Evaluation of the Knowledge and Commitment that Students of a University Subject Focused on Organizational Behavior have on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the Aim of Increasing the Link Between University Teaching and the SDGs

Abstract

[EN] The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) promoted by the United Nations (UN) within its global initiative "2030 Agenda" are part of the social commitments adopted and promoted by the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV). It’s critical to know what the initial state of knowledge and commitment of UPV students with respect to the SDGs is, so that consistent and coherent training actions around the SDGs can be promoted. The search for sustainable solutions and alternatives that change the current production and social model, and that make our planet a more friendly, sustainable, fair and equitable place, seems to be a common goal for all people with a minimum of judgment. However, the commitment and knowledge about the way in which each one can impact on these objectives is not as widespread as one might imagine. This situation can ruin the intended achievements of the SDGs, so it is crucial to promote their knowledge and their social adoption. In this project, it has been evaluated, through the responses of the students of a carefully selected subject, what is their knowledge and commitment to the SDGs, with the final objective of identifying if the students themselves consider and show that there is any initiative that the University can adopt to help them in their preparation for pro-SDG activism from their close incorporation into the world of work, and therefore from the exercise of their professional work. As expected, the study shows that students have some knowledge about the SDGs, although they do not know how and who is responsible for this exercise of social volunteering or what their personal role in this initiative may be. They also show a certain interest in the possibility of the University taking a step forward and including the SDGs in its training catalogue.