Academische samenwerking voor duurzame ontwikkeling

(Tekst uitgesproken in het Engels)
 

Message by HM the Queen

at VLIR UOS Round Table

University Hasselt, 23 February 2016

 

Mijnheer de Rector, ik dank u voor het warme onthaal op de Universiteit Hasselt.

Dank ook aan Mevr. Verbrugghen voor het faciliteren van deze bijeenkomst die de werking van de Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad voor Universitaire Ontwikkelingssamenwerking in de praktijk toelicht. Ik heb al kennis kunnen maken met uw werking naar aanleiding van mijn bezoek aan Ethiopië vorig jaar. Ik vind het heel belangrijk wat u doet.

This gathering, where "North meets South", is an opportunity for me to stress the importance of your commitment and your contribution to the achievement, in your own countries, of the Sustainable Development Goals, which were adopted last September in New York.

My message today is that "Academic cooperation for sustainable development" is essential to achieving global development. Education and training are intrinsically linked to all 17 goals of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030. I strongly believe that quality education is the vector for sustainable development. Without good education in this field, neither individuals nor societies will flourish. So it is important for academic institutions to include the SDG dimension in their research programming. You - students and researchers - will learn and benefit from it, but so too will the people back home - in Africa, Asia, the Americas and, of course, Europe.

By exchanging knowledge and technology, and by translating them into concrete action, you can transform both individual people's lives and society as well.

We really need young people to take the lead in bringing about this transformation. The Secretary General of the United Nations has himself said this several times. Young academics like you can convince the people at home to take the SDGs into account in their development programs. We need you to convince stakeholders - and I mean ALL the stakeholders - not only your governments, but also the private sector, civil society and universities.

You can use your academic leadership and collaborative work to benefit people and the planet as a whole. Use them to generate social and economic development that leaves no-one behind.

We need change - change that improves everyone's life. And sustainability should be at the heart of it. Because a lack of sustainability in some countries could pose a threat to us all. Recent events show, that inclusive societies are the only answer to the many challenges we face today in this complex world. The climate crisis proves that for real progress we must choose sustainable solutions.

That is why I urge you to ensure, through your own academic work, be it in the health, agriculture, engineering or architecture sectors, that the 2030 Agenda is implemented in your respective countries.

By showing outstanding academic leadership and creativity, you can make a real difference to a great many people.

Thank you.