In response to the global call of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and in furtherance of the Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Development and the related cooperation agreement signed by Tsinghua University and the University of Geneva, the two universities have recently established their respective institutes for sustainable development. Earlier this year, on January 27, President of China Xi Jinping and the President of the Swiss Confederation, Doris Leuthard, jointly witnessed the signing of the memorandum between Tsinghua University and University of Geneva on a comprehensive education program for the SDGs.

The inaugural ceremony of Institute for Sustainable Development Goals

On May 14, the inaugural ceremony of the Tsinghua University Institute for Sustainable Development Goals and the Academic Forum on "Belt and Road and Global Sustainability" was held at the main building of Tsinghua University on the occasion of the "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Summit in Beijing. Mr. António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations, and Mr.Yves Flückiger, President of the University of Geneva congratulated the establishment of the institute in their congratulatory letters.

The inaugural ceremony of Geneva SDG Solution Space

On May 12, the University of Geneva (UNIGE) launched the Geneva SDG Solution Space in Switzerland, bringing together students, academics, humanitarian actors and UN experts to provide practical solutions to global sustainable development challenges. The space will host students from Tsinghua University's PP-SDG dual master's degree programme in collaboration with the University of Geneva, and will also host a two-month summer school program in July with international organisations.

As the core of Tsinghua University and the University of Geneva’s cooperation insustainable development, the two institutes will cooperate to establish an international talent training system on SDGs, continue to promote the PP-SDG dual master's degree program, and jointly conduct collaborative research on theories, policies and practical issues in the field of SDGs.