SDG - 17
Collaboration for SDG Best Practice: Reviewing and Developing Global Approaches
Daffodil International University (DIU) strategically utilizes its extensive international network to systematically review and integrate global best practices for tackling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This involves high-level institutional and faculty mobility programs focused on comparative education, governance, and social business models, ensuring DIU does not merely adopt practices but actively develops and implements them based on global standards.
1. Institutionalizing Best Practice through Global Partnerships
DIU's high-level academic partnerships are explicitly used as mechanisms for institutional review, aiming to align DIU's operations and curriculum with globally validated best practices.
● Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW), USA: The strategic partnership with PFW goes beyond mere student exchange. The collaboration is focused on developing the Department of Innovation & Entrepreneurship and enhancing bachelor’s programs to meet global academic standards. The launch of the Honors Program in partnership with PFW is a direct result of this review, aiming to nurture top-tier students through globally-benchmarked education, research, and mentorship, thereby upgrading DIU's foundational approach to SDG 4 (Quality Education).
● Babson College, USA (Collaborative Member): By becoming an official Collaborative Member of Babson College, the world’s number one institution in entrepreneurship, DIU gained direct access to the global gold standard for entrepreneurship education. This affiliation allows DIU to review and implement best practices in curriculum design and pedagogy from a leading institution, directly supporting SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by shaping a world-class entrepreneurial ecosystem in Bangladesh.
● Multi-Country Institutional Review (Erasmus+ ICM): DIU faculty and staff participate extensively in the Erasmus+ ICM International Staff Week at universities across Europe (e.g., Malardalen University, Sweden; UCAM, Spain; Karabük University, Türkiye). These programs involve DIU staff presenting their institutional best practices and, critically, reviewing the advanced administrative and academic models of European counterparts. This constant process of comparative review leads to the development of enhanced systems for student services, quality assurance, and internationalization, which are essential for fulfilling the means of implementation for SDG 17.
2. Comparative Review of Educational and Social Models
Faculty and students are actively sent abroad or host international experts to engage in direct, comparative studies of successful SDG-aligned models, resulting in the adoption of new curriculum content and methodologies.
● Adopting Social Business Models: Active participation in the 15th Social Business Day 2025 and the 9th Social Business Youth Summit (21 countries), featuring Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, serves as a continuous review of global social business best practices. Breakout sessions on "The Importance of Introducing Social Business Education into Mainstream Curriculum" directly lead to the adoption of these models within DIU's educational framework, promoting a multi-dimensional approach to SDG 1, SDG 8, and SDG 10.
● Reviewing Global Health Standards: The establishment of academic collaborations with institutions like Birmingham City University, UK (through the dual-award MPH program and faculty visits), and the discussions with the Hope Foundation/University of Nebraska, USA, focus on reviewing and benchmarking public health research, curriculum, and clinical models. This comparative approach ensures DIU’s health programs align with the highest global standards, a crucial best practice for realizing SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
● Global Research Methodologies: Faculty mobility programs, such as Professor Dr. Gregory John Simons’ participation in the VII International Conference in Moscow (where he signed an MoU with Ugra State University), facilitate the exchange of research methodologies. Similarly, the partnership between DIUJAHS and Global Conference Alliance Inc., Canada (GCA), provides a mechanism for DIU researchers to engage with and adhere to global publication and research standards.
3. Developing Best Practice in Industry-Academia Synergy
DIU utilizes international partnerships to import leading-edge industry training and technical certification standards, ensuring local graduates are equipped with globally recognized best practices for the digital economy.
● Micro-Credential Standardization: The micro-credentials program, which successfully certified 443 students in AWS Cloud Fundamentals, is an example of adopting a global industry standard (AWS) as a best practice for workforce development. Similarly, HRDI's support for Microsoft Fabric Training with Data Crafters, attended by Microsoft's Managing Director, directly embeds global tech industry standards and best practices into local capacity building, which is vital for SDG 4 and SDG 9.
● Reviewing International Research Collaboration Models: The successful research collaboration led by Professor Dr. Sami Azam from Charles Darwin University, Australia, which has resulted in over 35 Q1 journal publications by DIU students, demonstrates the application of an international best practice model for establishing a high-impact research lab (Health Informatics Research Lab - HIRL). This successful model is now reviewed and replicated across other DIU departments, institutionalizing a best practice for quality research output.
This strategic, multi-faceted approach, underpinned by mobility, accreditation, and joint curriculum development, clearly demonstrates DIU's commitment to systematically reviewing comparative global approaches to develop and implement international best practice for the SDGs.