1. Vision

Our vision is, based on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to create a world free of poverty and hunger, where sustainable and adaptive use of natural resources forms the foundation for security, prosperity, and well-being for all. We develop a profound understanding of people, institutions, systemic change processes, and natural systems, thereby continuously contributing to a sustainability transformation. Together with actors from science, practice, civil society, politics, and business, we develop strategies to respond resiliently and proactively to shocks and dynamic changes, with the goal of reducing global inequality.

We see ourselves as a national think tank and the primary point of contact in Austria for research for development on the sustainable use of natural resources in a global context and fulfill our commitment and responsibility at the interface of science, society, and politics. In all research activities and processes, we examine and question existing gender norms and the resulting unequal power relations with the aim of changing them. This includes other inequalities that cannot be explained solely by the category of gender, such as age, education, socio-economic status, etc., in the sense of a gender-transformative and intersectional approach.

2. Principles

The CDR is aware of its responsibility that, given different frameworks and challenges, special care is required in international cooperation. The CDR provides advisory and supportive assistance and/or establishes connections to supportive structures, including the supervision and support of national and international students.
The CDR pools expertise at BOKU to contribute to a sustainability transformation following the 2030 Agenda in a global context.
The CDR, together with the Institute for Development Research (IDR) at BOKU, is the primary point of contact in Austria for research and teaching on the sustainable use of natural resources and collaboration in a global context.
The CDR promotes exchange within BOKU and enables joint activities in research, teaching, and further education with partners in a global context, focusing on specific priority regions.
The CDR fosters inter- and transdisciplinary work. Through an integrative approach, synergies are created between BOKU sciences, BOKU institutions, and their staff.
The CDR is committed to a partnership-based dialogue with all involved actors in the spirit of BOKU's mission statement.

3. Goals 

Inter- and transdisciplinary knowledge generation and capacity building as a foundation for the development of effective strategies, technical and social innovations, and support for the sustainability transformation.
Mobilizing scientific knowledge and other diverse knowledge systems for sustainable development in a global context with actors from science, practice, politics, civil society, and business, with regional focuses aligned with the priority regions of BOKU's internationalization strategy, to promote dialogue and mutual learning. Thematic priorities include poverty reduction, food security, sustainable management, and equitable access to natural resources, for greater participation and inclusion of marginalized groups, with the goal of reducing structural inequality.
Training critically constructive thinking and acting students to acquire expertise and problem-solving skills for coordinating development-related innovative transformation processes.
Increasing target group-specific awareness of the importance of science and other knowledge systems for ecological, economic, and social sustainability, taking into account the SDGs in a global context.

4. Activities

Interdisciplinary collaboration within the CDR partner community and promotion of cooperation with actors from science, practice, politics, civil society, and business.
Joint conception, application, and implementation of research, teaching, and learning projects and events with actors and institutions.
Contributions to the global dialogue on ecological, economic, and social sustainability, following the SDGs, in the form of lectures, publications, and broad communication on the importance of inter- and transdisciplinary science for a sustainability transformation.
Workshops and public events on current topics from BOKU development research.
Exchange and collaboration with BOKU alumni in BOKU focus regions.
Critical internal reflection on activities regarding social impact.