Goal 17 - Partnerships for the Goals

RMIT understands that local and global partnerships are crucial for achieving the SDGs. Enhancing these collaborations fosters innovation for sustainable development and positively impacts our community.

RMIT continued to grow its research funding in 2024. This success highlights the strength of our partnerships with industry, government, and community organisations.

Highlights of recent SDG 17 aligned activity are included below, with more information available in our 2024 Sustainability Annual Report (PDF 23 MB), with our 10 years of reporting progress outlined on the Sustainability Annual Report webpage.

Broader sustainability contributions are also highlighted in our organisational Annual Report, which are tabled in the Victorian Parliament.

2024 Case Studies

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RMIT University’s Yulendj Weelam Lab, part of the Architecture and Urban Design School, collaborates with design professionals to shape a reconciled future for Australia’s built environments. With increasing demand from public and commercial sectors to engage First Peoples and integrate their deep connection to Country,
RMIT’s Dr Jock Gilbert highlights the challenges design practitioners face in engaging respectfully with Indigenous communities.

To address these challenges, Gilbert, along with Dr Christine Phillips, established the Yulendj Weelam Design Research Lab with N’arwee’t Professor Carolyn Briggs, Barkandji scholar Sophia Pearce, and Gamilaraay academic Beau de Belle. The lab promotes collaboration and understanding of Indigenous perspectives and knowledge.

Gilbert emphasises the obligation of non-Indigenous designers to engage in reconciliation by building relationships with Indigenous knowledge-holders. The lab advocates for the concept of ‘unburdening’, encouraging non-Indigenous people to undertake much of the work to relieve First Nations Peoples.

Learn more about embedding First Peoples’ knowledge and vulture in built environments

As part of the City North Fest – Shared Future Series, ‘Reworlding: Cardigan Commons’ turned Cardigan Street into a live-action, street-wide climate futures game.

Set in a speculative 2050 Melbourne, participants explored the impacts of climate change and rapid urban growth by collaboratively building a new neighbourhood following a fictional City AI collapse.

Over two days, players joined forces to tackle climate challenges, and co-design urban solutions using resource systems and modular infrastructure developed with RMIT Future Play Lab and Regen Melbourne. The event fostered hands on learning in regeneration, governance, and resilience through immersive, creative play.

Supported by the City of Melbourne, RMIT Policy, Strategy and Impact, and RMIT Culture, the event demonstrated the value of playful futures as a tool for civic imagination, environmental education, and participatory urban design.

In June 2024, RMIT University hosted the Jean Monnet Network Conference titled "Time is Running Out! Systemic, Disruptive Innovation to Achieve the SDGs."

This pivotal event focused on European studies and global policy challenges, bringing together leading academics, policymakers, and industry experts to address urgent issues impacting Europe and the world.

The conference featured keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops on topics such as economic integration, environmental sustainability, and social cohesion. Participants explored innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to tackle these challenges, emphasizing the need for systemic and disruptive innovation.

RMIT's hosting of the Jean Monnet Network Conference underscored its commitment to fostering international dialogue and academic exchange.

By engaging diverse perspectives and promoting knowledge sharing, the event contributed to advancing understanding of European affairs and global policy, reinforcing RMIT's role as a leader in international education and research.

SDG Alignment Mapping Overview

As reported in the 2024 Sustainability Annual Report, there were 270 course units and 396 research projects aligned with SDG 17 in 2024, representing a wide range of partnerships in progress or reaching completion resulting in significant outcomes.

Other research insights are captured in the data below.

Course Units (Total): 270
Research Projects (Total): 396
International Research Partnerships (Total): 68
Publications (Total): 183
Publications in Top 25% Journal Percentiles by SJR (%): RMIT - 77.2 vs. Global Average - 60.2
Citations per Publication: RMIT - 3.9 vs. Global Average - 1.8
Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI): RMIT - 2.4 vs. Global Average - 1.2
National Publication Contribution (%): 4.2%
International Collaboration (%): RMIT - 55.8 vs. Global Average - 25.7
Developing Country Collaboration (%): 44%
Low to Lower-Middle Income Country Collaboration (%): 24%

Research Projects and Initiatives Over the Years

The following research projects have been specifically aligned to Sustainable Development Goal 17 and the aim to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Finance. These projects and initiatives are examples of the University’s contribution to the SDGs.

Australian Urban Observatory

The Australian Urban Observatory (AUO) is a new digital liveability planning tool, developed by our team from RMIT’s Centre for Urban Research, which has been specifically designed to support decision makers prioritise actions to promote health and wellbeing in their communities.

Improved Urban Systems for Liveability

This project investigates how major cities function and the effects of their land-use, housing and infrastructure systems on the humans that live in them.

Aquatic Pollution Prevention Partnership

The aims of this research partnership between Melbourne Water and RMIT University is to help prevent aquatic pollution.

Animation in Cambodia

Animation in Cambodia is a project delivered jointly with the NGOs FutureSense & Challenges Abroad.

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

More information

Goal 17 - Partnerships for the Goals