Project leader
Keio University
Project members
TERI University
University of the Philippines Diliman
Chulalongkorn University
Project objective
This project aims to explore how the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be implemented at a local level, with a target to develop a practical education programme contributing to the implementation of the SDGs. Case studies were conducted in a number of countries (Japan, Thailand, India and the Philippines) to understand the current implementation of the SDGs at a local level, and to identify guiding principles for higher education institutions supporting local communities on the implementation of the SDGs. For the second phase, project members will conduct a survey to gather insights and experiences from higher education institutions on local SDG implementation.
Background
With most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) directly or indirectly related to the roles of local governments, the local implementation of SDGs is paramount to the realisation of the goals. Across the Asia-Pacific region, differences abound in how local governments are implementing the SDGs through their strategies and policies. In Japan, the “SDGs Implementation Guiding Principles”, released by the Government, have not provided practical guidance on how to incorporate them into policies to date; in Thailand, roadmaps have been formulated for all 17 SDGs, however more can be done to promote their implementation by local administrative bodies; in the Philippines, a sample learning module on the SDGs has been developed targeting senior high school students, however the question remains on how schools and communities interface with one another on the implementation of the SDGs. Therefore, further efforts are required to explore how global goals could be implemented at the local level, requiring not only academic investigation into the SDGs, but also how the SDGs can be localised, and how practical local knowledge can be utilised for policy implementation.
Project Policy Briefs
Enhancing the Role of Higher Education Institutions in the Local Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals
by Sayamol Charoenratana, Yoshihide Terada, Nestor Castro, Smirti Das, Norichika Kanie
Highlights
– Localising SDGs offers opportunities for higher education institutions to collect and generate new knowledge with sustainability visions.
– Connecting international and local SDGs requires the re-evaluation of the local community in a close partnership with the local government.
– Addressing gaps between local practices and national policies is required for the implementation of SDGs at the local level.
– Participatory and integrated approaches are necessary for the empowerment of citizens to become the owners of the shared visions of sustainability.
– To facilitate the local implementation of SDGs, higher education institutions need to bring together social capital from various entities within and outside communities.
Read the full project policy brief here.
Presentation Outcomes
Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals: The Case of Community in Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan (Keio University)
Local Implementation of the SDGs: Case study of Delhi, India (TERI School of Advanced Studies)
Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals: The Case of a Community in Quezon City, Philippines (University of the Philippines Diliman)
The Role of Higher Education for Achieving the SDGs: Local Implementation of the SDGs in Nan Province, Thailand (Chulalongkorn University)