Global Sustainable Futures: Progress through Partnerships Network

Strengthening Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) in the Global South needs a systems approach. Development and links between research, policy and practice can speed up the transition to an innovation-led, knowledge-based economy. Several strategies are needed to address barriers. An open and inclusive platform for developing and disseminating empirical research, and monitoring and evaluating their effectiveness in delivering SDGs and targets are negligible. Global South and North, and within low, middle and high-income countries, need to progress in research capacity. Significant barriers to research create a lack of evidence on strategic transdisciplinary interventions.

The systems approach is essential for an effective response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is in both Global South and Global North, between and beyond low-, middle- and high-income countries. The current COVID-19 drawbacks have created solutions and approaches to uncertainties. Adopting a Systems approach in designing a new sustainable Economic Recovery Strategy (ERS). This is to be implemented in the next 2022-2025 will lead to achieving development and humanitarian goals in more novel and creative ways. The designed ERS will do the following:

• Mitigate the adverse socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Facilitate the opening of the economy
• Accelerate economic recovery
• Attain higher and sustained economic growth.

The designed ERS will provide a new development framework beyond the current Vision 2030 in the Global South.
Countries are making significant investments over the last year to maintain their economy’s viability. This helped protect the lives and livelihoods of their people amid the COVID-19 pandemic drawbacks. A platform like the one provided by this Network will be critical in strengthening efforts towards a better economic recovery strategy.

Despite the evolution in sustainable development thinking, local actors continue to use outdated and unsustainable development strategies. To realise the multi-dimensional sustainable, innovative approach, the outcomes of research capacity on international platforms must be equally valued as research output. By having an essential role in advancing the SDGs agenda. It is crucial that the key players:

• Academics
• Researchers
• Industry professionals
• Technocrats
• Research-oriented institutions

Respond to the ongoing and emerging climate and sustainability challenges. The knowledge and skills to integrate and network are missing. However, these fundamental ingredients of capacity development in organic, real-time, and innovative ways. A considered, deliberate effort is all-important to build a platform that integrates all the above-listed elements. Improving research capacity and capability of researchers and sustainability professionals throughout the globe.

There have been significant consequences on the impacts of the public health crisis on health and mortality. There have been indirect effects on social, economic, and political systems. Innovation for development has gained traction to achieve growth and humanitarian goals in more creative ways. This is in order to generate more impact for more people.

Coordinators can propose their research projects. Here they'll be able to ask relevant coordinators to engage and facilitate their research projects. This is in whole or part of any research activities throughout the lifecycle process of the research project.

GSFN conducts network-wide open monthly meetings every second Saturday of the month. These serve as a knowledge exchange platform. These monthly meetings include knowledge sharing sessions. Co-ordinators get informed about the agenda and the topic in advance. This is so they come prepared to contribute to these sessions and engage in an interactive dialogue. The current debatable topics make attendees think about are transformation to sustainable societies and economies. Achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) in 2030 and beyond get selected for the session. Discussions such as systems thinking, meaningful stakeholder engagement and the circular economy.

GSFN will respond to requests to identify experts with research in specific SDG. It brings together a list of relevant coordinators. These coordinators have expressed interest in contributing to one or more SDGs across its network.

GSFN selects one SDG weekly and engages with social media platforms to create awareness around the selected SDG. The social media accounts are LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

The network collaborates with partners in low- and middle-income countries, global Networks such as:

• Future Earth
• Future Earth Knowledge-Action Network (KAN)
• International Research Network on Climate Resilient Development (RIPEDRC)

This is to advance science-based knowledge for the Agenda 2030.

GSFN are committed to encouraging early career researchers. GSFN strives to provide them with opportunities to lead research projects, bringing support or mentoring from senior researchers.

GSFN engages its coordinators, develops scientific publications, and provides ways to contribute to the literature on sustainable practices and sustainable development goals through research projects and collaboration activities.

GSFN aims to improve the research capacity and capability of researchers and sustainability professionals throughout the globe. This is by providing multidisciplinary activities, partnerships development, collaborations between various stakeholders and research partnerships between diverse academics. Flexibility, responsiveness, knowledge exchange and enhancement in education and research are fundamental elements to achieve a sustainable future. Thus, GSFN is happy to consider requests that fall within the remit of these broad objectives.

Upcoming events

GSFN Friday idea exchange monthly series

This video series captures the monthly activities of the Global Sustainable Futures Progress through Partnerships Network.