Monash 2024 Report FAQs

Further information on the preparation of the Monash 2024 SDG Report

Q: How was content selected for this report?

A: The content in this report comes from a comprehensive database of university and faculty news articles published throughout 2024. Given the extensive volume of SDG-related activities at Monash, we prioritised initiatives demonstrating tangible real-world impact rather than recently awarded grants or projects still in planning stages. This approach allows us to focus on concrete contributions Monash is making toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

Q: What if an important SDG-related activity is missing from the report?

A: We welcome your input! This is a dynamic, digital report that can be updated throughout the year. If you're aware of significant SDG-related work that should be included, please contact us via sdg@monash.edu.

Q: How were activities categorised and organised in the report?

A: AI technology assisted in tagging news articles with relevant SDGs and suggesting appropriate categories (Research, Education, Engagement, or Operations). Every categorisation underwent human review to verify the SDG connections and category assignments. Activities were then assessed for impact to determine inclusion in the report, with related initiatives grouped thematically.

Q: What further role did AI play in creating the report content?

A: After human review of the categorised activities, AI assisted in drafting summaries based on detailed prompts. These AI-generated summaries were again reviewed and edited by our team before being uploaded to the SDG report website. This hybrid approach allowed us to efficiently process large volumes of information while maintaining quality and accuracy.

Q: What about environmental sustainability concerns regarding AI use?

A: This is a valid concern. OpenAI, which produced the models used for this report, still has work to do in committing to sustainability targets and transparent reporting. However, research suggests AI can be more environmentally efficient for certain tasks. According to a recent article [Tomlinson, B, Black, RW, Patterson, DJ, Torrance, AW. The carbon emissions of writing and illustrating are lower for AI than for humans. Sci Rep 14, 3732 (2024)], AI generates fewer emissions to produce a page of text compared to human writing. In view of the significant administrative burden that would be required for this reporting task, we believe AI assistance is a reasonable choice. Note that this 2024 SDG report contains 395 summaries of 760 total activities across the 17 SDGs, selected from an initial dataset of 2000 articles.

Q: Are there intellectual property concerns with using AI for this report?

A: None of the content related to this report will be used to train future AI models. All content remains Monash University's intellectual property, and furthermore had previously been published online through university channels. AI was used as an assistive tool to process and summarise existing Monash content, not to create original material.

Q: How does this approach benefit the university community?

A: This methodology significantly reduces administrative burden by eliminating the need for faculties and centres to report activities that have already been published through university channels. By leveraging existing content and using AI to assist with processing, we've created a more comprehensive report while freeing up time for academic and professional staff.

Q: Will this approach continue for future reports?

A: We continuously evaluate our reporting methodologies to ensure they remain efficient, accurate, and aligned with best practices. Feedback on this approach is welcome as we plan for future iterations of the SDG report.