must be directly integrated with socio-economic development where each activity and transaction has meaningful and multiple impacts on SDGs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Every citizen must feel that the universities contribute directly to their well-being and nation-building.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Way ahead<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Need of achieving SDGs:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>SDGs are a matter of urgency, and actions by all countries, both developed and developing, to end poverty and other socio-economic and environmental problems should align with strategies that improve the standard of life and education, reduce inequality, and harness economic growth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Attaining Goals for \u201cLife on Land\u201d:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Innovative solutions and start-ups (SDG 9) must be developed in collaboration with private companies.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Introducing Value-Based Education (VBE) will help citizens become responsible towards self, society, and the planet and help our nation achieve \u201cLife on Land\u201d (SDG15).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Daily Mains Question<br><\/span>[Q] <\/strong>Examine the role of the National Education Policy 2020 in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for India.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/07_10_Aligning-higher-education-with-the-United-Nations-SDGs.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Syllabus: GS2\/ Education In Context Sustainable Development Goals Challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goals About the National Education Policy 2020 &#8211; The NEP 2020 is founded on the five guiding pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability.\u00a0&#8211; In school education, the National Education Policy 2020 stresses on the core values and principle that education [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17885"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17885\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17894,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17885\/revisions\/17894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}