Academia’s Role as a Stakeholder for a Sustainable and Cohesive World: Female Quotient Lounge, Davos 2020

Swiss Learning Exchange was in the Female Quotient Lounge, Davos when the session on Academia was going on.  

Academia can play a critical role in building a sustainable and cohesive world – a fact reiterated at the Female Quotient Lounge, at Davos. Especially when it comes to instilling the values of sustainability and reducing inequalities (SDGs 10), think tanks believe, teachers and students have a lot to contribute.

Sustainable Development: Common Goal in an Uncommon World

Being divided on lines of socio-economic-cultural factors, world leaders are working towards the common goal of building sustainable development solutions. Academia has the power to change the narrative of growth and development by designing curriculum which not only bridge the gender gap, but also involves students to solve real socio-environmental problems.

David Steingard, from Saint Joseph’s University, highlights the necessity infusing the SDGs to college curriculum to build business solutions which are sustainable in nature. The message is loud and clear – tomorrow’s entrepreneurs are today’s students.

Read: Davos 2020 – Youth Activists or Businesses: Who will Save our Planet?

SDG 5: Gender Equality and the Role of Finance Departments in Educational Institutes

A sustainable future is impossible without overcoming gender inequality. Financial independence and the ability to make major investment related decisions are imperative to empower the women. The role of finance departments and finance professors is critical and has been duly pointed out by Mette Morsing, Co-Director of CBS Sustainability Platform. She advocates the alarmingly low number of women in the field of finance which bears a reflection on gender-biased financial policies throughout the globe.

For businesses to flourish and a decent work and economic growth, it is time universities bury the gender misrepresentation their finance departments.

Read: SDG 5 Gender Equality – The 28 trillion-dollar business opportunity

Technology, Data and Sustainable Development Goals

As rightly articulated by Salem Avan, technology and data are universal language. If used in an efficient manner, they can advance equality in workplace through accountable solutions. The onus is on the academia to develop mechanisms of meaningful partnership between technology and sustainable growth ethos and solutions.

Read: SDGs – Moon-shot or Achievable?

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