Understanding emergence of the UN Sustainable Development Goals Research

Emerging new scientific knowledge associated with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can contribute to dealing with the complexities of social, economic, and environmental challenges. Identifying and understanding the underlying conditions that enable and constrain the emergence of SDGs research can help to increase the transformative potential of scientific knowledge. We investigate the role of universities in facilitating the emergence and consolidation of SDGs research using Utrecht University as a case. Our approach offers a systematic understanding of the development of research areas associated with the SDGs -including opportunities and constraints- to support universities in identifying the thematic orientation of their current research in the framework of the SDGs. This approach can thus increase reflexibility about the contribution of universities to implement the SDGs. Our results reveal that universities can enhance awareness about the SDGs, generate reflections on SDG research, offer institutional opportunities to interconnect diverse knowledge domains and diverse social actors, and nurture and develop emerging research associated with the SDGs.