Progress report for
University of Bergen - SDG Bergen Initiative
Achievement at a glance
This SDG Action has been completed successfully by April 2021. There were originally 4 deliverables in the form of the annual SDG Conference Bergen, which in 2018-2021 were organized as major events of national and international scope. The conferences involved a broad range of stakeholders, including policy makers, scientists, students, civil society, industry, unions, and the UN system. During the Action, a fifth deliverable was added in the form of three advanced undergraduate courses at the University of Bergen, covering SDG13, SDG 14 and SDG 15, this also reflecting the university's overall strategy to engage critically with the 2030 Agenda.Challenges faced in implementation
Since the previous progress report, the Action was impacted by the global Covid-19 pandemic. This limited the Action's external engagements in high level international events, as these were cancelled and/or postponed. However, the pandemic had little impact on the Action's deliverables. The only deliverable affected was the SDG Bergen Conference 2021, which had to take place virtually. However, going digital resulted in record attendance, with with 2,630 participants from 105 countries.Next Steps
Since its inception, the SDG Bergen initiative has expanded into multiple efforts of science diplomacy, ocean sustainability, higher education, and science-policy communication, as well as the annual SDG Conference Bergen. With the completion of its first 4-year cycle, SDG Bergen now develops its science diplomacy platform for the next four years (2021-2025), building on activities in the SDG Action's two major operational groups: SDG Bergen Science Advice and Ocean Sustainability Bergen. Meanwhile, the annual SDG Conference Bergen continues.Beneficiaries
The UN and its subsidiary organisations, The European Commission, The Government of Norway, The university sector, The general public, Policy-makers, Students, Scientists, The university itself.
Actions
SDG-oriented resources made available to the public.Dissemination of knowledge on the SDG.
Increased SDG literacy.
Scientifically based knowledge for decision-making.
Potential for impact.
Strengthening position for science funding.
Changes in education given to prepare students to become leaders of the future, with a greater knowledge of the SDGs.