Our Collective Impact: Sustainability Lessons from Three Institutions

An increasing number of colleges and universities have started to integrate sustainability initiatives into their approach to campus internationalization. International programs are looking at ways they can reduce the environmental impacts of their programs, promote climate action across their institutions, and connect teaching and research agendas to global sustainability efforts.

Much of this work is linked to the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), which were adopted in 2012 to address the world's major environmental, political, and economic challenges. Because they cut across disciplines, the SDGs can help bring together various units of the university that are engaged internationally, ranging from the international office to research.

"The 2030 Agenda and the SDGs provide a holistic framework to understand the interlinkages among environmental, social, and economic challenges," says Jolynn Shoemaker, JD, director of global engagements at University of California-Davis (UC Davis).

"This is why the agenda rests on the '5 Ps' of people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships," she says. "It is vital to examine the problems and possible solutions with multidimensional, multidisciplinary, and intersectional approaches, to consider who may be left behind by decisions, and to anticipate the consequences of our actions."

For other institutions, such as the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, international partnerships and global networks are key to meeting sustainability goals. Collaboration in teaching and research around topics such as public health, food security, and sustainable agriculture help align institutional missions with the SDGs.

The University of Auckland in New Zealand also