The University of Oulu raises the flag in honor of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals on September 25

On September 25th, it will be eight years since the 193 member states of the UN agreed on the Sustainable Development Goals and the Agenda 2030 action program. These 17 goals guide the sustainable development efforts of the entire world from 2016 to 2030.

The University of Oulu is committed to advancing the UN's Sustainable Development Goals through its strategy, involving research, education, social engagement, and campus development. It collaborates with other Finnish universities and follows its sustainability and responsibility action program published in 2021.

The university annually calculates its carbon footprint and strives to reduce it. Our research in focus areas aims to address significant sustainability challenges. The University of Oulu offers a comprehensive sustainable development minor for all students. Additionally, this year, we are piloting sustainable development training for teachers.

The UN's Agenda 2030 action program is already halfway through, and unfortunately, at the current pace, the goals are unlikely to be achieved globally.

Finland is one of the best-performing countries in achieving the goals, particularly regarding social sustainability targets. However, there is still much room for improvement in environmental and climate-related goals.

The SDG Flag Day began in the Netherlands in 2019, and in recent years, thousands of organizations have joined to promote sustainable development and a better future.