Examples
Worked examples
- Is an instance
A research consortium designs a programme explicitly addressing SDG 3.4 (NCD mortality reduction).
- Is an instance
A funder requires applicants to identify the specific SDG targets their proposal advances.
Counter-examples
Looks similar, but isn't
- Not an instance
Adding SDG-aligned framing to a proposal post hoc without changing study design.
- Not an instance
Claiming SDG alignment based on general field relevance rather than target-specific contribution.
Editorial commentary
SDG-aligned research differs from research that is merely mapped to SDGs after the fact: alignment implies intentional design around specific SDG targets, attention to inclusion and equity (notably the 'leave no one behind' principle), and integration with the indicator framework for accountability. The International Science Council, the UN Research Roadmap for the COVID-19 Recovery, and many funders now ask for explicit SDG-target rationale in proposals. SDG-aligned research often spans disciplines and is implementation-oriented.
References
- International Science Council 'Unleashing science: Delivering missions for sustainability', 2021. UN Research Roadmap for the COVID-19 Recovery.
Also known as
SDG-oriented research · Mission-aligned research (SDG)
Machine-readable encodings
Use in your systems
<role vocab="credit"
vocab-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/"
vocab-term="SDG-aligned research"
vocab-term-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/sdg-aligned-research" />{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "DefinedTerm",
"name": "SDG-aligned research",
"identifier": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/sdg-aligned-research",
"description": "Research that is explicitly designed, framed or assessed in relation to specific Sustainable Development Goals and their targets, with the intent of contributing to their achievement.",
"inDefinedTermSet": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/domain/engagement-impact-and-sdg-alignment/",
"url": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/sdg-aligned-research",
"sameAs": [
"SDG-oriented research",
"Mission-aligned research (SDG)"
],
"license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}
