• The Charles Sturt University 2021 Report outlines its efforts to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• The report shows the University leads by example as it delivered impact through its research, its graduates, the operation of its facilities and campuses, and its engagement with regional communities
• The report highlights a diverse range of case studies that showcase Charles Sturt staff and students demonstrating innovation and best practice relevant to all 17 UN SDGs

Charles Sturt University has released its 2021 report on its efforts to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Charles Sturt 2021 Sustainability Development Goals Report shows the contributions the University community is making to each of the United Nations 17 SDGs.

Manager of Sustainability at Charles Sturt Mr Ed Maher said in 2021 the initiatives of Charles Sturt staff and students to support sustainable development were many, diverse and provided support across all 17 of the SDGs.

“In 2021, 210 families in Timor Leste benefited from a Charles Sturt University project partnership to grow trees, and on the University campus in Wagga Wagga 2,000 native seedlings were planted,” he said.

“The University’s annual potable water consumption on our campuses was 50 per cent less than it was three years ago, and we delivered an innovative regenerative agriculture short course to 100 producers impacted by recurring flooding.

“These examples are a selection of stories showcased in our 2021 Sustainable Development Goals report and highlight the collaborative commitment Charles Sturt University has toward impacting positive change across our institution and communities.”

Mr Maher said the SDGs provide the global blueprint to build prosperity while protecting the planet, and Charles Sturt, as a signatory to the University Commitment to the SDGs, is committed to lead by example.

“Charles Sturt University’s responsibility to the Sustainable Development Goals starts with living out our ethos yindyamarra winhanganha, a Wiradjuri phrase meaning ‘the wisdom to respectfully know how to live well in a world worth living in’,” he said.

“This drives us to deliver impact through our research, our graduates, the operation of our facilities and campuses, and our engagement with our wider regional communities.”

Mr Maher said the report highlights a diverse range of case studies that showcase Charles Sturt staff and students leading by example, demonstrating innovation and best practice against the SDGs.

“Our university community has demonstrated a great capacity for collaboration to impact positive change in our regional footprint and are leading by example in our commitment to increasing sustainability awareness and practice in everything we do,” he said.

“They have investigated bushfire recovery programs for children, convened forums for domestic and family violence in rural and remote Australia, promoted cultural diversity through our regional libraries, and led national associations to improve the health of people living with mental illness.

“The disruption faced in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic further emphasises the importance of the SDGs and the need to work collaboratively in response to local and global challenges.”

At the institutional level, this included the launch of a multi-million dollar research institution focused on agriculture, water and the environment, and over 1,300 research publications in collaboration with international partners as well as key partnerships with stakeholders such as IBM (in Bathurst), Axiom (in Port Macquarie), Marathon Health (in Albury-Wodonga) and Transgrid (in Wagga Wagga).

“We also expanded our rooftop solar program, further enhancing our carbon neutral status and commitment to renewable energy,” Mr Maher said.

“Our people are leading by example too, volunteering at COVID-19 vaccination hubs, donating blood, and running community events to plant trees and create pollinator gardens across our campuses.

“Through our teaching, we instil the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals in our students, with sustainability and global citizenship key tenets of our graduate learning outcomes.”

The report shows the work of the University community also translates into impacts across the world, including in countries such as New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos PDR, China, and the United States.