Jakarta, January 2st  2019 – Around 100 Indonesia’s academia from 50 leading universities and Community Research and Outreach Centers (LPPM) have set up a national platform on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The national academia SDGs platform – the first in Indonesia-  is expected to trigger the launching of a national excellence for SDG-related research and public policy activity.

The SDGs or Global Goals are a collection of 17 development goals set by the United Nations (UN)  in 2015. All UN country members are committed to achieve the goals by 2030.

National Planning Minister, Bappenas, Bambang Brodjonegoro led the launching of the national academia SDGs platform on Monday along with UNDP Indonesia Resident Representative, Christophe Bahuet whose UN agency was instrumental in convening the academia stakeholders throughout the country.

“Higher learning institutes in Indonesia should bolster their active collaboration on sustainable development issues. We are foreseeing the platform to play a critical role in integrating SDGs into curriculum, and research as well as disseminating SDGs-related public policy paper that will stimulate public discussion in seeking SDGs solutions,” said Mr. Brodjonegoro.

There are at least seven SDGs centers in Indonesian universities, each operating with their own model and focus. Among them are SDGs centers in University of Padjadjaran (Unpad) and in University of Bengkulu. The academia national platform will allow academia circle to share evidence-based SDG policy recommendations of the SDGs centers to other universities.

UNDP Indonesia Resident Representative Christophe Bahuet said academia in Indonesia can carry a critical role in informing decision makers through evidence-based analysis on SDGs-related issues.

"UNDP sees universities as having a special and important role to play for the SDGs in two respects. One is education to familiarize the future leaders of the country with sustainable development The other is to conduct academic research that fosters innovation to achieve the SDGs. The platform we launch today will help universities fully play those two roles, " said Mr. Bahuet

MEDIA CONTACT

UNDP Indonesia SDGs Advisor, Juliaty Sopacua, juliaty.sopacua@undp.org
UNDP Indonesia Communication Specialist, Tomi Soetjipto, suryo.tomi@undp.org