Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

Since the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, many countries in the world have undertaken parallel efforts to tackle global challenges – from poverty to inequality, from climate change to health, from sustainable cities and communities to peace and justice. The SDGs set ambitious albeit necessary objectives to be reached by 2030, which should be of interest to anyone concerned with the sustainability of production and consumption systems, equitable and inclusive development, and growth and prosperity of future generations. Yet, SDGs should play a more influential role in the policy process than they have actually obtained so far. This online course aims to provide participants with theoretical knowledge and practical tools to understand the challenges that the SDGs aim to tackle, the role that SDGs play in the policy process, and the strategies that governments can pursue to achieve them. The course will cover topics such as the design and management of stakeholder engagement, the process of strategic planning, the conduct of policy analysis, and the making of policy decisions. It will also include topics such as the role of public financial management systems and of monitoring and evaluation in the pursue of SDGs. By the end of the course, participants would gain a better understanding of strategies for pursuing SGDs in domestic policies. The course will draw examples and case studies from various countries and different thematic areas including poverty, inequalities, education, healthcare, environmental protection, sustainability, and peace and justice institutions. The course is of interest to anyone who wants to better understand the concept of SDGs, why they are important and how to achieve them; to undergraduate students interested in policy-making, sustainability and development; policy-makers and policy practitioners; and private (business and non-profit) sector actors who want to contribute pursuing the SDG agenda.

Course leader

Dr Alberto Asquer

Target group

You will have completed one year of undergraduate study at the time of joining the Academic Summer School. Professional experience can be acknowledged as equivalent to a university qualification.

Course aim

On successful completion of the course, a student should be able to demonstrate the ability to: - Understand what SDGs are and how they matter for public policy and management - Explain how the pursue of SDGs affects the policy-making process - Explain how organisational and financial resources should be aligned to the pursue of SDGs - Explain how the attainment of SDGs can be measured, appraised and reported