Mastering Digital Transformation for Tracking the UN SDGs 

This two-day masterclass has been designed to introduce a variety of fundamental perspectives on Digital Transformation (DT) and Sustainable Development (SD) to track countries performance to implement the United Nations (2015) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The masterclass provides a high-level platform for policymakers, senior officials, researchers, statisticians, and sustainability practitioners to examine how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can complement human intelligence in strengthening national SDGs reporting and governance. The masterclass will explore how AI can support national Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) processes by:

• Enhancing data integration and validation across multiple sources.
• Supporting systematic measurement across 17 SDGs and their indicators.
• Identifying trends, gaps, synergies, and trade-offs across goals.
• Improving the efficiency, consistency, and transparency of VNR reporting.

The masterclass aims to:

• Discuss the challenges governments face in the implementation of the UN 17 SDGs, targets, indicators and data.
• Strengthen national capacity for AI-enabled SDG monitoring and VNR preparation and reporting.
• Support alignment of national reporting with UN guidelines.
• Share practical methodologies, tools, and international best practices.
• Foster collaboration between policymakers, data specialists, and development partners.

In his various speeches and statements during the last two years, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres always argues that DT particularly AI has the potential to help countries across the world accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs. Therefore, more focus in the masterclass will be on the transformative and critical role of AI in addressing and resolving global challenges which are also elaborated by the 2030 Agenda. It is therefore crucial to accelerate the use of AI as the 2030 deadline for achieving the SDGs approaches because AI can bridge existing implementation gaps and leveraging progress toward sustainable and comprehensive outcomes.

This masterclass will have more emphasis and focus on the application of AI in the preparation, analysis, and reporting of countries Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), aligned with United Nations guidelines. The masterclass will address the measurement and monitoring of progress across all 17 SDGs using the global indicator framework, which comprises 234 unique indicators (251 indicators in total, with 13 indicators repeated under two or three targets).

The masterclass will be facilitated by world renowned experts in DT and SD aiming to build future leaders in public and private sectors who are able to understand and deal with future challenges. With the launch of the 2030 Agenda for SD and its 17 SDGs, the path to global development needs to be more collaborative than ever. How can technology contribute and enhance SD is the main issue which will be addressed during this masterclass. Digital technologies in particular have spread rapidly (such as the Internet, mobile phones, etc) and therefore the impact of digital technologies on SD is very important aspect of the overall success of DT initiatives. Based on the assumption that technology must be widely used and freely accessible to have an impact, knowledge systems and knowledge economy seem to open up new and varied avenues to be explored in the direction of sustainability. 

In addition, future leaders and decision makers will learn effective techniques and approaches to make better choices within the context of their organisations, gather information and assess alternatives; they will also be able to make decisions and develop ways to implement those decisions to their organisation’s effective transformation. Participants will acquire comprehensive knowledge and practical experience about DT approaches in alignment with the local needs and capabilities. It is a great opportunity for participants to gain good knowledge and understanding of SD and gain background information on SDGs. The masterclass will provide new perspectives sand some conclusions and recommendations for future leaders to explore some of the opportunities from the digital revolution and how these opportunities can be improved to better serve their goals.

This integrative masterclass aims to develop a deeper understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects to DT and SD and executive leadership, and to develop the essential skills and competencies necessary to plan, monitor and formulate DT and SD public policies. Executive leadership in 21st Century at all levels is becoming increasingly dynamic and complex. The masterclass aims to discuss and explore the various approaches and different ways that can contribute to policy analysis, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It will also provoke forward thinking on developing new methods and approaches to suit the challenges and opportunities of this new era of digital revolution.