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Mapping our research onto the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
What is the project?
It is a strategic priority for the university to map our research onto the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This commitment is set out under Action 2.1.2. of UCC 2022: Delivering a Connected University.
What are the SDGs?
The SDGs have been described as a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all" and provide a common language to describe the impact our research community has on a local, national, and international scale. The 17 goals, and their 169 targets, were agreed on by all 193 UN member states in 2015. The goals are a framework to address pressing global challenges, including eradicating hunger and poverty, acting on climate change, addressing biodiversity loss, and tackling gender inequality – all necessary actions to ensure that no-one is left behind.
What does the project involve?
To ensure we complete a comprehensive mapping of our research we are utilising several methods. First, our publications will be mapped using the SciVal research database. This is a tried and tested method that is used by the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings to evaluate the performance of universities against the SDGs. Second, all researchers will be invited to submit qualitative case studies that describe the impact of their research on the SDGs in more detail. Finally, an SDGs workshop has been developed to raise awareness about the SDGs amongst the research community and involve researchers directly in the mapping of their research onto the SDGs. All of the data will be collated and will feature on a new website and in a report to showcase how our research contributes to the SDGs.
We are lucky to have a network of SDGs Champions from across the university to support with the rollout of the SDGs workshops - a big thank you to all Champions for their help!
Why is this project a strategic priority?
This mapping exercise will be beneficial to both UCC as an institution and to researchers. The exercise will help us to understand the important impact that our research is having on the SDGs. The mapping will also contribute to the university’s ambitions for global rankings, maintaining our global reputation and our ability to attract talent. For our researchers, the exercise will help to raise awareness about the benefits of the SDGs as a framework for demonstrating real-world research impact. By inviting all researchers to map their research at the SDGs workshops, we are ensuring that our mapping looks beyond publications, giving researchers the opportunity to map other research outputs to the goals. This project is the chance to shine a light on the amazing research work being undertaken that helps address these important global issues.
How does university research contribute to the SDGs?
University research has an essential role to play in terms of achieving the SDGs on a national and global scale by 2030. Researchers embody SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, collaborating with other researchers around the world on matters impacting sustainable development. Through their extensive research work, universities develop the knowledge, solutions and innovations to support achieving the goals. The research community resolves complex social, environmental and economic challenges by combining different knowledge and disciplines in research projects. As the SDGs are interconnected and dependent on each other, this integration of knowledge from different areas of expertise is important. The research community also supports the implementation of the SDGs on a local and national level, collaborating with industry, government, communities, private sector bodies, and NGOs, to achieve the goals.
SDGs workshops for researchers
Direct engagement with the research community about the SDGs is essential to the success of this project.
The main objectives of the workshop are to:
- Increase general awareness of the SDGs.
- Inform about the benefits of aligning research with the SDGs, including funding and collaboration opportunities.
- Involve researchers directly in mapping their research to the SDGs.
- Provide a forum for open discussion about the SDGs in research.
SDGs reports (evaluating Ireland's performance)
For those unable to attend the workshop
We want to ensure that researchers who are unable to attend the workshops have the opportunity to share their mapping data. Following each workshop, the mapping form link, along with the case study template, will be shared with the researchers in that School/Centre to complete.
A condensed version of the SDGs workshop has been recorded, along with videos showing how to complete the mapping form and the case study, to help with the process.
Information about the SDGs
SDGs workshop
Mapping form
Case study template
SDGs Case Studies
Have you submitted your case study yet? We are inviting all researchers to submit more detailed examples showing how their research contributes to the SDGs. Your case study will feature on a new website and in a report showcasing the results of the mapping of UCC research onto the SDGs. Click on the the boxes below to see some examples.
Submit your SDGs case study here
What’s for dinner? Investigating plant-based routes to endorse a food transition towards a nutritious, affordable, and sustainable diet
Dr. Emanuele Zannini, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences
The Smart Protein project aims to industrially validate innovative, cost-effective, and resource-efficient, EU-produced, healthy plant proteins (fava bean, lentil, chickpea, quinoa) and microbial biomass proteins (food-grade yeast and fungi) to produce ingredients and products for direct human consumption. The project involves identifying legumes and protein crops cultivars fit for sustainable production, up-cycling the food side streams by using them as nutritious substrates for microbial biomass protein, and developing innovative bioprocessing strategies for sustainable protein extraction, fractionation processes and protein functionalisation. This research provides a new perspective and opportunities to the Irish agri-food sector on how to produce, process, and include alternative plant and single-cell proteins in a wide range of food and beverage products.
“We are eager to produce more, better with less...”
1.2 - By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
2.1 - By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
2.2 - By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons
2.4 - By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought
2.5 - By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed
12.3 - By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
12.5 - By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
Developing biophotonics technology to improve cancer detection
Dr. Marcelo Saito Nogueira, IPIC, Tyndall National Institute
Colorectal cancer is the second most deadly type of cancer worldwide. The purpose of this research is to create a light-based instrument that senses and differentiates tissues more accurately and faster to improve the accuracy of detection. This method is non-invasive, cost-effective, allows for early detection, and enables data analysis algorithms to extract molecular information from medical instruments, wearables, and portable test kits. This cutting-edge cancer research has the potential to decrease mortality rates associated with colorectal cancer, helping to achieve SDG target 3.4 - to reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment by 2030. Following initial positive results, a probe for colorectal cancer detection during colonoscopy is being developed. These techniques can be integrated into existing clinical tools, which enhances their potential to improve the current healthcare system and also makes them commercially attractive. With deaths from colorectal cancer expected to increase by over 70% by 2040, this technology has the potential to save countless lives in the long term and have international impact.
“The tools we are developing will contribute to target 3.4, as they identify and locate disease at an earlier stage based on molecular changes. If accurately detected, the disease can be fully treated in less procedures, and the risk to the patient and number of cancer surgeries would be reduced”
3.4 - By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
17.6 - Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge-sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
Eco-Humanities Research Group
Prof. Caitríona Ní Dhúill, Department of German, School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
The Group’s research aims to build resilient activist communities through dialogue and reflection, facilitated by shared reading and viewing on ecological destabilisation and climate breakdown. The research confronts communication around difficult emotions connected to environmental disruption, such as climate anxiety and ecological grief. The Group’s work will strengthen activist networks and the coping strategies of activists to address activist burnout. This research will also build capacity for communication around the difficult emotional realities of ecological crisis and strengthen emotional responses and resilience in the face of climate breakdown. Research on these topics will be showcased and disseminated through screening, publications, readings and teaching. This research is changing the research landscape by mainstreaming questions of climate breakdown and ecological anxiety into humanities research, particularly languages, literatures and cultural studies; strengthening researcher networks around these topics; and building partnerships between academic research and civil society organisations (in this case Friends of the Earth Ireland).
“The horizon of climate breakdown and ecological disruption transforms the context of humanities research and teaching. The Eco-Humanities Research Group aims to strengthen the ability of humanities scholars to respond more effectively to this transformed context through their research and teaching”
Social inclusion of rural migrants in Hanoi City, Vietnam
Dr. Edward Lahiff, Department of Food Business and Development, CUBS
Rural-to-urban migrants constitute a vulnerable group in developing countries such as Vietnam, and often struggle to access employment, housing, and social services. Migrants are routinely discriminated against in official policy and practice and are widely recognised as socially and economically marginalised. The aim of this study is to contribute to greater social inclusion of migrants in Vietnam through enhanced understanding of the needs of diverse groups of migrants, particularly women and those in precarious employment, and more effective policy responses by state and non-stage agencies. Through close engagement with migrants, advocacy groups and state agencies, this project contributes to current debates around planned and well-managed migration policies, which impacts mainly at national level.
This research is contributing to ongoing policy reform, by raising awareness among advocacy groups, policy makers and the wider community. It is closely aligned with Irish and EU development aid priorities, elaborated in close cooperation with the Government of Vietnam, and focuses on mutually agreed objectives of socioeconomic development and capacity building, thereby contributing to enhanced North-South cooperation. Moreover, as a truly collaborative effort between UCC and USSH (part of the Vietnam National University), this project contributes directly to skills development and knowledge-sharing among researchers, an example of international cooperation within the university sector that enhances capacity for further cooperation among all parties.
8.8 - Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
10.2 - Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
10.7 - Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies
17.6 - Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge-sharing
