The University of Hull is honoured to welcome the Rector of the Artic University of Norway at Tromsø (UiT), Professor Dag Rune Olsen as the keynote speaker at the University’s Sustainable Development Goals Conference.
The Conference, on July 6 and 7, brings together academics working across the University to discuss how their research and teaching is contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN Agenda 2030.
A Professor of biomedical physics and leading cancer researcher in Norway, Professor Olsen is also recognized as a world leader in delivering institutional change within universities in support of the UN SDGs.
As Rector at UiT Professor Olsen has been instrumental in ensuring the University adopts a cross-disciplinary approach to developing research collaboration in response to key global challenges.
Prior to his appointment at UiT, Professor Olsen was also Rector at the University of Bergen where he achieved significant success in enabling the academic community to align their research with the SDGs. Bergen is now globally respected for its approach.
Professor Olsen said: “I am delighted to be invited to the University of Hull and to participate in discussions on such an important issue for global higher education.
“Following the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, the President of the Assembly wrote to leaders of higher education institutions with ‘this sincere request to make these Goals an integral part of research, teaching and study at your institutions’. This challenges us all and raises the question: Are universities set up to address sustainable development or are our traditional organization and disciplines insufficient in that respect? Sustainable development is not feasible unless it is based on solid knowledge and universities are therefore critical.”
Professor Olsen will be joined by other international speakers who have been invited to attend the Conference, including Professor Ama de-Graft Aikins from University College London and the University of Ghana, and Dr Olawale Olayide, Professor in the Centre for Sustainable Development at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
The Conference will feature presentations and panel events that will showcase the University’s excellence in impactful international research. It will also host an early career researcher session and stage a roundtable about how universities can engage with the SDG’s.