Participation of Universities in Eradication of Poverty as Part of Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

The eradication of poverty in 2015 was designated by the UN as one of the sustainable development goals aimed at overcoming the most important global problem of our time. This initiative contributed to the mobilization of a wide range of participants for its solution. In addition to state institutions and the public sector in various countries of the world, higher education institutions began to show increasing activity in this direction, filling it with their own content, and reproducing special practices. The role of universities as subjects of social policy is studied within the framework of the concept of the 'third mission' of universities. The increasing commitment of higher education institutions to the goals of sustainable development and their emerging subjectivity in the field of poverty alleviation actualize further analysis of these processes. This article presents the results of a study, the purpose of which was to analyze the participation of universities in the eradication of poverty in the framework of the implementation of the UN sustainable development goals. The study used quantitative and qualitative methods for analyzing documentary and information sources and statistical data, which reflect the characteristics of the participation of universities in the eradication of poverty. In particular, the data of the international rating THE Impact Rankings for the last three years, as well as materials and documents posted on the websites of the leading universities of this rating and dedicated to the sustainable development goal 'no poverty' were used. The results of the study showed that, against the backdrop of an increase in the activity of universities in the implementation of all SDGs, a very high level of universities intensive activities is observed in the SDG 'no poverty,' the leaders of which are large multidisciplinary universities, for the most part with a high proportion of foreign students, with a serious impact on scientific research on the topic of combating poverty, and actively implementing diverse practices of social participation. These practices have an internal and external orientation in relation to the university, are associated with measures of social support for students from poor families of a passive and active nature, as well as with the participation of universities in the implementation of public, state, and international projects to combat poverty, implemented jointly with other local, national, and global stakeholders. The potential of universities in this area can be realized through educational and scientific activities and social projects, but so far it has not been tapped by all universities. Therefore, the results of the presented study can be used to promote and replicate new social experiences of universities.