Skip to Main Content

Universities as Pillars for Sustainable Change

By Paola Visconti, Co-Chair of SDSN Mexico at Tecnológico de Monterrey

In 2021, as the world continued to face the effects of a global pandemic, the Tecnológico de Monterrey, a co-host of SDSN Mexico, adopted the Ruta Azul, the Sustainable and Climate Change Plan 2025. With this Plan, the university recognized the urgent need to commit to and deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to transform lives through education, and mobilize and empower others towards building a sustainable future.

This vision is not unique to the Tecnológico de Monterrey. Rather, it is the vision of organizations and individuals across the world who, in 2015, mobilized under the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The SDGS are a roadmap drawn with 17 goals and 169 targets to urgently transform a planet in crisis. Today, with nearly 10 years behind and only five years remaining until 2030, we must consider the path forward.

The road has grown steeper year after year. The pandemic stripped many regions — particularly low- and middle-income countries — of resources and opportunities, leaving a gap in progress for equity, poverty eradication, and access to education. And in Latin America and the Caribbean, the fight against hunger, inequality, and climate change remains a distant promise. Across the world, only 17% of the targets are on track to be achieved.

Tecnológico de Monterrey’s Ruta Azul

Since its founding 80 years ago, the Tecnológico de Monterrey has seen the power of education and science-based knowledge. We know that a university is not just a place to learn; it can connect students, faculty, researchers, and allies toward a common goal, to foster social transformation and find solutions to today’s most pressing challenges.

The Tecnológico de Monterrey’s Ruta Azul has six key focus areas: Culture, Mitigation, Adaptation, Education, Research, and Engagement. In the recent Sustainable Development Initiatives Report, we assessed our progress. Major achievements include:

  • We identified 851 initiatives directly impacting at least one SDG, reaching 900,000 people through projects generating social, economic, and environmental change.
  • Our institution has reduced carbon emissions by 49% compared to 2019.
  • We have ensured that educational programs integrate sustainability as a core principle in curriculum design for 2026.
  • Research projects that promote innovative solutions to address the climate emergency.

We have not done this alone. Through multi stakeholder partnerships with universities, governments, civil society organizations, and businesses, we’ve expanded and amplified our impact.

Universities as Pillars for Change

The role of universities in the 2030 Agenda is critical. Beyond SDG 4, which focuses on access to quality education, academia is the bridge connecting people to solutions. Through education and research, we empower new generations of leaders with the knowledge, skills, and passion needed to transform the world.

But we do not stop there. Universities contribute to:

  • Climate action (SDG 13), by fostering research and tangible initiatives to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
  • Ending poverty and hunger (SDG 1 and 2), through innovative social programs and partnerships.
  • Promoting health and well-being (SDG 3), by ensuring access to healthcare solutions and education.
  • Innovation and economic growth (SDG 8 and 9), by developing technologies, creating jobs, and fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Call for Action

As we enter 2025, the Tecnológico de Monterrey understands that sustainability is not an endpoint but a process; it is a path toward improving lives and ensuring that no one is left behind.

As a co-host of SDSN Mexico, we reaffirm our commitment to sustainable development and addressing climate change. We must face today’s challenges with tangible and transformative solutions shaped by education, innovation, and collaboration. Together, through bold, collective action, we can build a better world.