SDG 17. Partnerships to achieve the Goal

• The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest

• Putting Sustainability to Work! Scientific Research and Community Engagement for Sustainable Development in the UNESCO Global Geopark Țara Hațegului
• Danube GeoTour Plus – Boosting Opportunities for More Inclusive, Valuable and Balanced Geopark Communities
• The Big Green

The University of Bucharest has direct involvement in developing the national government and regional non-government organisations’ SDG policy. Some of the forms of direct involvement include:

• The University of Bucharest contributes directly to the implementation of Romania’s National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2030 through the involvement of its academic experts in national advisory and public policy. In this regard, we can mention Professor Emeritus Angheluță Vădineanu, a member of Romania’s Advisory Council for Sustainable Development, who provided expertise on the conceptual, strategic, and operational requirements necessary for the effective implementation of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development and its Action Plan; or Professor Cristian Ioan Iojă, who authored, among other things, the Guide for the Sustainable Economic use of Protected Natural Areas in Romania.
• In 2025, the University of Bucharest contributed to the national programme for developing a professional network of sustainable development experts within Romania’s public administration, implemented with the General Secretariat of the Government – Department for Sustainable Development. Between March and July 2025, UB trained 1,838 sustainable development experts.
• The expertise of the teaching staff of the University of Bucharest determines their co-optation in the teams of elaboration of studies, some associated with development objectives. An example of this is the participation of Ionuț-Bogdan Dima, a lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the UB, in preparing the Occupational Analysis Report. Sustainable development expert.

The University of Bucharest and the academic community members initiate and participate in cross-sectoral dialogue about the SDGs. Some examples include:

• In November 2024, the University of Bucharest organised the UB Sustainability Gala, a three-day event dedicated to innovative and sustainable projects and debates on the future of work, artificial intelligence, and social inclusion. The event brought together representatives from universities, public institutions, companies, and civil society organisations to exchange ideas and present good practices in sustainable development. Students and academic staff presented community-oriented initiatives and institutional projects focused on inclusion and environmental responsibility and were recompensed for their efforts.
• In June 2025, the Faculty of Administration and Business and the “Virtute et Sapientia” Foundation of the University of Bucharest, in partnership with the General Secretariat of the Government, organised the 2025 Governance Workshop – “Reconfiguring the Public Sector in Light of Contemporary Global Technological, Economic and Political Changes.” The event created a platform for dialogue between academic experts and public-sector stakeholders on institutional resilience, technological transformation and evidence-based public policies.
• In October 2025, the University of Bucharest, together with the National Meteorological Administration and the National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry, organised a workshop on Climate Services and their role in climate adaptation in metropolitan areas. The event brought together representatives of public institutions, academia, non-governmental organisations and the business sector to identify stakeholder needs and explore how climate information can be integrated into planning and adaptation processes.
• Between 27 October and 2 November 2025, the University organised the third edition of the Sustainability Week, with activities explicitly aligned with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Workshops brought together experts from academia, businesses and civil society organisations (Environ, Urbanize Hub, INFOCONS) and addressed topics including sustainability education, mental health, green cities, responsible consumption and social responsibility.

The University of Bucharest participates in several international collaborations that collect, integrate and analyse data relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals. Recent examples include:

• BioAgora – Bio Knowledge Agora: Developing the Science Service for European Research and Biodiversity Policymaking (2022-2027) connects biodiversity research and data with the needs of European policymakers through the development of the Science Service for Biodiversity, strengthening the science-policy interface and supporting the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
• MARCO-BOLO – MARine Coastal BiOdiversity Long-term Observations (2022-2026) contributes to strengthening and coordinating European long-term observation capabilities for coastal and marine biodiversity, connecting European monitoring activities with wider international efforts to assess and restore ocean health.
• Restore4Life – Restoration of Wetland Complexes as Life-Supporting Systems in the Danube Basin (2023-2027), coordinated by the University of Bucharest, brings together an international consortium to assess the effects of wetland restoration across demonstration and monitoring sites in the Danube Basin. Monitoring activities address ecosystem services including water and pollutant retention, carbon sequestration, biodiversity and the resilience of water-dependent habitats.
• SELINA – Science for Evidence-based and sustainabLe decIsions about NAtural Capital (2022-2027) brings together partners from across Europe and beyond to improve the assessment of ecosystem conditions, biodiversity and ecosystem services and to provide evidence supporting sustainable environmental decision-making.

The LifeWatch Romania research infrastructure, developed by the University of Bucharest and connected to European biodiversity and ecosystem research infrastructures, continues to support long-term environmental monitoring. Its research stations and sensor-based infrastructure enable the collection, integration, storage and analysis of data on biodiversity, ecosystems, climate, hydrology and other environmental variables.

• UB is part of the consortium implementing CARMINE – Climate-Resilient Development Pathways in Metropolitan Regions of Europe (2024-2028), involving 31 partner organisations from 11 countries, with the aim of developing high-resolution climate information and integrating climate, socio-ecological and technological data to assess risks and vulnerabilities and support climate-resilient development in European metropolitan regions. Through Living Labs and collaboration with researchers, local authorities, policymakers and communities, the project co-develops and tests decision-support tools, climate adaptation strategies and resilient development pathways. The resulting approaches and good practices are designed to be transferable to other metropolitan regions in Europe and beyond.
• The University of Bucharest promotes the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through international collaboration and research, actively participating in European university alliances, transnational research projects, and global academic networks. Through its involvement in CIVIS – European Civic University, Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ projects, as well as through collaboration with more than 200 partner universities in over 50 countries, the University of Bucharest contributes to the exchange of expertise and the development of international best practices for SDG implementation.

The University also supports interdisciplinary research and the development of sustainable solutions with European and global relevance in areas such as climate change, biodiversity, sustainable governance, and social inclusion.

The University of Bucharest partners with many non-governmental organisations, with various objectives: organisation of placements, internships, volunteering, research, educational and research projects, projects to promote sustainable development in the community and others.

• As part of the project “#UB4friends“, supported by the Embassy of the United States of America and the American Councils for International Education, in the context of the project “4/4 for friends”, the University of Bucharest organised a series of activities that aim to recognise the involvement of volunteers in the service of their fellow human beings. These activities included, among others, cleaning green spaces, information sessions on gender equality, activities to prevent school drop-outs and support actions in foster care centres.
• In the context of the Service-Learning: Cross-sectoral collaboration of practices for the development of student life skills and socially engaged universities ERASMUS+ Project, University of Bucharest, together with 5 other European universities and 1 NGO, collaborate to achieve the following specific objectives, highly relevant for several SDGs: (a).To empower partners and students in their learning process and projects.
• To define and map current Service Learning (SL) projects in each country to promote and inspire future SL projects;(b). Encourage teachers and educational leaders to become familiar with the theoretical and practical aspects of the SL method to adapt and transfer SL innovation projects to other universities;(c). Making SL education visible, involving students, academic staff, university decision-makers, and social and civil society organisations within universities and their local areas to create innovative SL education projects;(d). Long-term implementation of SL within universities;(e). Share practices on SL with an innovative European dimension, share key steps to implement SL projects in universities (agreements, administrative process, structure, guide content) and improve visibility;(f). To capitalise on the information and knowledge acquired during the two years of the project and to disseminate the project results;(g). Transfer innovative SL methodologies within the universities and to other interested universities, share data and exchange reports from each work package to disseminate good practice and SL methodology. In June 2024, within the framework of the project, UB hosted the European Forum on Service-Learning, reuniting more than 80 participants from Romania, France, Spain, Greece, and Italy, including academics, students, and civil-society representatives. The University of Bucharest was represented with two service-learning initiatives: Chemistry Goes Outdoors, implemented at the Faculty of Chemistry, and the Reading Caravan, developed at the Faculty of Baptist Theology, both designed to strengthen the university’s social responsibility and student involvement in community life.
• In 2025, the University of Bucharest also launched SL 2.0: ColLab – Service Learning 2.0: A Digital Ecosystem for University-Community Collaboration and Student Empowerment, an Erasmus+ project coordinated by UB. The initiative strengthens cooperation between universities and civil society organisations by developing a collaborative digital platform, educational resources and support mechanisms for inclusive service-learning projects involving students, academic staff and community partners.
• The French-language Master’s programme Médias, développement, société offered by the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences has developed the Consum’Actor platform, an innovative educational initiative designed to promote sustainable development and responsible consumption. Through interdisciplinary projects, exhibitions, public debates, and digital communication campaigns, students collaborate with local entrepreneurs, civil society organizations, and cultural institutions to raise awareness of sustainable lifestyles, circular economy principles, and environmentally responsible production and consumption practices. The project also provides practical training in sustainability communication and contributes to the achievement of specific SDG’s.

The Institutional Sustainability Service manages and promotes sustainable development and social responsibility actions within the University of Bucharest. The responsibilities of the members of this office include monitoring, collecting and analysing qualitative and quantitative data necessary for the annual sustainability reports and for reporting to various international rankings. Additionally, they organise events and activities to promote the principles and objectives of sustainable development within the academic community, as the Sustainability Week.

The University of Bucharest started publishing Sustainable Development Goals Tracking Reports in 2020. The latest report (the fifth one for 2024-25) is available here. Reports are published both in Romanian and English.

The University of Bucharest runs various programmes and courses that educate students and, by extension, the community about sustainable development goals.

• The UNESCO Chair (Interculturality, Good Governance and Sustainable Development) at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Bucharest is part of the UNITWIN network, which aims to support higher education through collaboration with NGOs, foundations and organisations from the public and private sectors.
• Many of the CIVIS courses, developed in the following five areas: Health, Cities, Territories and Mobilities, Digital and Technological Transformation, Climate, Environment, Energy, Society, Culture and Cultural Heritage, cover themes that address sustainable development objectives and are accessible to all students of the University of Bucharest.
• The UB’s sustainability website also contributes to educating the members of the academic community and the wider public, as it brings together numerous actions towards the goals, references to specific courses and other relevant events. The page can be accessed The website provides access to an online package of courses dedicated to increasing knowledge on sustainability and sustainable development goals.

The University of Bucharest has dedicated courses (full degrees or electives) that address sustainability and the SDGs.

Examples of full degrees:

• Sustainability of socio-ecological systems, Master’s Degree Programme at the Faculty of Biology
• Public Policy for Energy, Climate Change and Sustainability, Master’s Degree Programme at the Faculty of Business and Administration
• Environmental policies for sustainable development, Master’s Degree Programme at the Faculty of Geography
• Applied geobiology in the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, Master’s Degree Programme at the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics
• Expert in Sustainable Development, Postgraduate Programme at the Faculty of Business and Administration

 

Examples of specific courses:

• Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geography
• Agenda 2030 – Policies and Projects for Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geology and Geophysics
• Environmental Ethics and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Philosophy
• Education for Sustainable Development, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
• Policies for a Sustainable Economy, Faculty of Business and Administration
• Political Ecology, Faculty of Political Science
• Risk, Safety. Governance and Humanitarian Intervention, Faculty of Geography

 

Within the CIVIS Alliance, the University of Bucharest contributes to the development and delivery of interdisciplinary micro-programmes that provide flexible international learning pathways for students across the Alliance. UB co-organises the Global Awareness micro-programme together with the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and the University of Tübingen. The 15-ECTS programme develops transdisciplinary competencies for understanding global and cross-border challenges, including issues related to climate, energy, the environment, society and international cooperation. UB is also one of the four universities delivering the Civic Engagement micro-programme, alongside the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, the University of Tübingen and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The programme combines academic learning with practical civic engagement and service-learning activities, enabling students to apply their knowledge to concrete societal challenges. During the 2024-2025 academic year, the two micro-programme included courses addressing several SDGs, for example related to sustainable energy, local sustainable development, antimicrobial resistance, homelessness, digital healthcare and civic responsibility in science.

CIVIS Member Universities have jointly developed TRACEE (A Transdisciplinary Master’s Programme for a Sustainable Future), a pioneering programme designed to prepare future leaders to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, the energy transition, and environmental sustainability. Coordinated by Stockholm University and co-created by all CIVIS partner universities, the programme equips a new generation of specialists with the knowledge and skills needed to understand and tackle complex sustainability challenges through a transdisciplinary approach.

The University of Bucharest has dedicated outreach educational activities for the wider community.  One form of community outreach is done in the form of sharing information with the wide public was through the UB Dose of Science, a series of conferences that since 2022 approached subjects relevant to the SDGs:

• Episode 19 “We are 99,9% identical. What else does genetics say about us and how does it help us prevent diseases?”, with geneticist Mircea Iliescu, researcher at the University of Cambridge and visiting professor at ICUB.
• Episode 18: “PISA tests and what they show about Romanian education”, with psychologist Dragoș Iliescu, professor at the UB Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences
• Episode 17: “The use of stem cells in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine”, with researcher Sorina Dinescu from the UB Faculty of Biology
• Episode 16: “On riverside areas and their role in preserving biodiversity and protecting the environment”, with professor Geta Rîșnoveanu from the UB Faculty of Biology
• Episode 15: “<We are what we eat>: the microbiome and the health of the whole body”, with Grațiela Grădișteanu, scientific researcher at the Faculty of Biology of UB and ICUB
• Episode 14: “Innovative solutions for the management of solid municipal waste deposits”, with Florina Țuluca, lecturer at the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics
• Episode 13: “Cybernetic security, digital citizenship and right to privacy on the internet”, with Paul Irofti, associate professor at the UB Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
• Episode 12: “Excessive Use of Antibiotics and New Approaches in Treating Infections”, with Researcher Alina Maria Holban, Lecturer at the Faculty of Biology
• Episode 11: “Rip Currents, the Hidden Danger on the Romanian Beaches of the Black Sea”, with Researcher Florin Tătui, associate professor the Faculty of Geography
• Episode 10: “Artificial intelligence and digital mental health”, with psychologist Ioana Podina, associate professor at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of UB
• Episode 9: “Dinosaurs and their world”, with assoc. prof. Zoltán Csiki-Sava, PhD, palaeontologist and teaching staff at the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics
• Episode 8: “The secrets of metal ions and the intrinsic beauty of molecules” in a presentation of acad. Marius Andruh, PhD, professor at the Faculty of Chemestry;
• Episode 7: “About science and pseudoscience”, with associate professor Dana Jalobeanu, Faculty of Philosophy;
• Episode 6: “Death and loss in the twenty-first century”, with lector Adela Toplean, Faculty of Letters;
• Episode 5: “Network analysis: what is it and what is it for? “, with Professor Marian-Gabriel Hâncean, Faculty of Sociology and Social Assistance;
• Episode 4: “Pollution, a continuous threat”, with researcher Cristian Mihai Adamescu, director of the Centre for Research in System Ecology and Sustainability;
• Episode 3: “Education in a pandemic context”, with Professor Lucian Ciolan, professor at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Bucharest;
• Episode 2: “Climate change. The great challenge of today”, with Professor Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe, professor at the Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest;
• Episode 1: “Vaccination and scepticism among Romanians”, with Professor Cosima Rughiniș, professor at the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work;

 

The University of Bucharest continues to carry out community outreach activities through CIVIS Open Lab-UB, a collaborative platform through which academic and external stakeholders work together to identify and address local and societal challenges. In 2025, UB participated in a diverse portfolio of Open Lab initiatives involving universities, civil society organisations and local communities, addressing topics such as social inclusion, migration, health, environmental monitoring, cultural heritage and citizen science. The list includes:

• Service-Learning Awards UB, promoting projects developed by students and academic staff together with civil society partners to address social and community needs;
• FARO – Building Community through the Faro Convention, focusing on tangible and intangible cultural heritage, urban diversity and community engagement;
• VERIS – Voices of Palmyra, implemented with CIVIS partner universities and the Jesuit Refugee Service Romania, using cultural heritage and digital tools to support refugee inclusion;
• Sensing Our Environment Together – Citizen Science for Climate and Air Quality, promoting citizen participation in environmental monitoring;
• Combating Health Misinformation, addressing health literacy and the societal impact of misleading health information.