Shaping Future Geoscientists: UPES Students Learn from India’s Geological Heritage
For geologists, the entire planet is a classroom - and nature is the greatest teacher. Every outcrop, every layer of rock, and every landscape narrates a story far…
How we research safer, cleaner cities, protect Himalayan heritage, build resilient communities and run a sustainable campus.
UPES report on Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.Set in the Himalayan foothills, UPES works to make the towns, villages and campus around it safer, cleaner and more liveable. Its researchers tackle floods, landslides, waste, pollution and traffic, its projects keep Himalayan heritage alive, and it works with villages, residents and city agencies while running a green, walkable campus of its own.
From landslide early warning to smarter waste and electric public transport, UPES research serves Himalayan towns.
Virtual museums and craft projects record and revive the art and skills of Uttarakhand and the Himalaya.
A safe campus, disaster-management degrees and training prepare people for earthquakes, floods and fires.
Model smart villages, neighbourhood planning and clean-energy projects improve life in nearby villages and towns.
Green buildings, solar power, water reuse, walkable paths and electric carts make the campus a model of sustainable living.
The library, cultural spaces and grounds are open to the public for learning, culture and community events.
UPES researchers work on the problems Himalayan towns and cities face: floods and landslides, polluted rivers, waste, traffic and the edges where people and wildlife meet.
UPES research tackles the real problems of Himalayan towns and cities, from landslide warnings to cleaner rivers, smarter waste and better public transport.
Number of papers on each theme (a paper can appear under more than one).
| Theme | Papers |
|---|---|
| Urban planning and land use | 200 |
| Transport, mobility and electric vehicles | 155 |
| Smart cities, IoT and sensing | 149 |
| Waste management and circular cities | 108 |
| Disasters, climate risk and resilience | 103 |
| Buildings, construction and energy efficiency | 85 |
| Air quality and urban pollution | 63 |
| Culture, heritage and tourism | 38 |
The full list of publications, with links, is in the annexure.
UPES holds 2,314+ intellectual property rights, including 813 patents (139 granted), 943 designs and 558 copyrights (December 2025). Mapped against the Sustainable Development Goals, Sustainable Cities and Communities is the third-largest area of the portfolio, after Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and Affordable and Clean Energy.
UPES uses research and technology to safeguard the living heritage of Uttarakhand and the Himalaya, and opens its campus to the region's cultural life.
UPES records and revives the living heritage of the Himalaya, and opens its campus, library and grounds to the region's cultural life.
In a region exposed to earthquakes, floods and landslides, UPES builds safety into its campus and trains the professionals who keep communities safe.
UPES builds safety into its own campus and trains the professionals who keep Himalayan communities safe from disasters.
UPES works with villages, residents and city agencies to plan and build more sustainable places to live.
UPES works hand in hand with villages, residents and city agencies to make the places around it more sustainable to live in.
UPES's campuses in the Himalayan foothills are planned to protect the natural landscape and use energy and water carefully.
UPES campuses are planned around people on foot, green space and careful use of energy and water.
UPES convenes government, industry, researchers and communities to work on sustainable development.
UPES brings government, industry, researchers and communities together to work on sustainable development.
6 events on heritage, culture, disaster resilience and sustainability show this goal in action.
For geologists, the entire planet is a classroom - and nature is the greatest teacher. Every outcrop, every layer of rock, and every landscape narrates a story far…
Our student final year student Aditya Vats has made us proud with the launch of his book " Making and Remaking of Uttarakhand ” at Raj Bhavan, graced by the Retd. Lt.…
The School of Health Sciences and Technology at UPES recently hosted a thought-provoking session titled “Reimagining Responsibility: Volunteerism, Circular…
The School of Liberal Studies and Media, UPES, hosted Shab Setu on Hindi Diwas to reflect on the role of language as a bridge between people, ideas, and cultures.…
A panel with Prof Ajay Gairola, Piyoosh Rautela and other experts on making Himalayan communities more resilient to disasters.
The art historian and heritage conservationist spoke to Journalism and Mass Communication students about art, culture, monuments and heritage.
Goal 11 has ten targets agreed by the United Nations for 2030. UPES contributes to nine of them through its research, campus, heritage work and partnerships with communities and city agencies.
UPES activity reaches nine of the ten Goal 11 targets, with its deepest impact on heritage, disaster resilience, cleaner cities and participatory planning.
Targets where UPES runs sustained programmes with measurable results.
UN target 11.4Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world's cultural and natural heritage.
UN target 11.5Significantly reduce deaths and losses caused by disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.
UN target 11.6Reduce the adverse environmental impact of cities, including air quality and waste management.
UN target 11.3Enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanisation and participatory planning.
Targets supported through specific projects, facilities and research.
UN target 11.1Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing.
UN target 11.2Provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems.
UN target 11.7Provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible green and public spaces.
UN target 11.aSupport positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas.
UN target 11.bAdopt and implement integrated policies and plans towards resilience and disaster risk reduction.
UN target wording is summarised. The full official text is on the United Nations SDG 11 page[35].
Each SDG 11 indicator, and the report on this page that covers it.
| Indicator | Report |
|---|---|
| Research on sustainable cities and communities | Report 1: Research for safer, cleaner cities |
| Public access to buildings | Report 2: Culture and heritage |
| Public access to libraries | Report 2: Culture and heritage |
| Public access to museums, exhibition spaces and works of art | Report 2: Culture and heritage |
| Public access to green spaces | Report 2: Culture and heritage |
| Contribution to local arts | Report 2: Culture and heritage |
| Recording and preserving intangible cultural heritage | Report 2: Culture and heritage |
| Working with local authorities on planning and development | Report 4: Sustainable villages and neighbourhoods |
| Promoting sustainable commuting | Report 5: A sustainable campus |
| Remote and flexible working | Report 5: A sustainable campus |
| Affordable housing for students and staff | Report 5: A sustainable campus |
| Pedestrian priority on campus | Report 5: A sustainable campus |
| Building to sustainable standards | Report 5: A sustainable campus |
The full list of UPES sustainable cities research publications indexed in Scopus, with a link to each paper.