UniverCity Alliance
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Solutions for Sustainable Wisconsin Local Governments

University of Wisconsin Madison’s UniverCity Alliance (UCA) works with and for local governments of all sizes to build strong thriving communities. This locally-customized approach is informed by the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are about what matters to communities – food, education, health care, a prosperous economy, and a clean and healthy environment. UCA’s signature program, UniverCity Year (UCY) begins with community priorities and engages faculty and students to work with local partners to make change. 

UniverCity Year projects from all corners of Wisconsin align with the 17 SDGs. Wisconsin projects and a video outlining five ways to advance these goals are showcased below. 

To learn more about sustainable communities, consider pursuing the UCA Digital Badge.

Sustainable Development in Wisconsin

Click boxes below to learn about specific projects in Wisconsin.
Icon of people standing together holding hands. Texts says "No poverty." Icon of bowl of soup. Text reads "zero hunger." Icon of heart beat monitor. Text reads "Good Health and Well-being." Icon of book and pencil. Text reads "quality education." Icon of gender equality. Text reads "gender equality." Icon of glass of water. Text reads "clean water and sanitation." Icon of sun with power-on symbol in the middle. Text reads "affordable and clean energy." Icon of economic growth symbol. Text reads "decent work and economic growth." Icon of blocks stacked together. Text reads "industry, innovation, and infrastructure." Icon of equal sign. Text reads "reduced inequalities." Icon of different city and rural buildings. Text reads "sustainable cities and communities." Icon of infinity symbol. Text reads "responsible consumption and production." Symbol of earth within an eye. Text reads "climate action" Icon of fish swimming below waves. Text reads "life below water." Icon of trees and birds flying. Text reads "life on land." Symbol of dove. Text reads "peace, justice, and strong institutions." Symbol of 5 interconnected circles. Text reads "partnerships for the goals."             

5 Ways to Take Action

UniverCity Alliance Co-Chair Lori Diprete Brown shares five strategies that university-community partnerships can use to move forward Sustainable Development Goals. This approach, called SDG 360 Thinking, uses the SDGs to address the complex challenges that local governments face with a holistic lens.

Highlights

UW–Madison’s international partnership champions the role of museums in advancing sustainable cities

UniverCity Alliance Co-Chair Lori DiPrete Brown discussed the role of museums as anchor institutions for sustainable development during a UN-Habitat summit at the University of Guadalajara.

West Virginia University Professor Kevin Orner connects SDGs to environmental engineering

In this Weston Roundtable lecture, Orner shares how interdisciplinary and globally competent engineers can work across boundaries to address global challenges.

U.S. local governance and Sustainable Development Goals focus of recent Oxford Encyclopedia article

UniverCity Alliance Cochair and University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Human Ecology Distinguished Teaching Faculty Lori DiPrete Brown published an article in Oxford Research Encyclopedias, Economics and Finance on how the SDG 360 Thinking framework advances sustainability, economic prosperity, and equity.