About Us | Institute for Global Development

The Institute for Global Development (IGD) is an ambitious initiative set up by UNSW to tackle significant global development challenges.

It is part of UNSW's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

The most pressing development problems today are global in scale: inequalities, environmental degradation, climate change, conflict, pandemics and population displacement. But they affect countries, communities and individuals differently. In a highly interconnected world, solutions need to be sought globally but owned and implemented locally.

The IGD is committed to achieving change through harnessing academic excellence, fostering transformative partnerships and translating evidence into impact. We foster partnerships to ensure research and education activities strengthen local capacities and contribute to solutions and improve lives and generate sustainable futures.

We recognise that contemporary development challenges are complex and require multi-disciplinary approaches. We draw on resources and expertise from across all UNSW Faculties to work towards this commitment

Our Vision

Our vision is a world where transformative, equitable and sustainable development is achieved through strong partnerships in research and education.

The IGD is part of a regional and global development community that seeks to advance knowledge on sustainable development and social justice. We research and promote new approaches to policy and practice in order to tackle today’s most complex and disruptive global challenges.

As these complex problems require multi-disciplinary solutions, we work with all faculties across UNSW to shape our responses

With our local and international partners, we co-create knowledge and translate our research findings into changes that matter: generating sustainable and equitable futures for people around the world, and together working towards achieving the SDGs.

Strategic Objectives

Achieving our vision requires an ambitious agenda for action. We work with partners to build capacity and credibility, translate research into practice, and use knowledge to transform lives.

Through our diverse activities, we aspire to be:

A catalyst for using research to achieve positive change

We bring together academic and development partners and communities in consultations, dialogues and events to set agendas and deliver impacts.

A platform for sharing and translating knowledge

We make information accessible through our website and research outputs to influence and inform new approaches to development research, policy and practice.

An influencer in global and national debate

We contribute to policy dialogue and inform development thinking and practice, based on rigorous analysis and evidence.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Twenty-first century ‘development’ requires an active commitment to social justice and environmental sustainability, as reflected in the global Sustainable Development Goals.

We spearhead UNSW’s commitment to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries and aspire to improve the lives of individuals, their families and communities.