For several years IUS has shown its dedication to the UN Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) delivery. A special focus is placed on the SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. The IUS’ partnerships relate to the community, which the IUS serves, from local to regional and international level. Through the “IUS in SDG Action” campaign, the IUS Quality Assurance Office (QAO), which is the initiator and coordinator of SDG activities at the University, has established a long cooperation and international networking with world universities and institutions. In this regard, QA employee, Lamija Hadžimurtezić, visited two partner universities in Ireland at the end of May 2022: the University of Limerick (UL) and the Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) respectively, with the only topic on the agenda - networking in the field of SDG.
As a result of the networking activities, an Erasmus + cooperation was initiated between IUS and TU Dublin in the field of engineering. The goal of this networking is the exchange of academic experiences in the field of engineering through the prism of SDG, and participation in joint research projects of the two institutions. During the visit to this prestigious university in Dublin, the IUS representative had the opportunity to attend several scientific seminars focusing on the SDG area, as well as meetings with representatives of TU Dublin. Let us point out that the Technological University Dublin is a prestigious Irish university that brings together academic staff, researchers and students, both from Ireland and from all parts of the world. The university has about 3,500 employees and 28,500 students. It stands out with its entrepreneurial spirit and education approach focused on practical teaching, with successful industry cooperation on research and teaching. On its several campuses, the University offers a unique choice of programs and disciplines, in all cycles of study, from arts, business, science and engineering, to modern technologies. The construction of the leading campus, TU Dublin Grangegorman, was one of the time largest higher education development project in Europe.
University of Limerick (UL) and IUS have a five-year successful Erasmus + collaboration in the field of social sciences, arts and humanities, and business and administration. At UL, the IUS representative had the opportunity to participate in UL Global Partners Week 2022, and exchange experiences and contacts with international experts in the field of SDG. The theme of this year’s UL Global Partners Week is dedicated to Inclusivity and Sustainability. The event, which brought together staff from universities around the world, from Europe and Africa to Asia, was organized on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the University. It is important to say that the UL is an excellent example of an Irish university with a long history of sustainability, which continuously makes efforts and strives to make its students, graduates and employees "active citizens" who contribute to the well-being and future of our planet.
The IUS Quality Assurance Office emphasized the importance and significance of international networking, as well as its benefits, for all segments of university operations: “Institutional commitment to quality is the key to achieving our strategic goals. And we can achieve quality only by networking and exchanging experiences and knowledge, at the local and international level". On the benefits of networking, it is enough to mention the fact that the Erasmus + partnerships established by IUS for several years have greatly contributed to research activities and postgraduate programs at IUS in general. Namely, by networking and exchanging Erasmus + experiences, many new partnerships have emerged, both in scientific research projects and in new inter-institutional agreements on the recognition and issuance of Double diplomas. These partnerships have been particularly successful with universities in Germany, Poland and Turkey. The Quality Assurance Office, also, proudly pointed out that the area of SDG has become part of the new IUS Strategic Plan 2022-2026, and that there are plans to further develop this area at IUS. More information on the SDG activities done so far, can be found HERE.
