UIC SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITY FRAMEWORK

Every organization, including higher education institutions, has a role in realizing and attaining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) by 2030. Thus, HEIs are expected to educate and train future leaders to become assets of the community, equipping them with competencies necessary to work and live in a sustainable society.

For SY 2024-2025, utilizing a holistic approach, the university transitioned to sustainable development. The direction is in response to the urgent call for action vis-à-vis the UN SDG. UN recognizes the need to end poverty and deprivation. In addition, the United Nations emphasizes that it must go hand-in-hand with health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth while undertaking actions to address climate change and preserve our oceans and forests.

The recent Impact Rankings of Times Higher Education, where UIC was ranked and assessed vis-à-vis the university's integration and application of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, revealed the university's various initiatives in relation to UN SDG.  Data showed that out of 1,963 institutions, the university emerged in the 1500+ placement worldwide with an overall score of 31.3. The university submitted at least nine documents and evidences related to SDG 1 No Poverty; SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being; SDG 4 Quality Education; SDG 5 Gender Equality; SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities; SDG 15 Life on Land; SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and SDG 17 Partnership for goals.  The results indicated that the best SDG practices of the university are SDG 1, No Poverty; SDG 3, Good Health and Well-being; SDG 5, Gender Equality; and SDG 17, Partnership for the Goals. The university initiated several activities related to the attainment of the UN SDGs. However, the activities are segmented and are done through scattered initiatives. Thus, there is a need to institutionalize the activity through a holistic approach to sustainability.

As reflected in the framework, transitioning into a sustainable university requires orientation and awareness, education, knowledge provision, involvement, and commitment of the stakeholders and the UIC community. To ensure sustainability, the implementation follows the PDCA cycle technique for continual improvement. In the planning stage, the university must draft guidelines for implementing the SDG, mapping current practices, identifying priorities, and providing resources. The second stage is the implementation of the identified priorities utilizing appropriate methodologies. The third stage is regular monitoring and evaluation; and the loop will end with continual improvement.

Seemingly, UIC will sustain the previously organized various initiatives such as but not limited to JEEPGY, Global Compact on Education, Laudatu Si, RVM Pedagogy, Social Responsibility, Service Learning, GAD, Drug-Free Workplace, UIC Kaduyog Sagop Kinabuhi program. And since education plays a vital role in achieving the UN SDGs, it is essential to integrate the SDGs in the curriculum to equip students with knowledge, skills and values needed to address social and environmental challenges and practice sustainable development in their personal and professional lives.  Teachers may also review pedagogic practices and use varied teaching strategies such as cooperative and collaborative learning. problem-based learning and other related methodologies to motivate students to change their behavior and take action for sustainable development.  Teaching and learning for sustainable development promote critical thinking, problem-solving, innovations, and decision-making. Teachers can also integrate SDG learning into research so that students can better understand the current global sustainability crisis.  There is also a need to embed the UN SDG in the co-curricular and extracurricular activities. It means including sustainable development issues in various activities.

Embracing sustainability in the university does not only mean responding to the call of the United Nations. But more so empowering students and personnel to assist in addressing pressing global challenges. The framework provides the UIC community with a roadmap to integrate sustainable practices into day-to-day operations, fostering a culture of caring for the environment that resonates far beyond the four walls of the classroom.