SDGs: A Blueprint for the Future

UCL

Following the successful first and second series of Unlocking the SDGs – A Blueprint for the Future, Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are back with a deep dive into the UN SDGs. Over five episodes, the series considers issues including the role of AI and education in the SDGs and what other countries are doing to achieve the goals. Listen as academics from across UCL’s faculties and beyond bring new perspectives and understanding to this complex global issue.

Episodes

  1. 08/05/2025

    S3, Episode 5: The SDGs and India

    In this special episode, The SDGs and India, Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Professor Sumit Malhotra, from the Centre of Community Medicine at AIIMS and Professor PVM Rao from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Delhi. In this episode, we’re going overseas to take a special focus on the role of the SDGs on research in India, and how Indian researchers are contributing to reaching the goals. Date of episode recording: 2024-10-28Duration: 00:28:49Language of episode: EnglishPresenters: Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti ParikhGuests: Professor Sumit Malhotra, from the Centre of Community Medicine at AIIMS and Professor PVM Rao from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT DelhiProducer: Front Ear

    29 min

  2. 08/05/2025

    S3, Episode 4: The SDGs and Education

    In this episode, Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Anoushka Jain, a student from UCL Dept of Political Science and Vasiliki Kioupi from University of Leeds. They’re focusing on education and the role of Education for Sustainable Development, or ESD, exploring how sustainable development can be integrated into the curriculum, and what that might mean for the next generation of students. Date of episode recording: 2024-07-23T00:00:00ZDuration: 00:43:51Language of episode: EnglishPresenter:Professor Monica Lakhanpaul, Professor Priti ParikhGuests: Anoushka Jain, Vasiliki KioupiProducer: Front Ear

    44 min

  3. 08/05/2025

    S3, Episode 3: The SDGs and Climate Crisis

    Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Professor Catalina Turcu, Professor of Sustainable Built Environment, Bartlett School of Planning and Professor Ilan Kelman, Professor of Disasters and Health in the UCL Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction. Today they’re discussing the relationship between the Sustainable Development Goals and climate change. Goal 13 calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, and many people have argued that tackling climate change should be the highest priority of the goals because of its impact on all of the other targets. Date of episode recording: 2024-07-23T00:00:00ZDuration: 00:44:36Language of episode: EnglishPresenter:Professor Monica Lakhanpaul, Professor Priti ParikhGuests: Professor Catalina Turcu, Professor Ilan KelmanProducer: Front Ear

    45 min

  4. 08/05/2025

    S3, Episode 2: The SDGs and Mental Wellbeing

    Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Professor Essi Viding and Professor Argyris Stringaris, from the UCL Division of Psychiatry and Psychology and Language Sciences and joint PVPs to the UCL Grand Challenge of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Following initial discussions from series 2, they’re taking a deeper dive on the issue of mental health and wellbeing relating to education and research. Date of episode recording: 2024-06-25T00:00:00ZDuration: 00:38:46Language of episode: EnglishPresenter:Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti ParikhGuests: Professor Essi Viding and Professor Argyris StringarisProducer: Front Ear

    39 min

  5. 08/05/2025

    S3, Episode 1: The SDGs and AI

    Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Dr Maria Perez Ortiz, from the UCL Department of Computer Science, and Professor Jack Stilgoe, from the UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies. They’re taking a look at the role of technology and artificial intelligence, or AI, in supporting the implementation of the goals. AI is a rapidly evolving field, but what is its role in sustainable development? How can it enable progress to a fairer world – or will it prove more of a hindrance? What are the practical and ethical issues that researchers and policy makers need to take into account? Date of episode recording: 2024-06-25T00:00:00ZDuration: 00:35:47Language of episode: EnglishPresenter:Professor Monica Lakhanpaul, Professor Priti ParikhGuests: Dr Maria Perez Ortiz, Professor Jack StilgoeProducer: Front Ear

    36 min

  6. 01/15/2024

    S2, Episode 6: WHAT COMES NEXT? PART TWO

    WHAT COMES NEXT? PART TWO with Professor Sean Fox and Dr Jessica Espey from the University of Bristol. In the final episode of the series, Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Professor Sean Fox and Dr Jessica Espey from the University of Bristol. They’re discussing points raised throughout the series. Looking at the goals from a slightly different perspective, they’ll be considering what progress has been made, and what might come next? This is part 2.  Date of episode recording: 2023-11-01Duration: 00:40:16Language of episode: EnglishPresenter: Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh Guests: Professor Sean Fox and Dr Jessica Espey from the University of Bristol Producer: Front Ear

    40 min

  7. 01/08/2024

    S2, Episode 5: WHAT COMES NEXT? PART ONE

    Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Professor Ruth Morgan, from UCL Security & Crime Science, and Professor Andrea Rigon, from the UCL Bartlett Development Planning Unit. The Sustainable Development Goals were adopted in 2015, to provide a set of global targets for the world to achieve by 2030. As we’re now only seven years away from that milestone of 2030, we’re considering what progress has been made, and what might come next. As this is such an interesting topic and there is a lot for us to discuss, we have decided to tackle it over two episodes. This is part 1. Date of episode recording: 2023-10-26Duration: 00:39:27Language of episode: EnglishPresenter: Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti ParikhGuests: Professor Ruth Morgan, from UCL Security & Crime Science, and Professor Andrea Rigon, from the UCL Bartlett Development Planning Unit.Producer: Front Ear Podcasts

    39 min

  8. 12/18/2023

    S2, Episode 4: HOW RESPONSIVE ARE THE SDGS?

    Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Dr Simon Chin-Yee, Department of Political Sciences, and Dr Louisa Acciari, Institute for Disaster and Risk Reduction. Today they’ll be unpacking how well the SDGs respond to world issues and whether they need to be more agile to the complex issues of the world and the people within it. Date of episode recording: 2023-10-02Duration: 00:27:40Language of episode: EnglishPresenter:Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh Guests: Dr Simon Chin-Yee, Department of Political Sciences, and Dr Louisa Acciari, Institute for Disaster and Risk ReductionProducer: Front Ear Podcasts

    28 min

  9. 12/11/2023

    S2, Episode 3: THE ECONOMICS OF THE SDGS

    Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Dr Ida Kubiszewski, Institute for Global Prosperity, and Dr Kate Roll, Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Today we’ll be unpacking the competing priorities around the implementation of the SDGs, and the challenges countries face in achieving the Goals, both at home and abroad. Date of episode recording: 2023-09-05Duration: 00:28:54Language of episode: EnglishPresenter: Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh Guests: Dr Ida Kubiszewski, Institute for Global Prosperity, and Dr Kate Roll, Institute for Innovation and Public PurposeProducer: Front Ear Podcasts

    29 min

  10. 12/04/2023

    S2, Episode 2: MENTAL HEALTH AND THE SDGS

    Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Dr Norha Vera San Juan, Institute for Global Health, and Dr Keri Wong, IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society. They’ll be considering the question of mental health and wellbeing. Asking whether the SDGs can and should do more to address this issue, and what that might mean in practice. Date of episode recording: 2023-07-05Duration: 00:33:39Language of episode: EnglishPresenter:Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh Guests: Dr Norha Vera San Juan, Institute for Global Health, and Dr Keri Wong, Institute for EducationProducer: Front Ear Podcast

    34 min

  11. 11/27/2023

    S2, Episode 1: CULTURE AND THE SDGS

    Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are joined by Professor Nicola Miller, UCL Professor of Latin American History at UCL Institute of Advanced Studies and Dr Johanna Zetterstrom-Sharp, Associate Professor in Heritage Studies at UCL Institute of Archaeology. In the first episode, they'll be considering the question of culture. It’s a topic that isn’t central to the SDGs to date, at least not explicitly, but perhaps should have been. What should be the role of culture, and can we achieve the goals without considering it?  Date of episode recording: 2023-06-26Duration: 00:30:48Language of episode: EnglishPresenter: Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh Guests: Professor Nicola Miller, Institute of Advanced Studies and Dr Johanna Zetterstrom-Sharp, Institute of Archaeology. Producer: Front Ear Podcasts

    31 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

Following the successful first and second series of Unlocking the SDGs – A Blueprint for the Future, Professor Monica Lakhanpaul and Professor Priti Parikh are back with a deep dive into the UN SDGs. Over five episodes, the series considers issues including the role of AI and education in the SDGs and what other countries are doing to achieve the goals. Listen as academics from across UCL’s faculties and beyond bring new perspectives and understanding to this complex global issue.

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