Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Have direct involvement in, or input into, national government or regional non-government organisations SDG policy development - including identifying problems and challenges, developing policies and strategies, modelling likely futures with and without interventions, monitoring and reporting on interventions, and enabling adaptive management

MAHE actively collaborates with the National Government and Regional Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to drive the development of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) policies. Their responsibilities include identifying critical problems and challenges, formulating effective policies and strategies, modelling potential future scenarios with and without interventions, and rigorously monitoring and reporting on these interventions. Furthermore, MAHE facilitates adaptive management to ensure that interventions yield the desired outcomes, making a significant positive impact.

MAHE collaborated with the Government of India to ensure that gender considerations are mainstreamed into G20 discussions and translated into the G20 Leaders

1. MAHE has been an active participant in the policy space during India’s G20 presidency by being closely involved with the G20 engagement groups:

• Think 20 (T20)

• Women 20 (W20)

• Civil 20 (C20) 

The G20 University Connect lecture series was also organized to add to the MAHE’s presence in the higher educational policy engagement sphere. By engaging in the policy sphere, a positive step has been taken by MAHE to bridge the gap between academia, research and policy/practice. Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal has published four Think 20 (T20) Policy Briefs related to SDGs which are internationally co-authored and contributed to the policy discussions.

These policy briefs are compiled in collaboration with 

• Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA): A non-governmental organization based in Singapore focused on malaria prevention and control.

• Observer Research Foundation (ORF): A global think tank located in Delhi, dedicated to aiding policy development for a strong and prosperous India in a fair and equitable world.

• Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI): A think tank based in Tokyo that works to build capacity, skills, and knowledge on poverty reduction and other areas supporting long-term growth and competitiveness in developing economies across Asia and the Pacific.

• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE): A prominent educational institution known for its focus on social sciences.

• Waseda University: A prestigious university in Japan known for its academic rigor and research programs.

Public Evidence:

• https://t20ind.org/research/achieving-quality-health-for-all-by-enhancing-healthcare/

• https://t20ind.org/research/preparing-for-the-next-crisis/

• https://t20ind.org/research/sustaining-progress-on-malaria-elimination-in-fragile-conflict-affected/

• https://t20ind.org/research/insulating-global-food-supply-from-the-threat-of-weaponisation/

2. W20-MAHE Women Vice Chancellors' and Leaders' Conclave

   
   

   Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) hosted the “W20-MAHE Women Vice Chancellors’ and Leaders’ Conclave” in Bengaluru on 26-27 May 2023. W20 is the official G20 engagement group focused on gender equity, as part of cross-sectoral dialogue . Its primary objective is to ensure that gender considerations are mainstreamed into G20 discussions and translated into the G20 Leaders’ Declaration as policies and commitments that foster gender justice and women’s empowerment. Over 40 women leaders from various parts of India were part of the mega event to engage in meaningful discussions to advance equality for all those on the margins of development.

   
   

   A Charter of Recommendations was presented to W20, calling for a shift from women’s development to women-led development, the vision shared by W20. Recommendations focused on women-led development were presented in five themes – higher education, labour force participation, skill development, care work and leadership. These aspects are important areas of intervention to mainstream progressive gender perspectives into development policies and practices.

   
   

   Public Evidence:

   
   

   Link 1: About-us wvclc

   Link 2: w20 mahe women vice chancellors and leaders conclave

   Link 3: w20 mahe women vice chancellors and leaders conclave unveiled

Public Evidence:

Link 4:w20 mahe women vice chancellors and leaders conclave unveiled at mahe bengaluru focusing on women led development

Link 5:w20 mahe women vice chancellors and leaders conclave unveiled at mahe bengaluru focusing on women led development

Link 6:w20 mahe women vice chancellors and leaders conclave unveiled at mahe bengaluru focusing on women led development

3. SUSTAINITI 2024

   Evolving a roadmap to balancing decarbonization, degrowth, and a truly circular economy to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at SUSTAIN 2024, MAHE.

   Public Evidence:

   Link 1: mahe-bengaluru

   Link 2: conference.manipal.edu

4. List of some of the direct involvement with national agencies

5. "Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan" implementation of national anti-drug policy in association with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India

Substance abuse is a significant public health issue that can lead to a range of physical and mental health problems, including death. The "Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan" campaign aims to reduce substance abuse and its associated health problems, which is in line with SDG 3.

Substance abuse can have a devastating impact on education, affecting both students and teachers. It can result in poor academic performance, absenteeism, and dropout rates. The "Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan" campaign aims to raise awareness of the dangers of substance abuse among students and teachers and provide support to those who are struggling with addiction. This can help improve the quality of education for everyone. The Manipal College of Dental Sciences (MCODS) capacity-building workshop on "Tobacco Vendor Licensing Considerations for Udupi district" on June 23, 2022.

Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of substance abuse. They are more likely to experience violence and exploitation, and they have less access to treatment and support. The "Nasha Mukt Bharath Abhiyaan" campaign is committed to promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls. It does this by addressing the root causes of substance abuse, such as poverty (SDG 1), inequality (SDG 10), gender discrimination (SDG 5), and decent work and economic growth (SDG 8); all of which lead to peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16).

Substance abuse disproportionately affects marginalised communities, such as the poor, the unemployed, and the homeless. The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan Campaign aims to reduce inequality by providing support and services to those who are struggling with addiction. It also works to address the social and economic factors that contribute to substance abuse.

The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan Campaign, led by the Department of Student Affairs, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, in association with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India is a comprehensive initiative that aims to reduce substance abuse and its associated harms, promote good health and well-being, improve the quality of education, promote gender equality, and reduce inequality.

This initiative has served as an impactful way to implement the national anti-drug policy in association with Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and help to monitor and reporting on interventions, and enabling adaptive management.

Link to Public Evidence:

• The Hindu (Postal cover Release)

• The Hindu Business Line (Peer Workshop)

• Nasha Mukt Club Inauguration KMC

• Nasha Mukt Club Inauguration WGSHA

• Postal Cover Release-MAHE

• MAHE Peer Workshop

1. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan - Implementing National policy for village adoption by Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, in association with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India

UBA Coordinator and the team sensitizing the community leaders about UBA Survey

Household Survey in the villages

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has adopted the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan programme launched by the Ministry of Education (formerly, Ministry of Human Resource Development), Government of India to implement national education by village adoption thereby help to monitoring and reporting on interventions, and enabling adaptive management improve the education and health status of the selected villages.

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is inspired by the vision of transformational change in rural development processes by leveraging knowledge institutions to help build the architecture of an inclusive India.

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is a flagship programme of the Government of India that aims to transform rural India by leveraging the knowledge and resources of higher educational institutions (HEIs). It was launched in 2014 with the vision of enabling HEIs to work with rural communities in identifying and developing appropriate solutions to their developmental challenges.

UBA is a holistic programme that covers a wide range of areas, including education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, and technology. Under the programme, HEIs adopt villages and work with local communities to develop and implement sustainable solutions to their problems.

The aim of the program

• To connect the students of higher education institutions with local communities and sensitize them to address development challenges through appropriate technologies.

• To organise awareness programs for villagers to sensitize them about various schemes of government and utilization of those schemes (related to agriculture, industry start-ups and health care utilization).

• To enhance digital literacy among villagers that enables them to use these schemes

• To organize community-based health awareness sessions on important infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and hygienic practices.

• To organize awareness programs and training sessions for the youth of the villages to encourage them towards self-employment and entrepreneurship development.

AISHE Code: U-0234

Adopted Villages in Udupi District, Karnataka

1. Kadekar

2. Kidiyoor

3. Korangrapady

4. Kuthpady

5. Padu

Survey - Household & Village level

Students at Kasturba Medical College, MAHE learned about the vision and mission of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, a government programme that aims to bridge the gap between urban and rural India. The UBA coordinator also discussed in detail the household and village survey proforma, which is a tool used to collect data on the needs and challenges of rural communities. Accompanied by faculty members and grassroots-level healthcare workers, the students visited selected villages to collect household and village-level data using the proforma. They surveyed around 100 households in each village.

After analysing the data, the students concluded that:

• Despite having a good literacy rate, villagers in this region have poor knowledge of various government schemes, leading to low beneficiary numbers for certain schemes.

• Agriculture has been neglected by this population over the years.

• Digital literacy needs to be improved.

• Youths in these villages need to be oriented towards self-employment and entrepreneurship.

  These findings are relevant to several SDGs, including:

• SDG 1: No Poverty - The villagers' lack of knowledge of government schemes and their low beneficiary numbers for certain schemes can hinder their ability to lift themselves out of poverty.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger - The neglect of agriculture in this region could lead to food insecurity and poverty.

• SDG 4: Quality Education - The need for improved digital literacy and orientation towards self-employment and entrepreneurship among youth in these villages highlights the importance of quality education that prepares young people for the future of work.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth - The need for improved digital literacy and orientation towards self-employment and entrepreneurship among youth in these villages is also relevant to SDG 8, which aims to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

  By addressing the findings of the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan survey, the Kasturba Medical College, Manipal community can contribute to the achievement of these and other SDGs help to monitor and report on interventions, and enable adaptive management towards health and education.

Link to Public Evidence:

• baseline-survey

Cross – Sectoral Dialogue

1. Solar Electric Vehicle Championship-2024 (SEVC-2024)

   
   

   Public Evidence

   
   

   Link 1:Mit to host solar electric vehicle championship from march 27-31 in manipal

   Link 2: conference:SEVC2024

   
   

   The Solar Electric Vehicle Championship 2024 (SEVC-2024) was a national-level event hosted by the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), part of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) in Manipal, in collaboration with the Coimbatore Society of Racing Minds (CSRM). This event celebrated the 125th birth anniversary of our founder, the late Dr. TMA Pai, and took place from March 27 to March 31, 2024. A total of 31 teams from across India registered for the SEVC, with 14 teams qualifying for the final dynamic round. The event attracted over 450 participants from various parts of India and was coordinated by the Department of Mechatronics and the Department of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering at MIT Manipal.

The SEVC-2024 was inaugurated on March 28, 2024, at the MIT cricket ground in Manipal. The chief guest for this occasion was Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M.D. Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor of MAHE, along with Dr. Y. Ras Mathew, President of CSRM, Coimbatore, who served as the Guest of Honour. Dr. Somashekhara Bhat, Joint Director of MIT, delivered the welcome address, after which Cdr. Dr. Anil Rana gave the presidential address. Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M.D. Venkatesh presided over the inaugural session, inspiring the participants with his motivational speech.  

SEVC Inauguration

The SEVC comprised static and dynamic events. Static events included vehicle acceptance protocol, design rounds, cost verification rounds, and business plan presentations. Dynamic events featured brake and acceleration tests, HOH tests, solar endurance tests, manoeuvrability tests, hovering and drag tests, ADAS rounds, Rush in Dusk (night ride), and endurance races. 

Brake and acceleration tests

Hovering and drag tests

Manoeuvrability tests

Rush In Dusk (Night Ride)

Business Plan Presentations

A rolling trophy for the SEVC was announced in honor of the 125th birth anniversary of the late Dr. TMA Pai, the esteemed founder of the institution. Dr. H. S. Ballal, Pro-Chancellor of MAHE, Manipal, unveiled the SEVC-2024 trophy on March 30, 2024, at MAHE. He emphasized the profound impact of sustainable development in the field of electric vehicles. Additionally, a cash prize of one lakh rupees was announced, reinforcing the championship's commitment to recognizing and rewarding excellence in solar electric vehicles. Team STES Hyperion ceremoniously presented the running trophy, symbolizing their outstanding achievement and dedication to excellence.

SEVC Rolling Trophy

Chefs Touch, Ampere, Pragna Microdesigns are the main sponsors of the SEVC-2023. Solor Mobil is the main support for conduction the event. Automatic Control & Dynamic Optimization Society (ACDOS) and IAC (Electrical Stream), MIT Manipal are supported as Knowledge Partner for SEVC-2024. 

Relationships with global governments and NGOs

8. The collaboration between the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Global Health Policy Unit, and School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh for "Tobacco Control Capacity Programme" supported by UKRI Global Challenges

   
   

   MAHE-The University of Edinburgh Collaboration

   The collaboration between the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Global Health Policy Unit, University of Edinburgh School of Social and Political Science, for "Tobacco Control Capacity Programme" supported by UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund is a valuable example of how international partnerships can advance tobacco control research and policy.

   
   

   The MAHE has a strong track record in tobacco control research and advocacy. The University of Edinburgh is a world-renowned university with expertise in social science research and policy analysis. The Global Health Policy Unit is a think tank that works to improve global health policy and practice.

   
   

   The institutions have collaborated on several tobacco control projects, including the development of a tobacco control training program for public health professionals, research on the impact of tobacco industry interference, and advocacy for stronger tobacco control policies.

   
   

   A few significant research articles focussing on policy implications and implementation challenges are listed below:

   
   

   • Institutional tensions, corporate social responsibility and district-level governance of tobacco industry interference: analysing challenges in local implementation of Article 5.3 measures in Karnataka, India [doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-057113]

   • Implementation of Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: A Subnational Assessment article [doi: 10.4103/ijcm.ijcm_1491_21]

Link to Public Evidence:

• Research Article

• Related Public Evidence

• Social Media:

• Active Partnership- MAHE Team Details:

9. Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) is a member of the Indo-European One Health Association (IEOHA), a non-profit organization that aims to promote the One Health approach to health in India and Europe.

   
   
   
   

   ‘Antimicrobial Resistance and Global Connectivity’ Event at the Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal.

   
   

   MAHE's involvement in the PREVENT IT project is helping to achieve several Sustainable Development Goals such as SDG 3 (Good health and well-being) as well as SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Overall, MAHE's involvement in the IEOHA and its commitment to One Health education, including the PREVENT IT project, is playing an important role in promoting sustainable development in India and around the world.

   
   

   Prasanna School of Public Health (PSPH), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal organized the Second International Workshop on ‘Antimicrobial Resistance and Global Connectivity’ on the Premises of Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal.

   
   

   Link to Public Evidence:

• Indo-european-one-health-association

• International workshop on antimicrobial resistance and global connectivity by MAHE

• MOOC Launch- Prevent It