Ann Christin E. Nilsen is a professor of sociology at the University of Agder, Norway, Her research topics include childhood and families, education and professional work, welfare and social development. She is a leading Nordic scholar of institutional ethnography. She is leader of PRONETT (UiA's network for research on professional work) and the project leader of the international project RESILIENT (Building resilient communities through inclusive education in East Africa)
Universities as partners for sustainable development
Abstract
“To build a better world, we need to be supportive, empathetic, inventive, passionate, and above all, cooperative.” This sentence is part of the description of SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals. Universities play a key role as partners to governments, communities and civil society in the realization of the SDGs. As sites for knowledge development, capacity building and advocacy, universities have a responsibility to build better societies and promote positive change. In this talk I will address the critical role of universities as mediators between the global and the local, and as partners across national, symbolic and epistemological borders.