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  1. Innovations That Inspire
Innovations That Inspire

Towards a Real Sustainable and Transformative Future

Recognition Year(s): 2023
School: King Talal School of Business Technology, Princess Sumaya University for Technology
Location: Jordan

The KTSBT became the first business school in Jordan to draft an Agenda 2030/SDGs report that accounts for the university’s impact across the socioeconomic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development in the country.

Call to Action

Water sustainability is a critical issue in water-stressed countries, such as Jordan. Furthermore, countries suffering from scarce water resources also experience food insecurity. Jordan’s water-related challenges positioned it as the second most water-stressed country, globally. Despite recent progress, these difficulties continue to impact the economy, society, and the environment, which motivated the King Talal School of Business Technology (KTSBT) at Princess Sumaya University for Technology to pursue a 2030 agenda for the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We understood that the key to achieving the 17 SDGs by 2030 was to translate our knowledge into discourse and practice—at both the school and university levels. In 2021, KTSBT became the first business school in Jordan to develop and draft an Agenda 2030/SDGs report, which accounts for the university’s impact across the socioeconomic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development in Jordan.

Furthermore, we established the 2030/17 SDGs Agenda Club, which encourages and supports undergraduate and postgraduate students in tackling national and global issues, such as food insecurity and water scarcity. By doing so, the university became an agent of change, driving responsible and accountable behavior, which contributes toward real, sustainable, and transformational impact for present and future generations.

Innovation Details

Through this initiative, we engaged with multiple stakeholders, such as academic faculty, administrative staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and local community members, among others, via invitation to a roundtable discussion. By doing so, we:

  • Identified major sustainability—socioeconomic and environmental—expectations.
  • Identified SDGs which are related to core operations and practices.
  • Determined practices and operations that contribute to the socioeconomic and environmental dimension of sustainable development.
  • Demonstrated responsibility and accountability, which contributes to transforming our economy, society, and environment.

With the stakeholder approach, we acquired new insights and prompted important discussions about growth and sustainable development, thereby informing the construction of the Agenda 2030/SDGs report as well as the 2030/17 SDGs Agenda Club initiatives and projects.

Innovation Impact

At KTSBT, the Agenda 2030/SDGs report provided us with the opportunity to evaluate our socioeconomic and environmental impact on sustainable growth and development. Through this assessment, we identified opportunities for initiating partnerships with international organizations, such as the Global Compact and the United Nations Development Programme, to provide students with a global perspective and ways to contribute to the economy, society, and environment in meaningful ways beyond the classroom.

We also identified opportunities for drafting and writing harassment and discrimination policies. KTSBT has multiple student clubs that help shape students’ scholastic and professional experiences, and provide them opportunities to contribute to socioeconomic and environmental development at the national level. Through 2030/17 SDGs Agenda Club in particular, we provide a whole range of academic and extracurricular pursuits that support sustainable development. In this way, we steer students’ talents and energies toward developing sustainable answers and solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing Jordan today.

One example of this progress is Sanad Jawabreh, a business administration student and a leading member of the 2030/17 SDGs Agenda Club, who has been awarded a chair alongside 13 members across Jordan in the First United Nations Youth Advisory Council. The World Food Program nominated him to the United Nations due to his work on a startup focusing on hydroponics technology. The project contributes to the U.N.’s 2030 Agenda with a primary focus on SDG 6: Cleaner Water and Sanitation; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

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