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The SDG 8 Initiative

The University of Gothenburg leads a global network of universities working together to develop expertise and share knowledge addressing the Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8) of the Agenda 2030. The aim is to promote sustainable growth and decent work.

About the SDG 8 Initiative

In 2019, the International Association of Universities (IAU) launched the IAU Global Cluster on HESD (Higher Education for Sustainable Development) initiative. The goal was to accelerate and expand collaboration among higher education institutions working toward sustainable development.

The cluster is made up of 17 "subclusters", each focusing on one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within Agenda 2030. Each sub cluster is led by a primary institution, with additional institutions joining as "satellites". This creates a global network of universities dedicated to sharing knowledge, develop expertise, and collaborating on projects to address the global goals set in Agenda 2030. Around 70 universities, both lead institutions and satellites, are involved in the cluster, which is supported, monitored and guided by the IAU.

The University of Gothenburg leads the subcluster dedicated to SDG 8, known as the SDG 8 Initiative. This work is coordinated by a small secretariat based at the University of Gothenburg. Two working groups have been established:

One includes committed researchers from various faculties at the university
One is made up of focal points from the nine satellite universities involved in the subcluster, with universities based in Africa, South America and Asia.

The IAU Global Cluster on HESD at the IAU website.

SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth

SDG 8 is referred to as a ”super goal” which spans over a wide range of issues related to economic growth, resource efficiency, innovation, work conditions and labour rights, job creation, youth employment, and tourism.

SDG 8 comprises 12 targets in a complex mixture with 17 indicators to measure development. All of these are connected to each other as well as to other SDGs. In other words, to achieve SDG 8, a wide set of challenges need to be addressed.

The UN official SDG 8 webpage

Follow the SDG 8 Initiative on LinkedIn

Strategic focus

The strategic goal of the SDG 8 Initiative is to engage a global community of researchers and practitioners to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all. This is done by applied action research and policy interaction that focus on solutions to growth and work related challenges through collaboration among researchers and practitioners in local and global contexts.

The ambition is to mobilize academic work and policy interaction in support of sustainable economic growth with good conditions for employees. In particular, the focal areas will be related to the SDG 8 targets:

Target 8.1: sustainable economic growth
Target 8.2: diversify, innovate and upgrade for economic productivity.
Target 8.4: improve resource efficiency in consumption and production
Target 8.8: protect labour rights and promote safe working environments.
Target 8.9: promote beneficial and sustainable tourism.

The aim of this project is to develop a global research network that contributes to knowledge and solutions for sustainable economic development, work-related challenges, as well as sustainable tourism. Through challenge-driven research and policy interaction, collaboration, and education, we want to act so that knowledge is used and thereby come closer to realizing SDG 8.

The starting point is that interdisciplinary approaches are a prerequisite for realizing the 2030 Agenda. A critical approach, in an academic spirit, to the 2030 Agenda, the global goals in general and SDG 8 specifically, as well as problematization around sub-goals, concepts, and formulations must also permeate the SDG 8 initiative.

What we do

We mobilize academic work and policy interaction in support of sustainable economic growth and decent work for all. We organize our work in thematic groups, revolving around each of the targets under SDG 8. Currently, we are compiling a book, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of how research can support the attainment of the SDG 8 targets.

Reports and documents

Circular Economy – a Conceptual Review and Analysis of Implications for Swedish… (External link)

The team in Gothenburg

This initiative connects the many nodes at the University of Gothenburg that work with various issues within the broad spectrum included in SDG 8, such as centre formations, specific research projects, and individual researchers.