Center for Sustainability: UMN’s Role in Adopting Education for Sustainable Development

Maria’s inauguration by Andrey. (Doc. UMN)

Tangerang – In recent years, the world has increasingly highlighted the importance of global goals aimed at ending poverty, reducing inequality, and protecting the environment, known as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs consist of 17 (seventeen) goals and 169 (one hundred and sixty-nine) targets that build on the previous Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) initiative, with the hope of achieving them by 2030.

The SDGs come in response to various global challenges, including environmental degradation due to pollution from transportation, industry and domestic activities. In addition, environmental degradation caused by unsustainable economic, production and consumption practices has further exacerbated the situation. Therefore, concrete steps are needed to ensure the balance of the ecosystem is maintained.

As a higher education institution, Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN) sees that the 17 goals of the SDGs are in line with its vision, which is to provide education to produce individuals with noble character. In particular, the 4th SDG, which emphasizes inclusive and quality education, and the 12th SDG, which promotes sustainable consumption and production patterns, are UMN’s main focus in developing sustainability-oriented education.

Universities have a strategic role in building individual awareness and capacity, both in terms of knowledge, skills, and behavior. Therefore, higher education institutions are responsible for encouraging innovation, research, and technology that support environmental and social sustainability. 

Globally, various initiatives have been undertaken in support of sustainable education, such as the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) involving 272 universities from 47 countries, as well as the Talloires Declaration (TD) which has been signed by more than 350 universities from 40 countries and committed to Educational for Sustainable Development (ESD).

As part of its commitment to sustainability, UMN has taken concrete steps by inaugurating a Vice Rector responsible for sustainability, Prof. Dr. Florentina Kurniasari (Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation, and Sustainability) and establishing a Center for Sustainability led by Maria Advenita Gita Elmada, S.I.Kom., M.Si., which is expected to strengthen UMN’s role as a sustainable university by involving all stakeholders, including lecturers, students, education staff, and the community.

Maria emphasized, “Universities have a very strategic role, universities have the Tridharma of higher education: teaching, research, and community service. So universities have a very large portion to drive sustainable development efforts. Research results, innovations, and sustainable technologies such as climate change mitigation, for example, can be produced by universities which are later applied to the community. Thus, universities are not only the birthplace of knowledge, but also contribute directly to its application.”

UMN defines a sustainable university as a higher education institution that seeks to minimize negative environmental, economic, and social impacts, and support public health in carrying out its main functions. This is realized through teaching, research, community service, and strategic partnerships to encourage sustainable living.

Going forward, UMN is committed to continuing to develop various sustainability initiatives at the national and international levels. UMN believes that the balance between humans and the environment is the key to creating a better future. Therefore, sustainable development is not just an option, but a necessity that must be realized together.

By Yohanes Januadi – UMN Employer Branding

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika| Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen| Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara.