The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anisininew, Dakota and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. More
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, R3T 2N2
The University of Manitoba (UM) continues to strengthen its extensive global partnerships with governments, the private sector, and civil society to advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring no one is left behind. We provide input and expertise at all levels of government and NGOs to develop policies, interventions, and adaptive management practices that tackle global challenges such as climate change, inequality, and poverty.
partnerships with universities, businesses, governments, and institutions worldwide, offering students and researchers opportunities for global knowledge exchange and discovery.
programs at UM provide students the opportunity to learn about the elements of SDG 17
active research projects focus on SDG 17
signed international declarations affirm UM’s commitment to sustainable development principles and practices
Our extensive network of research centers and institutes collaborate with international organizations and we readily connect with external communities, working alongside them, learning from them, to help us create meaningful change together.
The University of Manitoba’s research plan strengthens our ability to drive change by creating solutions to society’s most significant challenges. Guided by the seven sacred teachings in Indigenous culture and the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Seventh Generation Principle, we prioritize the long-term impacts of today’s decisions.
A recognized leader in advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and wellness, the IGPH has received nearly half a billion dollars from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—the most of any Canadian university and among the most globally. One of its most recent IGHP grants of $12.5 million supports work improving maternal and child health in Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and Pakistan. In India, UM’s long-standing partnerships with local governments and organizations has helped the province of Uttar Pradesh lower rates of preventable child deaths by more than 70 per cent over the past 20 years.
With its Anishinaabemowin name meaning “clearing a path for generations to come,” it dismantles colonial structures and promotes health equity. Its 60 researchers partner with Indigenous groups to co-create solutions for better health, working across Canada, Belize, Colombia, Australia, New Zealand and circumpolar countries. For instance, Community Health Science’s Javier Mignone has studied links between dangerous tick infestations and housing conditions in Colombia.
Ties Boerma, Canada Research Chair of Population and Global Health at UM, directs Countdown2030, a global collaboration generating evidence to improve maternal and child health in low- and middle-income countries in line with SDGs.
The University of Manitoba is creating leaders who can work with others around the globe, thinking up the big ideas we need to solve mounting challenges we face.
The Centre for Social Science Research and Policy offers valuable insights to policymakers. Recently, UM hosted five Nordic ambassadors at the Churchill Marine Observatory, fostering collaboration on sustainable northern economies and environmental resiliency.
In 2024, UM was the only Canadian school to welcome 35 members of the U.S. Embassy's Public Diplomacy Section, developing the partnerships needed to advance our nations’ shared goals outlines in the “Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership.”
UM collaborates internationally to gather and analyze data on SDGs as part of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and is rated Gold on the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System.
The Centre for Earth Observation Science leads a network addressing climate resilience, offering open-access publications, webinars, and field engagement in Arctic communities to create community-driven climate solutions.
UM researchers shape climate policies nationally and globally, providing their expertise to Canada’s Parliament and the World Economic Forum. By openly sharing research data on Arctic climate risks, UM fosters awareness and promotes community resilience practices.
Through collaborative research, shared knowledge and mobilization of resources, UM facilitates global networks that enhance our collective technological capabilities, financial support and policy alignment to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The university’s strategic plan includes a formalized commitment to achieving sustainability and accessibility through community-driven processes and institutional initiatives, with goals to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and increase community engagement.
Explore UM's Strategic Plan (PDF)
UM is directly involved in SDG policy development at regional and national levels, modeling future outcomes, monitoring interventions, and supporting adaptive management. As a member of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) and the UNAI Hub for SDG 6, UM remains committed to sustainable water management since 2018.
UM’s Centre for Human Rights Research and the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies collaborates with community organizations across Canada to build robust human rights networks.
UM hosts workshops and conferences on SDGs, such as the “Better Together” event, where upwards of 100 students come together to develop entrepreneurial solutions for global and local challenges.
The University of Manitoba makes sure its progress on SDGs is accessible and transparent and so provides all data to the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System website.
The UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) unite people in action and aim to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change. UM is addressing these themes by creating opportunities for our students, staff, faculty and community to participate in actions to help achieve these goals.
