Universities, Sustainability and Businesses: A Common Agenda for 2030

Abstract

Science and Technology are the most important frontier between Universities and Businesses (U&B). The interaction between U&B has always paved the way innovations came to life for the well-being of our communities and the world. The purpose of this work is to analyze the bridges that were, and are, being built to connect both perspectives of human progress and to evaluate options for renewed cooperative actions. The idea is to support the creation of modern tools for Research and Development, under the framework of the United Nations Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (United Nations TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD.) This initiative suggests focusing Sustainability on the Development of Capacities in companies and academia in Brazil, starting in Sao Paulo, a State that is already implementing many projects generated under the umbrella of the Goals, with the typical characteristics of their developing reality. The SDGs provide innumerous lessons for all, and it is important to evaluate their implementation processes in order to help define joint priorities for other Universities and Businesses. The specific objective of this paper is to support the strengthening of the efforts made at the University of São Paulo, Brazil (USP) to enhance its quest for economic, social and environmental sustainability. The focus is to discuss how U&B could transit common paths looking to the current and future challenges. The intention is to make an initial approach to the practices of U&B for a Sustainable Agenda in order to propose some joint actions, examining USP initiatives and their partners as an emblematic Case Study.