Bringing the UN Sustainable Development Goals to life

Group of six students in a lecture theatre

PhD researcher and ARUCPD student, Ricardo Pimenta, explains what happened when his project team decided to focus on the issue of homelessness in Cambridge.

Ricardo says:

The project aimed to introduce ARU students to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12 through a solidarity event with the participation of local charity WinterComfort, which cares for homeless people and those who are vulnerably housed in Cambridge. The objective was to link the SDGs to actions that can improve the situation for the people who WinterComfort supports.

At the same time, collection points were placed at locations around campus to collect money, food and clothes. In addition, a QR code was placed on social media for financial donations.

The event's first stage was an interview with WinterComfort manager Melody Broker, who introduced the charity's history and what services are provided to the homeless in the city. All of us who took part had the opportunity to ask questions and get to know the charity better.

In the second stage, the students responsible for the event presented their work making the connection between the Sustainable Development Goals and homelessness in Cambridge.

The ARU Certificate for Professional Development

Ricardo took part in the ARU Certificate for Professional Development (or ARUCPD), a unique, optional course delivered by the Faculty of Business and Law for students on our Cambridge and Chelmsford campuses. Some modules are faculty-specific, but some can be taken by students from any faculty alongside their degrees.

ARUCPD creates opportunities for students to work with others, broaden their knowledge, and enhance their employability. They receive additional credits for completing ARUCPD modules to stand out from the crowd when they graduate.