#PlanetPartners: Working together to change the world

The University of Reading is working with hundreds of individuals, organisations and governments to help fight global issues facing society.

The University’s institutional and research efforts are underpinned by the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are aimed at tackling societal and environmental challenges across the planet and are closely aligned with the University’s own strategy.

This May, the University of Reading is running a new #PlanetPartners campaign, inviting its entire community to share examples of work towards all the SDGs.

SDG17: Partnerships for the Goals promotes international collaborations that strengthen work towards the SDGs.

“As individuals, we are all capable of actions that make a small positive impact on the world, but by working together we can truly change it." - Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor, University of Reading

Examples of work by the University to address SDG17 include:

• Working closely with our local community through various initiatives, to ensure the University is a #UniversityForReading.
• Contributing expert advice to governments, including Defra on environmental issues, the UN on pollinator conservation, and the UK government on soil security, natural hazards and nutrition.
• Collaborating with NGOs and governments around the world to increase climate resilience internationally, such as through the Walker Institute.
• Providing briefings to the UK government on flood risk following tropical storms on multiple continents, and championing partnership work to enable swift action to support affected communities.
• Advising the UN on tackling sexual abuse and safeguarding children in war zones.
• Engaging with the public to harness the power of citizen scientists to advance understanding of climate and weather.
• Running an annual Innovating for Sustainable Development training course for PhD students as part of the Scenario Doctoral Training Partnership. The workshop teaches students to think broadly about the SDGs, the ways in which businesses and policy organisations are starting to address them, and the ways in which their environmental science research could offer innovative ways to address these goals.

Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: “As individuals, we are all capable of actions that make a small positive impact on the world, but by working together we can truly change it.

“Working with partners across the planet has been fundamental to the success the University has achieved, and will always be at the centre of our approach to addressing global challenges.”

The UN’s SDGs incorporate themes across the ‘five Ps’: People, Prosperity, Planet, Peace and Partnership. These align with the University of Reading’s own strategic themes: Community, Excellence, Sustainability and Engagement.

This campaign follows the publication of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021, in which Reading participated for the first time and ranked in the top 200 globally, which scored participating universities on their support of the individual SDGs.

#PlanetPartners

The University’s latest campaign is a continuation of the #PlanetPartners campaign launched by the University in October 2019, which is highlighting ways the University is working with global partners on projects that benefit the environment.

Follow the campaign and share your examples of work  on Twitter: @UniofReading | Facebook: /theuniversityofreading | Instagram: @uniofreading | LinkedIn: University of Reading | TikTok: @uniofreading using the hashtags #PlanetPartners and #sdgoals