Siemens Energy and SDSN Launch the 4th Edition of the “Universities for Goal 13” Competition and Award
Siemens Energy and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network strengthen their partnership with the launch of the 4th edition of Universities for Goal 13, building on the tremendous success of the last three competitions.
NEW YORK (October 15, 2024) — Sponsored by Siemens Energy and in collaboration with the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), “Universities for Goal 13” is an annual competition and award recognizing students’ talent and their critical role in combating climate change and its impacts. The competition aims to foster practical, innovative solutions for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 on Climate Action, utilizing multi-disciplinary perspectives and collaboration. It is designed to empower university students to drive innovation and address the critical global issue of the energy transition.
“‘Universities for Goal 13’ is making sure that this innovation process continues in a dynamic way right into the new young engineers and leaders of the coming generation,” SDSN President Jeffrey Sachs said. “Thanks to this competition, students from universities in all parts of the world receive excellent mentorship to work on practical problem solving exactly directed at the challenges we face.”
The climate emergency requires urgent measures. Countries recognize that we must peak global greenhouse gas emissions “as soon as possible” and fully decarbonize economies in this century to reach carbon neutrality. The 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs represent an essential framework not only for governments and public administrations but also for businesses, universities, civil society, and young people to make net-zero emissions societies a reality.
This year, in the competition’s 4th edition, the participants from SDSN member institutions include: Tsinghua University in China; Case Western Reserve University in the U.S.A., Monash University in Australia; the Bucharest University of Economic Studies in Romania; Euskampus Fundazioa in Spain, University of Hamburg in Germany; and the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) in Brazil, winners of the last edition.
During the competition and development of the projects, students will receive mentorship from top Siemens Energy professionals and have the chance to win a USD 10,000 prize for their solution. Additionally, participants will receive support from university staff in designing and developing their projects to enhance their professional development by expanding their knowledge, building a network, and gaining practical experience and visibility.
The competition will begin in October 2024 and conclude in September 2025, culminating in an awards ceremony in New York, U.S.A., on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
Students can now access the 4th edition Competition Brief and the Rules and Guidelines. For more information on past editions, please visit the Universities for Goal 13 page.