Asiman Ilyasov: Universities should strengthen their role in implementing SDGs

Universities should strengthen their role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and have a greater impact on society, Asiman Ilyasov, advisor to the Rector of Baku State University, said during a panel session entitled "Education, Research, and Capacity Development: Creating Conditions for a Sustainable Urban Future," Report informs.

According to him, universities currently have three main missions: education, research and innovation, and social impact. In this regard, he emphasized the importance of integrating the Sustainable Development Goals into educational programs, including curricula and specializations.

Ilyasov noted that research also plays a significant role. Academic staff should collaborate with external stakeholders and conduct research related to the SDGs.

"We are currently conducting training sessions for faculty and students, especially faculty, on how they can integrate the SDGs into their research and how to conduct research with the SDGs in mind, since, as you know, international rankings have methodologies for assessing the impact of publications on the world," he noted.

According to him, SDG-related publications contribute to the expansion of international collaboration, an increase in citations, and an improvement in the quality of research, which in turn positively impacts universities' positions in international rankings.

Furthermore, he emphasized the need to consider labor market requirements when developing educational programs, as well as the importance of university interactions with external stakeholders, including employers and municipalities.

"We should study their problems and, based on these challenges, develop curricula, syllabi, and content," he added.

Ilyasov noted that cooperation should be bilateral, and that not only universities but also labor market representatives should be interested in it. He also emphasized that rankings are an important tool for assessing university progress. In particular, there are rankings focused on the Sustainable Development Goals, such as QS Sustainability, Times Higher Education Impact Ranking, and GreenMetric.

According to him, over the past two years, BSU has advanced more than 600 positions in relevant rankings, demonstrating the university's commitment to implementing the SDGs.

"I believe that integrating a sustainable approach, as well as goals, mission, vision, and strategic directions, into the university's strategic planning will contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals," he concluded.