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SDSN 2019 Achievements Take us into the Decade of Action!

By Cheyenne Maddox

2019 was a busy year as we surpassed 1,200 members organized in 33 National and Regional Networks. With 24 new national and regional networks already lined up for 2020, we're excited to watch the global network grow.

  • SDSN hosted the first-ever Global Solutions Forum which presented a variety of locally sourced solutions from ten of SDSN's 33 National and Regional Networks.
  • The 2019 Networks in Action report showcases how our networks work with partners to advance the SDGs in their countries.
  • Two new networks were launched: SDSN Mexico and the China SDG Hub.
  • SDSN launched the SDSN Networks Strategy Council to advise the Networks Program on the expansion strategy and work program. This body is Chaired by Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed and composed of Network Chairs and Directors of the SDG Centers.
  • Thanks to a new collaboration with Junior Chamber International (JCI), five of the winning not-for-profit solutions highlighted in the 3rd SDSN Youth Solutions Report received grants from the Global Youth Empowerment Fund.
  • SDSN Youth's Global Schools Program launched an online library of resources to empower schools and teachers globally to educate students on the SDGs.

SDSN programs and research on the implementation of the SDGs advanced well in 2019.

SDSN’s TReNDS continues to play a central role in the Data Revolution. SDSN has also released several new indices this year.

The SDG Academy , SDSN’s flagship education initiative, had an eventful year full of new courses, new partnerships, and new initiatives to advance teaching and learning about sustainable development around the world.

  • In 2019, the SDG Academy launched several new online courses on post-capitalism , water , ethics , industrial policy in Africa (in partnership with UNU-WIDER), and climate science. Climate Change: The Science and Global Impact , taught by climate expert Michael Mann, was the most popular course in 2019, enrolling more than 10,500 learners in four months.
  • The Academy also launched its first Spanish-language courses in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank: a course on Partnerships for the SDGs , and a version of their popular course on Natural Resources for Sustainable Development regionalized for a Latin American audience. The Natural Resources course was also adapted in Arabic for the MENA region in partnership with Edraak.org.
  • In June, the Secretariat of the Global Association of the Master’s in Development Practice (MDP)—a two-year graduate program designed to train aspiring practitioners to address the challenges of sustainable development—joined SDSN under the umbrella of the SDG Academy. Currently, there are 37 MDP programs in 26 countries around the world.
  • The new SDG Academy Library , launched in September, is a searchable repository of all SDG Academy course videos, made available as standalone educational resources. Learners can search more than 1,000 videos by course, faculty member, SDG, academic discipline, or keyword, to find and share the content you need for your next lesson, workshop, or training.
  • The SDG Academy reconstituted its Academic Advisory Committee for a new three year term, with a wonderful group of experts in the pedagogy and content of sustainable development to guide it forward.

Global outreach and engagement is a key part of SDSN's mission. SDSN hosted over 100 events across all 6 continents this year.