The 2022 Gothenburg International Research Workshop on Sustainable Economic Growth and Decent Work for All

The 2022 Gothenburg International Research Workshop on Sustainable Economic Growth and Decent Work for All

Sustainable Development Goals

At the core of SDG 8, is the great challenge of obtaining economic growth without compromising the environment while also ensuring full employment and respect for labour rights. Economic progress must be inclusive and in harmony with the planetary boundaries. The COVID-19 pandemic has put enormous pressure on development, the geopolitical landscape has severely deteriorated with imminent risks of escalation of conflicts, we are nowhere near the reductions needed to avoid a climate collapse, and the great majority of indicators of ecosystems and biodiversity are showing rapid decline. The existing economic system is unsustainable and the need to pursue further research in areas such as sustainable economic growth, resource efficiency, full employment, occupational health and safety, and policies for just and well-functioning labour markets is critical. For the same reasons, it is critical to synthesise existing research and urgently transfer that knowledge to society.

As part of the International Association of Universities (IAU) Cluster on Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development, the University of Gothenburg, has taken the lead on Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Within the cluster each SDG has its lead university, resulting in a global network of universities. The purpose of the SDG 8 Initiative at University of Gothenburg is to mobilise academic work and policy interaction in local and global contexts, together with eight satellite universities globally. The satellite universities, located in the Global South, provide opportunities for dynamic research collaboration by addressing the challenges of SDG 8 from the various geographical and methodological perspectives represented.

Objectives of the SDG 8 initiative

• Critically scrutinise the goal, targets, and indicators of SDG 8, to reveal biases, contradictions, and links to other SDGs
• Identify and synthesise research in support of the implementation of the SDG 8 targets
• Accelerate the implementation of research through research-to-policy interaction, including dialogue and potentially input to the Voluntary National Reviews that all countries present at the UN High Level Political Forum.
• Advance knowledge by identifying key areas for further research
• Integrate research-based knowledge on SDG 8 in higher education

Call for contributions - extended to 22 - June

This will be the second international research conference on Sustainable Development Goal 8 at the School of Business, Economics and Law in Gothenburg, and we invite researchers to contribute to the content by submitting abstracts of current or recent research, as well as relevant examples of educational or collaborative activities. We welcome researchers from all over the world  to contribute to this years conference and we encourage contributions in particular from r researchers at the satellite universities, ideally expressing the connection to one or several of the targets of SDG 8.

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