The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity, thus meeting the urgent environmental, political, and economic challenges facing our world. SDGs include a set of 17 aspirational "Global Goals" with 169 targets and 244 indicators. Officially known as "Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", the agenda has been adopted by all the 194 member states of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. 

Statistical data are essential to monitor progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals. SDG Indicators will show where the Goals are being met and where they are not, so that attention can be focused based on specific needs. A robust indicator framework can convert the process of achieving SDG targets into a management tool to help develop implementation strategies, allocate resources accordingly, measure progress towards achieving sustainable development, and help ensure accountability of stakeholders. The key objectives of the SDG platform are:

• Strongly link university sustainability performance to its strategic goals via clear communication channels and processes
• Adopt university ranking criteria to map and assess the University’s sustainability performance
• Establish core standards and practices across the university by identifying and addressing fundamental gaps
• Forge national and international collaborations on SDG-related initiatives

To accelerate progress towards achieving SDGs, the University of Kelaniya has partnered with the United Nation’s Resident Coordinator’s Office, Colombo, Sri Lanka, the Association of Commonwealth Universities and several other international universities with whom we have fostered long-standing ties.