United Nations Academic Impact Initiative

As part of our ongoing commitment to aligning our work to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Manchester Metropolitan is now part of a network of institutions worldwide who are working with the United Nations to promote global priorities including peace, human rights and sustainable development.

In 2025, we were appointed UN SDG Hub Vice-Chair for SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production. Manchester Met will play an essential role in advancing the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by leading teaching and education initiatives for this SDG Hub from September 2025 to December 2027. Our Faculties and Departments house outstanding researchers with international reputations, all working towards the guiding principles of UNAI and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing grand challenges and some of the biggest questions facing society and the planet.

Discover how our activities across all our research, teaching and campus operations support each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals below:

How our work aligns to the UN SDGs:

United Nations sustainability agenda to advance with University expertise

The University has been appointed as the new United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Hub Vice-Chair (2025-2027) for SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production.

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Leadership in Sustainability Strategy (2022-26)

Setting our sustainability ambitions to 2030
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Air pollution monitoring and modelling

Building the world’s largest real-time, air quality monitoring network - in Greater Manchester.
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Adapting cities for climate resilience

Helping Manchester to plan and prepare for the inevitable effects of climate change.
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Developing the skills to get to Net Zero

Helping industry and the public sector understand and develop the skills needed to reduce carbon emissions to net zero in the North West.
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Research Excellence Framework 2021 Results

Much of our world-leading research focuses on the UN's SDGs with 100% of our research impact in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences rated world-leading or internationally excellent - 75% is at the highest 4* level.

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Our membership of the UNAI network offers excellent opportunities for the University to increase its global footprint and global visibility. It presents exciting possibilities for our staff and students to connect with UNAI partners around the world and the United Nations in tackling SDG related challenges at a local level

Professor Heinz Tüselmann, Faculty of Business and Law