Panaji, Jan 5 (IANS): The state's top B-school, the Goa Institute of Management's Centre for Social Sensitivity and Action and Dhaka's North South University's Centre for Peace Studies have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote integrated approaches towards implementation of UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through education, research, policy analysis and global cooperation.

"This is our first agreement in the South Asia region and we look forward to forging several productive relationships in these geographies, with the best institutions in the region to advance the SDGs," Prof Ajit Parulekar, Director, Goa Institute of Management, said in an official statement on Tuesday.

The collaboration will include facilitation of joint student projects in the area of United Nations' SDG 4.7 which is to "ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture's contribution to sustainable development".

GIM's Prof Divya Singhal said that jointly, the two agencies will identify suitable themes for the projects, identify students from respective institutes and then connect them to joint student groups.

"Research collaboration will be focused on publication towards select SDGs. We also look forward to the exchange of faculty and students from both centres that are particularly focused on research, teaching and implementation of the SDGs," Singhal said.