Real-world impact: The use of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and targets for solving wicked problems in Academia

This paper questions how impact is measured in academic research and proposes that the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an effective framework for determining real-world impact. Using bibliometrics alone to assess the quality of academic work tends to be purely quantitative, and often self-referential, reducing the focus on real-world problems and solutions. The same measurements are often adopted by funding bodies, putting additional pressure on academics and schools to increase compliance, further reducing integrity and real-world impact. To commence on the ambitious agenda of the SDGs, a world-café methodology was conducted, collecting data on how researchers, their institutions, and network organisations (such as ANZAM) can contribute to, and measure research aligned with SDGs. The results of the analysis showed that participants were generally positive toward using SDGs. Suggestions included aligning governmental and institutional funding, changing KPIs, increasing cross-disciplinary work, aligning mission/vision statements, and legitimising SDG-focused projects at conferences.