Monash Sustainability Development
20 February 2013 at 10:49 am
Melbourne’s Monash university has been named as one of two education institutions to become ‘sustainable development hubs’ by the United Nations.
The University will lead a regional UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) hub in the Australian and Asian region and will become a key leaders in research and scholarship in the area of sustainable development.
Monash University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Ed Byrne said that sustainable development is clearly one of the most important issues of our time.
“The appointment of Monash to help lead a regional hub of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network is a wonderful tribute to the work being done by the passionate leaders at our Sustainability Institute,” he said.
“Institute chair Professor John Thwaites and director Professor Dave Griggs are building a high-impact research capability of global significance.”
According to the Chair of Monash University’s Sustainability Institute, Professor John Thwaites and former Deputy Labor Premier, Monash was selected because it could produce the expertise needed to address issues relating to sustainable development.
“It is a great testament to the team at Monash that we have been asked to play such a major leadership role on sustainable development in the years ahead,” Thwaites said.
“I am confident that the dialogues and debates that will follow will strengthen relationships and maximise the opportunities for smart academic and scientific collaborations.”
Launched in late 2012 by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the SDSN is an independent network formed to support the development of global sustainable development goals.
Last week the SDSN appointed the University of Siena in Italy as a Regional SDSN Center focusing on the Mediterranean region.
According to the SDSN, both universities are “research centers, civil society organisations, and businesses around practical problem solving for sustainable development.”
The Monash Sustainability Institute describes itself as a multi-disciplinary institute that delivers solutions to key climate change and sustainability challenges through research, education and action.
