The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out a comprehensive and transformative vision for economic, social and environmental sustainability. They are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of people around the world.
In 2015, the 192 Member States of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This agenda contemplates 17 sustainable development goals and 169 targets, under its slogan "Achieve a world where no one is left behind".
Likewise, Costa Rica was the first country to ratify its commitment to the agenda through the National Pact for the advancement of the SDGs, the agreement was signed on September 9, 2016.
In 2017, through Executive Decree No. 40203-PLAN-RE-MINAE, the bases for the Governance and Implementation of the SDGs are established. It lays the groundwork for evidencing the commitment of public and private organizations at the national level.
As part of the organizational structure for the SDGs, a high-level SDG committee is formed, composed of the President of the Republic and his ministerial representation. Additionally, a consultative committee led by Mideplan is formed, in which members of various organizations participate, including Conare, whose participation rotates according to the Conare presidency of the current year.
Since 2019, public universities and Conare begin the process of collecting, analyzing and systematizing the different institutional initiatives aimed at contributing to the advancement of the SDGs.
Since then, the Commission of Directors of Planning formed a working team, in response to such systematization and in an attempt to respond to the voluntary report of the Mideplan, and the inclusion of these goals and targets in the PLANES 2021-2025, in goals 2.5.1 and 2.5.2; as well as in their respective goals and specific plans by University.
It was not until 2022 that this work team was officialized as the SDG Subcommittee, and continued in an arduous inter-university work for the fulfillment of the SDGs.
It is the Inter-University Sustainable Development Goals System (SODSI). Subsequent to the appointment of the SDG task force, as an SDG subcommittee that belongs to the Commission of Directors of Planning (CDP).
Subsequently, the subcommittee began efforts to migrate the current systemization of ODS actions to an information capture system, in order to provide an automated tool to the university bodies that compile and validate the information.
In addition, the system allows for a more dynamic visualization of the ODS actions in a consolidated website for consultation. This is evidence of the commitment of public universities to Costa Rican society and the 2030 Agenda.