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UniNEtZ General

UniNEtZ is...

The UniNEtZ project (Universities and Sustainable Development Goals) aims to support (political) decision-makers in implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Austria. The SDG 13 group focuses on "Climate Action". 13 research institutions are working together under the patronage of CCCA (= "sponsorship* for SDG 13").

The UniNEtZ project pursues the following goals: 

  1. Development of a coordinated catalogue of options — taking a systemic view of the SDGs — for how Austria can implement the SDGs
  2. Engagement of universities with the SDGs in research, teaching, continuing education, Responsible Science and university management
  3. Creation of added value through collaboration and recombination of knowledge
  4. Interdisciplinary networking within and across universities
  5. Interaction with stakeholders from politics, public administration, business and civil society
  6. Attempts to engage with "the other 50%" (those left behind by the system)
  7. Building competence among academics and students on issues addressed by the SDGs
  8. Establishment of a coordination office for the working groups and a dedicated contact point for stakeholders at universities

More information can be found HERE

Phase I (2019–2021/2022)

The UniNEtZ options report: "Austria's Options for Implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for a Liveable Future" was handed over to the Austrian Federal Government on 1 March 2022.
 

The project was launched at the kick-off event in January 2019 at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. In March 2020, the perspectives report was published, offering a first overview of the work and goals within UniNEtZ.

Following the publication of the perspectives report, work began on the UniNEtZ options report "Austria's Options for Implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for a Liveable Future". Over 300 scientists, artists and students from 16 universities, the Geological Survey of Austria (GBA), the Climate Change Centre Austria (CCCA) and the student association forum n spent three years (2019–2021) developing around 150 options and approximately 1,000 measures for achieving the SDGs and compiled these into a comprehensive report. The aim is to identify and evaluate forward-looking solutions together with their respective implications. Phase I resulted in 11 options from the SDG 13 group.

The UniNEtZ options report: "Austria's Options for Implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for a Liveable Future" was handed over to the Austrian Federal Government on 1 March 2022, marking the conclusion of the first phase of the project. More details can be found in the press release.

UniNEtZ Options Report

Phase II (from 2022)

In early 2022, Phase II of UniNEtZ (UniNEtZ II) got underway. The main focus is on making contributions to the transformation of society towards sustainability. The network of partner institutions had grown in the meantime, as had the thematic scope of the project. To make full use of the transformation potential, the 17 SDGs were complemented by five priority areas. From transdisciplinary dialogue with various stakeholder groups and the scientific monitoring of the implementation of options, to shaping a sustainable research landscape and creating inter-university transformative study programmes, a broad range of topics are covered — all working towards the same goal: a socio-ecological transformation that enables a good life for all.

The priority areas address:

  • PA I: "Transdisciplinary Dialogue with Society"
  • PA II: "Scientific Monitoring and Tracking of Societal Transformation"
  • PA III: "Transformation in the Field of Research"
  • PA IV: "Transformation in the Field of Teaching"
  • PA V: "Transformation in the Field of Governance"

More information can be found at the following links:

UniNEtZ website 

UniNEtZ options report

UniNEtZ project brochure

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