16 October 2019: Carnegie Mellon University in the US has committed to work on a Voluntary University Review on the SDGs and report its findings in 2020.

Carnegie Mellon’s provost, James Garrett, Jr., announced the plans on 23 September 2019, during an event co-hosted by the Brookings Institution and the UN Foundation on the sidelines of the UNGA’s high-level week. Garrett highlighted the University’s commitment to:

• educate its students about the SDGs;
• help solve pressing problems brought to light by the SDGs; and
• collect feedback from the University’s community members regarding its own sustainability activities that align with the SDGs, through its Voluntary University Review.

Garrett previously announced the creation of a campus-wide Sustainability Initiative to “elevate Carnegie Mellon’s engagement” with the SDGs, and improve coordination of its sustainability education, research and practices. 

Among other US universities that are reported to be taking action on the SDGs are Chatham University and the University of Pittsburgh. Chatham University has committed to connecting the SDGs to its curriculum, learning outcomes and programs.

The Brookings-UN Foundation event also highlighted other ways that US cities, states, foundations, businesses and universities are focusing on social progress to achieve the SDGs, according to a story on the event by Anthony Pipa, Brookings Institution, and Kaysie Brown, UN Foundation. They report that the State of Hawai’i is undertaking the first statewide voluntary review in the US. At the city level, almost 30 cities worldwide have announced plans to issue Voluntary Local Reviews.