Pilot Assessment of Knowledge and Compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals as Drivers for Strengthening BioTrade

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and BioTrade are fundamental to address socio-environmental challenges and promote sustainable development. This study assessed the level of knowledge of the SDGs among students, faculty, and administrative staff of the Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam (URAI) using a validated survey and also analyzed Ikiam’s contribution to the fulfillment of the SDGs. Through a qualitative analysis of interviews with experts, a SWOT matrix was designed to understand the status of BioTrade, and strategies were proposed to improve the understanding of the relationship between BioTrade and SDG compliance. The results showed that there is limited knowledge of the SDGs, with significant variations between groups. Also, it was shown that the SDGs to which the university population is most related, according to the area to which they are linked, are SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 6, and SDG 11, while the greatest contribution of Ikiam to the SDGs is made through research and outreach projects. On the other hand, it was shown that the main limitation faced by BioTrade is the lack of knowledge of this initiative in the population, so it is important that academia promotes the strategies proposed to promote the fulfillment of SDGs through effective tools such as BioTrade.

1. Introduction

1.1. Background

The global goals, also known as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), were adopted in 2015 by the United Nations as part of a universal call to end social, economic and environmental challenges and ensure that, by 2030, all people enjoy a secure and prosperous life [1]. The SDGs emerged as a successor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which served as the starting point for the creation of SDGs and the 2030 Agenda, which takes a broader view [1,2]. The 2030 Agenda is based on five areas of development: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships. There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals, comprising 169 targets and 241 indicators to measure progress in the 193 countries committed to achieving these goals [3].

The Ecuadorian government adopted the 2030 Agenda as public policy through Executive Decree 371 of 2017 [4]; this decision seeks to comply with the goals and targets of the agenda and align them with national planning [4,5]. In the non-state sector, the SDG initiative is implemented in five provinces by two NGOs, seeking to improve conditions through national and local policies. Spaces have been created to promote compliance and link different actors with key proposals, so that the private sector, the central government, and its institutions assume an articulating role and include other sectors in development actions [4,6].

To meet these global goals, most of the population must be aware of the SDGs and their scope, importance, and application in their personal and professional lives [7,8,9]. Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in Ecuador, all actors in society, the public and private sectors, civil society, and academia have been called upon to play an essential role in achieving the SDGs by providing a common framework to address poverty, inequality, hunger, and climate change [8,10].

The SDGs, promoted by the United Nations, have driven a variety of global research and policies aimed at sustainable development. Despite this, there are still significant gaps in the literature on the implementation and knowledge of the SDGs in higher education institutions [11], especially in rural and biodiverse contexts such as the Amazon region. In contrast, there is little information on how universities in regions with high biodiversity, such as the Ecuadorian Amazon, are incorporating these goals into their educational and operational programs.

Education is key to cultivating a sustainable culture, and increasing knowledge about sustainability should be a priority in higher education institutions [12]. Universities are critical factors in the implementation of the SDGs, contributing to the 17 Goals through teaching, research, linkages with society, and collaboration with other actors [6,8,13]. To achieve the SDGs, universities must train professionals committed to sustainability, considering their functions of training, creation, and transfer of knowledge [14,15].

1.2. Education for Sustainable Development and BioTrade

People must become agents of change to propose solutions to the global social, environmental, and economic issues described in the SDGs [16]. In the university context, Dziminska et al. [17,18] indicate that universities can foster sustainable development through sustainability teachings, real-world problem-based research, and community engagement. To scale up sustainable development, both academic and non-academic staff must be aware of the SDGs, which provide a common language for achieving the stated goals [19]. Achieving the SDGs requires joint work from various disciplines and areas. Education and promotion of the SDGs should be part of transformative education for sustainable development, which seeks to enhance the capacities of faculty, students, and the university community by integrating applicable skills and knowledge [16,20].

Sustainability in education is addressed from seven perspectives: (a) institutional framework, with policies that support sustainability; (b) campus operations, managing resources efficiently; (c) education, integrating sustainability in the classroom; (d) research; (e) outreach and collaboration with other institutions; and (f) evaluation and reporting [21]. In this context, BioTrade provides important tools that can be integrated into university activities, connecting the promotion of sustainable practices with the educational training needed to achieve the SDGs [11].

BioTrade is an activity that focuses on the production and commercialization of resources in a sustainable manner and with social, environmental, and economic responsibility [22] and promotes seven key principles for sustainable development: conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of biodiversity, fair and equitable distribution of benefits derived from the use of biodiversity, socioeconomic sustainability, compliance with national and international legislation, respect for the rights of BioTrade actors, and clarity about land tenure and the use of its resources [11,22]. For this reason, the UN recognizes that the ideals of sustainable development are aligned and directly related to what BioTrade disseminates to meet the SDGs [11,23].

By promoting sustainable initiatives aligned with the SDGs, BioTrade is consolidated as an essential strengthening component [24]. As mentioned by Elías et al. [25], BioTrade ethical standards are central to the promotion of the SDGs, focusing on specific goals such as SDG 1, no poverty; SDG 8, economic growth; SDG 10, reduction of inequalities; SDG 11, sustainable cities; SDG 12, sustainability in production and consumption; and SDG 15, protection of terrestrial ecosystems.

1.3. Implementing the SDGs at the Ikiam Amazon Regional University

Studies show that the degree of knowledge about the SDGs is generally low among the population [26,27] and higher education institutions are no exception, as a high level of ignorance about the SDGs has been found among the academic population in Europe and Latin America [28,29]. Therefore, for the goals and targets to be achieved, it is necessary for most of the population to be aware of the SDGs and for this knowledge to be generated through the creation of innovative tools and education-oriented strategies.

In this sense, the Ikiam Amazon Regional University (URAI), located in the Ecuadorian Amazon, is a higher education institution committed to the conservation and sustainability of natural resources [30]. It specializes in academic training and research for environmental sustainability, addressing socio-environmental issues [31]. Although Ikiam University is committed to sustainability, it is essential to assess the degree of knowledge of its members on the SDGs to advance sustainable development. Furthermore, the importance of this research lies in the fact that there are no previous studies that assess the knowledge of the SDGs in Ecuadorian universities. This study aims to examine the knowledge and fulfillment of the SDGs in the university community and suggest tools, such as BioTrade, to strengthen the SDGs at Ikiam University, with a baseline to measure and monitor the progress of the SDGs in the academy in the short and long term.

In addition, considering that one of Ikiam’s strengths is its focus on sustainable development through the degree programs it offers, including BioTrade, which is transversally linked to five of the SDGs, we propose preliminary strategies from the academy to scale up the incorporation of the SDGs in the university. This will be achieved through the general strengthening of BioTrade in the region and within the university community.

The main objective of this research is to contribute to evaluating the state of knowledge and compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Ikiam Amazon Regional University, with a particular focus on strengthening BioTrade.

The specific objectives defined for this study are as follows:

• To quantitatively and qualitatively examine the degree of knowledge that the different groups of students, teachers, and administrative staff of the Ikiam Amazon Regional University have.
• To analyze the implementation and fulfillment of the SDGs at the Ikiam Amazon Regional University through self-diagnostic tools.
• To delineate strategies for scaling BioTrade within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework at Ikiam University.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Research Instrument Design

To achieve research objectives one and two, a survey (Appendix A) was developed based on semi-structured questions, adapting some questionnaires designed and validated to assess SDG knowledge in different universities [20,29,32,33]. The survey is structured in 3 sections of questions. The first corresponds to the respondents’ general data. The Section 2 analyzes the general knowledge about SDGs and the relationship of SDGs with the career or area to which it is linked (Q1–Q14). The last section corresponds to a self-assessment of SDG compliance at Ikiam University by university community members (Q15–Q24). The items in Section 2 (Q1–P14) and Section 3 (Q15–P21) are answered using the Likert scale with 5 points ranging from 1 (“Strongly disagree”) to 5 (“Strongly agree”). Items (Q6–P13) are answered with “true, false, or don’t know”, and questions (Q22–P24) correspond to open-ended questions.

Specifically regarding objective three of the research, a semi-structured interview was designed with questions aimed at learning about BioTrade’s status in the region, identifying the main challenges and limitations that impede BioTrade’s progress, and explaining how aligning it with the SDGs would strengthen its role. The interview consisted of seven questions and was applied to BioTrade experts (Appendix A).

2.2. Sample Description

The survey was directed to students and teachers of the careers of Biocommerce, Ecosystems, and Sustainable Architecture corresponding to the second academic period October to February 2023 and to the administrative staff of five areas of interest: Academic Direction, Direction of Liaison with Society, Communication Direction, Interinstitutional Relations, and Research Coordination at the Ikiam Amazon Regional University, since these are the areas that are directly linked to the processes of academic support and value-adding. The total population of Ikiam University was not included due to the limited time and resources to collect the data, in addition to the heterogeneity of disciplines and with the perspective of expanding the research and repeating this evaluation periodically.

The decision to consider only 5th-, 6th-, and 7th-semester students was made because they have more experience with issues related to sustainable development, as they have taken previous subjects, as opposed to students in lower semesters. This ensures that the data collected in this study are of quality and relevance. By limiting the sample to students who have completed a significant portion of their studies, we can infer that they have been exposed to a wide range of concepts and ideas related to sustainability, making them better equipped to provide informed responses.

The interviews were directed to a sample of actors working in the field of BioTrade, which consisted of government agencies, private organizations, bio businesses, and sustainable tourism, which were taken from the non-probabilistic snowball sampling.

2.3. Sample and Data Collection Procedure

The study population consisted of students, teachers, and administrative staff of Ikiam University (

Table 1. Sample included in the research.

Group	Career/Area	No. Participants
Students	BioTrade Ecosystem Sustainable Architecture	96
Teachers		22
Administrative Staff	Academic Direction Liaison with Society Communication Interinstitutional Relations Research Coordination	14

). The sample was determined following Fischer’s formula [34] using a prevalence of 50%, and a sample size of 94 respondents was obtained. This minimum sample size was increased to 150 to allow for possible nonresponse. Finally, 132 respondents completed the questionnaire; a convenience sampling technique was used to recruit participants.

The data were collected during the second academic period of 2023. The KoboToolbox program, a tool that allows online/offline data collection in the field, was used to collect the information [35]. Survey participation was open and anonymous, and responses were collected over a period of three weeks.

For objective three, the sample was determined using the Snowball method, where the sample is progressively constructed from the initial subjects to generate additional subjects [36]. The participation of strategic actors linked to BioTrade was obtained. The interview was conducted with 15 people belonging to public and private organizations and bio businesses (

Table 2. Sample of BioTrade-related actors.

Organizations	Charges	No. Participants
Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments, and Fishing	Vice Minister of Production	1
Ministry of Tourism	Technical MINTUR	1
Quito Environmental Fund	Technical and Planning Coordinator	1
FSC Ecuador/CEFOVE	Technical and Planning Coordinator President National Coordinator Project Coordinator	3
INBAR	Project Manager	1
Maquita Foundation	Territorial Manager	1
APROIN	President	1
Wiñak Association	President	1
Biocommerce Enterprises	Administrator	5

).

2.4. Data Analysis

The reliability of the questionnaire was validated by calculating Cronbach’s Alpha, where values above 0.7 guarantee the instrument’s reliability [37]. A descriptive statistical analysis was carried out to reveal the respondents’ sample composition and the responses’ overall results. Subsequently, normality was confirmed using the Levene test. A one-way ANOVA was also performed to recognize significant differences between groups (students, teachers, and university administrative staff).

For the evaluation of knowledge in the questions (Q6–P13) and compliance with SDGs (Q22–P24), the score was graded according to the ternary scoring format of correct, incorrect, and do not know the answer. The distribution of the assigned scores was described by reporting the mean for each variable analyzed. Consequently, the percentage of respondents who opted for each response category was determined, and the overall averages were calculated. For each question answered correctly, a score of one was assigned, while each incorrect answer was assigned zero points. Any respondent who obtained up to 50% of the total score was classified as having good knowledge, while those who obtained lower scores were classified as having low knowledge.

In addition, a qualitative analysis of the responses collected from the interviews was carried out to design a SWOT matrix to identify and outline strategies for strengthening BioTrade and achieving the SDGs through academia. The data were entered and analyzed using RStudio v. 4.3.2 [38] and SPSS Statistics v. 25.0 for Windows (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA) [39].

Overall, 147 samples were obtained and, finally, the integration of quantitative and qualitative data was performed using a convergent mixed-methods design. This implies that data from both sources were collected simultaneously and analyzed separately, and then compared and contrasted. This approach allowed for validating and enriching the quantitative findings with qualitative information to obtain a more holistic and robust understanding of the impact of SDG knowledge and the implementation of BioTrade for SDG compliance at the university and in the region.

3. Results

3.1. Knowledge of and Compliance with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

3.1.1. Validity and Reliability

The research instrument was validated and analyzed using a Cronbach’s Alpha internal consistency method. From the reliability test performed, the variables of knowledge, relationship of ODS with the career/area, and fulfillment of ODS had an acceptable internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.85. Likewise, the values for each variable also showed good internal consistency, with a satisfactory level of reliability (

Table 3. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient for each variable.

Construct	Theme	Involved Questions	Cronbach’s Alpha
C1	Knowledge of SDGs	Q4–Q16	0.79
C2	Relationship of SDGs with career/area	Q17–Q33	0.86
C3	SDG compliance	Q34–Q43	0.80

).

3.1.2. Inferential Analysis

Table 4. Test of homogeneity of variances of groups.

Construct	Levene’s Test	Comparison of Groups	Significativity (p-Value)
C1	0.174	Students/teachers/administrative staff	0.841
C2	2.164	Students/teachers/administrative staff	0.134
C3	2.055	Students/teachers/administrative staff	0.132

Significativity < 0.05.

shows the results of the analyses of homogeneity of variables between groups through a Levene test to confirm equality in the variables. The homogeneity of variance test is used to corroborate whether there are significant differences in the variability of the data in each group [40]. In this case, the three variables present homogeneous variance since the p-value is more significant than 0.05.

Table 5. One-way ANOVA.

Construct	Source of Variation	SS	Df	p-Value
C1	Between groups	1028.021	2	0.001 *
	Within groups	4095.698	129
C2	Between groups	1219.009	2	0.134
	Within groups	14,237.869	129
C3	Between groups	291.734	2	0.013 *
	Within groups	4168.144	129

SS = sum of squares; Df = degrees of freedom; * Significativity < 0.05.

shows the results of the one-way ANOVA that was performed to determine if there are statistically significant differences in the responses of the three variables among the three groups [41]. The results indicated that there were indeed significant differences in the SDG Knowledge variable and the SDG Compliance variable in Ikiam among the students, teachers, and administrative staff (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the responses for the variable of Relationship of ODS with the career/area (p > 0.05) between groups.

As seen in

Table 6. Average scores of questions for each variable.

Construct	Theme	Mean (Total)	Mean (Students)	Mean (Teachers)	Mean (Admin. Staff)
C1	Knowledge of SDGs	2.99	2.73	3.90	3.5
C2	Relationship of SDGs with career/area	3.91	3.98	3.94	3.39
C3	SDG compliance	3.69	3.61	4.03	3.80

, for C1 (Knowledge of Sustainable Development Goals), the score had a significance level of 0.001. The differences were as follows: the mean score for C1 for teachers (3.90) was higher than for students (2.73) and administrative staff (3.5). The differences in the responses between groups for C2 (Relationship of career/area with SDGs) were insignificant for teachers, students, and administrative staff. For C3 (SDGs Compliance), the specific difference was in the mean score for teachers (4.03), which was higher than for students (3.61) and administrative staff (3.80).

3.1.3. Differences in Knowledge of SDGs between Groups

Table 7. Average scores based on a five-point Likert scale of knowledge questions.

Questions about Knowledge of SDGs	Students	Teachers	Administrative Staff
Do you know what the Sustainable Development Goals are?	3.50	4.50	4.29
Do you know what the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is?	2.26	4.18	3.71
Do you understand the time horizon for which the SDGs are designed?	2.69	3.91	3.64
Do you understand the number of Sustainable Development Goals?	3.03	4.23	3.71
Do you understand the number of targets set for achieving the SDGs?	2.20	2.77	2.14

shows the averages of the questions (Q4–Q8) related to knowledge about the SDGs rated on a Likert scale, respectively. As mentioned above, significant differences between groups are observed.

Specifically, the differences in knowledge are reflected in Figure 1, which shows the scores of the different groups, expressed as a percentage of respondents who answered correctly and incorrectly the 8 knowledge-based questions (Q9–Q16). Also, there is an option for the answer “unknown”.

The average percentage of incorrect answers from students was 37.76%, while 27.34% admitted needing to learn the answers, and barely a third of the students (34.86%) obtained a good knowledge of SDGs. Similarly, only 36.85% of the administrative staff had a good knowledge of the SDGs, 35.71% answered incorrectly, and 27.65% said they needed to know the answers. As for the academic staff, half of the teachers (51.70%) have a good knowledge of the SDGs, 28.95% answered incorrectly, and only one-fifth (21.74%) said they needed to know the answers regarding the SDGs. Disaggregating the data by groups revealed these differences. Therefore, SDG knowledge among the groups was primarily low.

3.1.4. Relationship between SDGs and Careers and Professional Areas

The results of the relationships of SDGs with the career/professional area of the students and teachers of the Biocommerce, Sustainable Architecture, and Ecosystems careers and of the administrative staff of Ikiam University are shown in

Table 8. Averages based on questions about the relationship of career/area to SDGs.

SDGs	Students	Teachers	Administrative Staff	Mean Total
Poverty reduction	3.51	3.90	3.00	3.52
Hunger reduction	3.89	4.04	3.50	3.87
Health and wellness care	4.52	4.18	3.85	4.39 *
Quality education	4.43	4.27	3.07	4.26 *
Gender equality	4.44	4.59	3.92	4.41 *
Access to clean water and sewage	3.64	3.31	2.57	3.47
Accessible and non-polluting energy	4.34	4.13	3.57	4.22 *
Decent work and economic growth	3.42	3.13	3.28	3.36
Industry, innovation, and infrastructure	3.95	3.90	4.07	3.96 *
Reducing of inequalities	3.09	3.31	2.57	3.07
Creating sustainable cities and communities	4.12	4.00	3.50	4.03 *
Responsible consumption and production	3.91	3.90	4.21	3.94 *
Climate care	3.70	4.27	3.64	3.79 *
Caring for underwater life	4.10	3.63	2.92	3.90 *
Caring for life in terrestrial ecosystems	4.21	3.59	2.71	3.95 *
Building peace, justice, and corruption free institutions	4.15	4.18	3.57	4.09 *
Building alliances to achieve the above objectives	4.18	4.27	3.71	4.15 *

* Highest average.

. The SDGs with the highest relationship score among the groups were 12 of the 17 goals. Students and teachers consider that the SDGs most related to their careers are the goals of quality education, health and well-being, gender equality, accessible and clean energy, creating sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate care, and care for terrestrial ecosystems. Non-academic staff consider that the goals most related to their area are healthcare and well-being, gender equality, quality education, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, responsible consumption and production, building peace, justice, corruption-free institutions, and building alliances to achieve the goals.

3.1.5. Compliance with Sustainable Development Goals

Table 9. The average score of questions based on SDG compliance at Ikiam University.

Questions about Knowledge of SDGs	Students	Teachers	Administrative Staff
Ikiam University offers academic programs related to SDGs.	3.86	4.59	4.85
Ikiam University carries out activities or projects that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.	4.04	4.63	4.71
Ikiam University has concrete actions to promote the SDGs.	3.65	3.90	3.42
Ikiam University promotes awareness of the SDGs among its members.	3.88	3.40	3.57
Is involved in at least one activity or project related to the SDGs within the URAI.	2.88	4.59	3.28
Incorporates the SDGs in its activities as a URAI member.	3.42	4.13	4.07
Has received training on SDG-related topics in your time within URAI.	3.52	3.13	2.71

shows the averages of the questions related to Ikiam University’s compliance with the SDGs. Teachers, students, and administrative staff affirmed that the academic programs and projects at Ikiam University are mostly related to the Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, they mentioned that the SDGs are incorporated into the activities that Ikiam promotes on campus.

Figure 2 shows that 83.35% of respondents mentioned that Ikiam promotes actions to meet the SDGs through research projects and links with society; 16.64% were unaware of the actions being carried out. Likewise, there is a significant difference between the groups in terms of their participation in activities or projects associated with the SDGs; more than 50% of students and non-academic staff mentioned not participating, and 95.45% of Ikiam teachers do participate (Figure 3).

3.2. BioTrade and Sustainable Development Goals

The results revealed limited knowledge of the SDGs among Ikiam University members, with significant differences between groups. However, the integration of BioTrade within the SDG framework shows potential to strengthen sustainable practices. The combination of both approaches can increase awareness and skills in sustainability, promoting economic development that respects local biodiversity. This analysis suggests that educational and linkage projects that bring these two components together can generate significant benefits for both the university community and the region.

3.2.1. BioTrade SWOT Analysis

Based on the responses collected from BioTrade experts, it was possible to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing BioTrade in Ecuador. A qualitative analysis of the interviews was carried out, as detailed in

Table 10. SWOT analysis of BioTrade status.

Strengths	Weaknesses
1. BioTrade has a legal normative framework in Ecuador (Environmental Code).	1. Lack of knowledge about BioTrade among Ecuadorians, specifically consumers and producers.
2. It rescues the ancestral and traditional knowledge of native communities.	2. The market for BioTrade products in Ecuador is limited.
3. It values sustainable ancestral production systems.	3. Technical needs to improve in ensuring the sustainability of products throughout the value chain.
4. Guarantees that products meet social, environmental, and economic sustainability requirements.	4. Limited production capacity.
5. Diversifies the economy: agriculture, species harvesting, forestry management.	5. Lack of research in advanced technologies for BioTrade.
6. Reduces pressure on forests.	6. Dependence on a reduced number of species.
7. Improves the quality of life of the communities.	7. Resistance to change of traditional practices.
8. Adds value to the knowledge of the territories.	8. Lack of training on the BioTrade products and services marketing system.
9. Contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 8, 12, and 15).
Opportunities	Threats
1. Institutional alliances to strengthen the promotion of BioTrade.	1. There is little public importance to strengthening this economic system.
2. Training in biological diversity for the sustainable use of resources.	2. National political and economic crisis.
3. Strengthen the capacities of groups working in the field of BioTrade.	3. Challenges in obtaining international certifications.
4. High international demand for sustainable products.	4. Restrictions in export policies.
5. Good weather conditions for year-round production.	5. Loss of local biodiversity.
6. Increasing demand for sustainable tourism.	6. Fluctuations in raw material prices.
7. Investment in research, science, technology, and innovation for process efficiency.	7. Pressure on local natural resources.
8. Access to financing funds.	8. Competition from unsustainable traditional products.
9. Development of efficient and sustainable value chains.	9. Extreme climatic disturbances.
10. Research into new markets for BioTrade products.

.

3.2.2. Determination of Strategies for Strengthening BioTrade

The strategies for strengthening BioTrade were designed based on the qualitative analysis carried out earlier. In this sense, a cross SWOT was made combining strengths with opportunities and threats; and weaknesses were combined with opportunities and threats as shown in

Table 11. Matrix of strategies for strengthening BioTrade in relation to the SDGs.

Strategies (Strengths—Opportunities)
SO1	Strengthen institutional alliances and promote collaboration between academia and government institutions, taking advantage of the existing legal and regulatory framework to promote BioTrade in a sustainable manner that is aligned with the SDGs.
SO2	Establish cultural exchange programs between students and community representatives for mutual learning and knowledge sharing on biodiversity and sustainable production practices.
SO3	Lead research that evaluates the efficiency and sustainability of integrating ancestral practices into value chains. Implement findings to continuously improve processes and reduce environmental impacts.
SO4	Design training programs for producers, entrepreneurs, and students on international certifications to raise awareness of distribution standards in international markets.
SO5	Promote research to identify crop varieties and species adapted to Ecuador’s climate to take advantage of the propagation of resistant and commercially exciting varieties.
SO6	Develop lectures for entrepreneurs given by students on topics that highlight BioTrade’s contribution to the SDGs with which it is aligned so that the positive impact of its activities on sustainable development is understood.
SO7	Develop educational activities in the territory that allow students and entrepreneurs to contribute with specialized knowledge on BioTrade to improve tourism and productive practices and ensure benefits in local communities.
Strategies (Strengths—Threats)
ST1	Collaborate with entrepreneurs and students to develop strategies for economic resilience in the face of political and economic crises through flexible and sustainable business models such as biocommerce aligned to specific SDGs.
ST2	Include students and teachers in training projects that address the challenges of obtaining international certifications, seeking alternatives or complements to certifications based on recognizing sustainable practices, and respecting local culture.
ST3	Work on research to develop market diversification strategies, developing export alternatives unaffected by political restrictions, including exploring regional markets or strategic partnerships.
ST4	Educate on sustainable production practices related to the SDGs, promoting alternative raw materials in BioTrade that reduce pressure on local natural resources.
ST5	Disseminate the application of adaptive production practices, including crop diversification with resistant varieties and the adoption of sustainable management techniques, in the face of climate change.
Strategies (Weaknesses—Opportunities)
WO1	Design public awareness campaigns to educate the population about BioTrade and its benefits, using communication channels and strategic allies, to contribute to sustainable development and compliance with the SDGs.
WO2	Develop differentiated and attractive marketing strategies, highlighting the particular and sustainable characteristics of local BioTrade products to attract new customer segments.
WO3	Promote research to identify good sustainable practices and offer training to provide technical guidelines to ensure the sustainability of production throughout the value chain.
WO4	Work on research projects with students and teachers on innovative agricultural technologies that increase production capacity without compromising sustainability.
WO5	Collaborate with BioTrade experts, including students, to facilitate research on the identification and study of lesser-used local species with commercial potential in BioTrade in alignment with SDG 15.
WO6	Promote success stories in the implementation of innovative practices in BioTrade, using these examples to show tangible benefits and motivate entrepreneurs to adopt sustainability-aligned changes.
Strategies (Weaknesses—Threats)
WT1	Use communication channels to raise BioTrade’s public and political profile at the local level, engaging key stakeholders to support its development and its importance in achieving the SDGs.
WT2	Encourage innovation to create products and services that meet needs, emphasizing BioTrade’s contribution to environmental stewardship, support for local communities, and promotion of responsible practices.
WT3	Offer training programs from academia for producers in climate crisis management, equipping them with knowledge and skills to face extreme weather events and minimize losses.
WT4	Incorporate participatory research methods involving local communities, students, and entrepreneurs to identify and develop sustainable practices incorporating SDG compliance.
WT5	Provide technical support so that actors involved in BioTrade are aware of and can meet the requirements and quality standards necessary for sustainable business operations.

.

4. Discussion

The results obtained in this research are consistent with the findings of other research conducted to assess SDG knowledge in university communities [28,32,33,42]. As can be seen in the results obtained in the previous section, the knowledge of SDGs among the different groups of the Ikiam University is limited; this is consistent with the general lack of knowledge of SDGs in the Ecuadorian population [27]. In previous studies, Alvarez et al. [29] demonstrated that the lowest level of SDG knowledge was shown in universities in Ecuador and Colombia, while universities in Mexico and Peru obtained a higher score, which can be explained by the availability of programs created and training promoted by governments in the dissemination of SDGs and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) [29].

The level of knowledge in this study was slightly lower than the results reported in a global survey conducted in 2015 involving European countries where the level of awareness of SDGs was 36%. However, only one in 10 respondents knew what the SDGs consisted of [26]. Another study conducted in Spanish universities in 2022 showed that 60.7% of respondents knew the SDGs only by name and only 15.90% demonstrated good knowledge [32]. Although these results are limited to the local context where this study was conducted, it can be evidenced that in the European region, both in citizens and in university communities, there is a generally low degree of knowledge about SDGs and that there is still a lack of perception of sustainability as part of everyday life.

In this study, significant differences were observed between teachers’ knowledge level with respect to students and administrative staff. This may be because teachers (95.45%) are primarily involved in research and outreach projects related to SDGs in Ikiam because of the academic nature of their work, unlike the rest of the university population. Similar results were evident in a university community in southwestern Nigeria, where academic staff (87.3%) were more aware of the SDGs than non-academic staff (61.5%) and students (27.2%) [33]. An institution-wide awareness-raising approach is crucial to promote the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. These results can be a starting point for planning and dissemination of SDGs and SDGs throughout the university population information on these two aspects, Gatti et al. [43] propose one of the strategies for education in sustainable development and SDGs in primary and higher education institutions through business simulation games, in which a reality in learning is created by having direct results in decisions to ensure and promote sustainability in the managerial and business environment.

Something happens in the Japanese student population; research developed at Kyoto University [44] points out that 73.7% of respondents are aware of the SDGs, but most still need to understand the 17 goals fully. It is important to note that the awareness of Japanese students has improved in recent years, and the level of knowledge in the population is at least 20%; however, it is mentioned that it is not only about understanding the SDGs, but it is essential to implement them in everyday life to improve the approach in the transfer of information of these in university communities [44].

Even though, on average, the students claim to have received training on SDG-related issues within their university education at Ikiam, unlike the administrative staff and teachers, it was shown that their level of knowledge was lower compared to the other two groups. This provides results that teachers should evaluate to achieve successful training in students [19]. Waltner et al. [18] state that to achieve Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), it is necessary to acquire competencies in both teachers and students.

These results generate an opportunity to have greater interest from the university community in participating in the programs that Ikiam promotes for the fulfillment of the SDGs, with projects for the conservation of local diversity, strengthening the sustainable and innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem, combating climate change and promoting sustainable practices within the campus [31].

In general, the results showed a knowledge gap in the university community, which has also been mentioned by García et al. [45], and knowledge gaps had been reported in teachers so that strategies and training programs are required to develop an understanding of the SDGs and their link with the careers and areas in which they work [46]. For SDG education to be successful, several authors have proposed teaching methods, such as Pallant et al. [47], who guarantee that, in order to have a good knowledge of SDGs, it is essential to have specific curricular programming, with pedagogical guidelines that allow for understanding concepts related to sustainability, developing a critical sense of real problems, and the ability to propose solutions that contribute to sustainable development and facilitate the internalization of the SDGs. In addition, the advantages of technology-based SDG programs through applications, games, and the use of social networks according to the user’s preferences are mentioned [29,48,49]. Likewise, teaching is proposed by implementing activities on the university campus, such as air quality monitoring, depending on the university context integrating the SDGs [50].

Regarding the relationship of the SDGs with careers and professional areas, it is possible to identify the SDGs that are considered most closely linked to their respective areas. Students and teachers of these three careers agree on the close relationship with SDG 3, healthcare and well-being, followed by SDG 4, quality education, and 5, gender equality, as well as access to clean energy and creating sustainable cities and communities. A higher score was expected in SDGs 12 and 13, corresponding to responsible consumption, production, and climate care. UNESCO explains that people can develop and apply competencies related to their careers more effectively and consistently after receiving training and education in sustainable development [51].

Given that this research aims to be the starting point for monitoring the progress of the SDGs at Ikiam University, a self-diagnosis of Ikiam’s contribution to compliance with the SDGs was carried out. This showed that the most relevant actions Ikiam members consider to enhance SDG compliance at the university are the research and outreach projects developed, followed by the careers offered and the activities promoted within the campus. This is considered a key principle within higher education institutions’ strategic and development plans [7,16,33].

The holistic approach of Ikiam’s BioTrade program positions it as a tool that contributes to achieving the SDGs. By training professionals with innovative technical skills that promote the sustainability of resources by proposing a structural change to traditional processes [52], the BioTrade career makes BioTrade students critical actors for the development and implementation of strategies to strengthen this sector, which in turn promotes compliance with the SDGs at Ikiam University; therefore, the strategies proposed are initiatives that both teachers and students of biocommerce can lead from the academy through projects that can be integrated into the subjects, to solve the real problems identified in the field of biocommerce in the region [53], generating significant contributions in research and application.

Taking the above as a reference, BioTrade within Ikiam is an enhancer for achieving the SDGs [23,54]. The analyzed results of the state of BioTrade in Ecuador encourage the participation of academia to strengthen the role of BioTrade in sustainable development, starting from one of the major problems identified, which is the need for more knowledge about this initiative in the population [55]. The strategies proposed in this research through academia address educational issues, technical support, capacity building, research for innovation, and active participation of members to address the issues that limit the strengthening of this economic sector, which is crucial in achieving the SDGs based on the BioTrade initiative promoted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development [22], which seeks the development of actions along three strategic lines: (a) strengthening the policy framework for BioTrade; (b) value chain improvement; and (c) creating markets for diversity products and services.

Integrating these two lines of work, which are the understanding of Sustainable Development Goals in the university population and the strengthening of BioTrade through the academy for the compliance of the SDGs, it can be seen that the contribution of this study has relevance to a conscious and planned adoption of the SDGs within Ikiam University, specifically in the BioTrade career. Thus, in future research, indicators can be established to measure the level of compliance with the SDGs, analyze the progress of biocommerce, and prepare sustainability reports, so that Ikiam University can be part of the list of Ecuadorian universities that belong to the World Ranking of Green and Sustainable Universities (IU Green Metric World University Rankings) [56].

5. Conclusions

From a general perspective, the results suggest that there is limited knowledge about the SDGs in the Ikiam University community, with significant differences between groups, finding knowledge gaps in most of the population studied. This can be explained by the need for more training and participation in activities or projects focused on SDGs. To address this gap, implementing educational programs and outreach activities that integrate BioTrade and SDGs is proposed.

These initiatives have the potential to strengthen sustainability competencies, promote responsible behaviors, and improve compliance with the SDGs. However, current constraints, such as lack of resources and the need for ongoing training, must be considered. Advantages include awareness and capacity building, while disadvantages may involve resistance to change and the need for upfront investment in training and resources.

It has been possible to evaluate the significance and importance of the SDGs with respect to the professional areas of the members of Ikiam, having great relevance and relationship in 12 of the 17 SDGs, with which actions can be taken to generate projects based on the SDGs that have relevance in the local and national context. Likewise, the contribution of Ikiam University in the compliance of the global goals was analyzed, having greater relevance in the research and outreach projects that are developed, the careers it offers, and the internal actions it implements.

Given the limited knowledge of SDG and ESD issues, it is suggested to implement educational initiatives and comprehensive programs to reinforce knowledge and promote a more sustainable life among the university community using available resources; this includes the development of sustainability competencies in teachers and students to promote sustainable behaviors and actions in the academic environment and to contribute to the compliance with the SDGs in the institution.

To scale in SDG compliance, it is suggested that future research should make use of environmental sustainability self-diagnosis tools such as the Use Guide provided by Spanish universities to make a more detailed evaluation of the contribution to each SDG [57]. In addition, the strategies proposed by academia to contribute to the SDGs through the strengthening of BioTrade were designed based on the problems faced by BioTrade at the national level and are focused on promoting the training, research, and capacity building of teachers and students for BioTrade issues, with sustainable development oriented to the contribution of the SDGs.

This study focused exclusively on the Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, which could make the findings applicable to other educational institutions in different geographical contexts. Furthermore, the research was conducted in a specific time period, which may not reflect long-term changes in the knowledge and perception of the SDGs and BioTrade.