DE MONTFORT University had a key role to play during 2025 in helping shape policy around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a global academic hub chair.
The university was appointed as the global academic hub chair for SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities in January, working with the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) on shaping policy around the goal.
DMU leads three other universities, in Brazil, Vietnam, and Germany, in sharing good practice and work on research, partnerships, outreach and teaching of SDG 11.
This follows six years of DMU doing a similar role as the global hub for SDG 16 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions working internationally, nationally, and locally in promoting the SDGs and developing policy.
Working with governments and NGOs
DMU has held regular talks with the UNAI during the past seven years about progress on the SDGs, particularly 11 and 16, and was influential in developing the expanded UNAI network of 68 universities working across the 17 goals that was adopted this year.
The DMU lead on SDG 11, Dr Mark Charlton, said: “Part of our role every day as a global academic hub chair is to work with the UNAI, national and regional governments and NGOs on all aspects of the SDGs.
“Those discussions, both formal but more often informal, take place on a regular basis as we seek to further work towards the targets within the SDGs.
“While we regularly talk to the UNAI and our partner SDG 11 universities, our work closer to home with the regional governments of Leicester and Leicestershire is equally as important in shaping their policies around the SDGs.
Helping to shape SDG policy
“This has been a particularly productive year. In 2025, our conversations on developing SDGs policies with government and NGOs has made good progress,” Dr Charlton added.
As part of its work on the SDGs, the university has worked with the British government on a series of initiatives.
One of the projects has been Football for the Goals, which harnesses the popularity of sport to advance work on sustainability and promote the SDGs.
Sport has been found as a good way of engaging with youngsters, particularly in under-privileged areas, on the SDGs and the importance of climate action.
The British government has been interested in developing this policy and DMU has spoken before a House of Commons select committee previously and has been asked to appear again next year.