Global, Nordic, or institutional visions? An investigation into how Nordic universities are adapting to the SDGs

Abstract

After their launch by the UN in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been seen as landmarks for global survival. Higher education has been given a key role in the implementation of the SDGs, and the current article investigates how a sample of Nordic higher education institutions have been adapting to the SDGs. Based on the assumption that some SDGs are closely linked to traditional Nordic values such as inclusion and equality, one could expect that higher education institutions in this region would find it easy to adopt (specific parts of) the SDGs. However, although such adaptation is detectable at some institutions, many institutions seem to adapt to the SDGs in more symbolic ways. The findings are discussed in relation to the impact of globalization on Nordic higher education, along with how and to what extent globalized ideas are translated into local contexts.