For the first time, the University of Eastern Finland has compiled a comprehensive overview of sustainable development in its activities. The Sustainable Development at the University of Eastern Finland in 2020 report is built around the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The UN's Sustainable Development Goals aim at eradicating extreme poverty and achieving sustainable development that takes equal account of the environment, the economy and people. The aim is to steer global development in a direction where people’s well-being and human rights, economic prosperity and the stability of societies are safeguarded in an environmentally sustainable manner.
The University of Eastern Finland’s report on sustainable development contains examples of research, education, and practical measures related to each of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“In particular, the report responds to the need to highlight sustainability and responsibility at the university. Plenty of work relating to sustainable development is being done at the University of Eastern Finland, and the mere extent of this report speaks volumes about it,” says Maiju Eskelinen, Sustainable Development Specialist.
The report also highlights the diversity of sustainable development.
“This comprehensive review draws attention to the fact that sustainability and responsibility are much more than just environmental actions. Our Faculty of Health Sciences, for example, is Finland’s most multidisciplinary faculty in its field. Plenty of high-quality research in being conducted there, and the faculty also trains a broad range of experts. It is easy to forget that this, too, constitutes sustainable development. One of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for people of all ages.”
The report will also come in handy in international university rankings: Indeed, the University of Eastern Finland has participated in the Green Metrics and THE Impact rankings for several years already. With the report, it will be easier for the university to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and responsibility.
Read the report: Sustainable development at the University of Eastern Finland in 2020
The report is also available on the university’s Sustainable Development website.
