On February 2 and 3, we at the Green Office participated ?at the SDG-conference, which this year was organized by OsloMet at Oslo City Hall and the library Deichman Bj?rvika. The conference brought together academia, students, civil society, decision-makers, and organizations to explore the question: How can universities contribute meaningfully to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals?
Through panel discussions, workshops, and keynote sessions, participants shared research, initiatives, and critical reflections on the role of higher education in driving sustainable development. The program covered everything from climate action and biodiversity to social justice and democratic participation. The breadth of topics showed how intertwined the SDG goals are. In addition, the event highlighted how important it is for universities to function both as knowledge producers and agents of change.
For us at the Green Office, the conference was also an opportunity to network with other actors and strengthen cooperation across institutions. One of the highlights was meeting the other green offices in our newly established national network, from NMBU, NTNU, UiB, and OsloMet. Together with our umbrella organization, Students Organizing for Sustainability (SOS), we shared experiences, discussed common challenges, and planned collaborative campaigns across universities. Building a national network is an important step toward strengthening student-driven sustainability work in Norway!
The SDG conference gave us new ideas, contacts, and acquaintances, and not least—motivation. Events like this remind us that even though the sustainability challenges we face are complex, there are many of us working toward the same goal—and collaboration across institutions and sectors is key.
A big thank you to the organizing team and OsloMet for hosting a successful conference!