IIT Guwahati introduces first-of-its kind course on UN-SDGs in BTech curriculum

New Delhi, Jul 6 () The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IITG) has introduced a course on UN-Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 in its B Tech curriculum, becoming the first IIT to do so, officials said.

It will be offered to second year B Tech students as a compulsory course, to reorient the thinking of young and dynamic individuals towards the path of sustainable development, they said.

According to officials, due to the interdisciplinary nature of the 17 SDGs, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, the nodal department for this course, has collaborated and pooled resources from eight other departments of the institute to design and implement the course.

Faculty members from each of these departments will jointly conduct the course and will provide exposure to B Tech students on the technological, economical, ecological and societal aspects of the 17 SDGs.

"With only 10 more years remaining to fulfil these objectives, it becomes very vital that the students are taught about the goals of inclusive and sustainable growth and through this course, offered by faculty members from across engineering, science and humanities departments, to prepare the students to play leading roles in 'Transforming the World," said T G Sitharam, Director, IIT Guwahati.

Anamika Barua, course coordinator from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Guwahati, said, "This would be the first time the nine departments of IIT Guwahati have joined together to offer a course at the undergraduate level, realising that sustainability challenges and inclusive growth go hand-in-hand and has to be understood at the crossroads of science and society through an interdisciplinary lens".

Faculty members from all the nine disciplines will contribute in demonstrating the importance of adopting an interdisciplinary approach of sustainability, officials said.

Several case studies will be used to demonstrate the ways of realising the SDGs and the strategies needed to move towards a sustainable pattern of development, they said.

The case studies will include topics from multiple disciplines such as growth, inclusive society, sustainable cities, transport, designs, technology, digital revolution, sustainable production and consumption etc.

The course will also highlight the ways of financing the SDGs, the new financing mechanisms and global fund as well implementing SDGs through governance and policy tools, they said. GJS RHL