Learning to realize a more sustainable world

Abstract

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (2015) established 17 targets — such as “no hunger,” “clean water” and “climate action” — to unite humanity in pursuit of a shared, prosperous future. These diverse global goals provide a universal agenda to enlist today’s learners in creatively ensuring our collective well-bring throughout their careers. How can higher education foster effective, intentional learning across courses and curricula to prepare our students to realize these global goals? George Mason University has established a diverse set of over 130 “green leaf” courses, along with regular co-curricular activities, to help our students develop their sustainability skills and practical expertise. These span a new 18-credit “sustainability pathway” through our Mason Core general education requirements and a score of undergraduate and graduate academic programs. Together, these curricula – and others Mason faculty might opt to deliver — permit students to move from first year through accelerated graduate programs while continuously building their sustainability understanding, reflection and intentionality. Meanwhile, co-curricular activities like Mason Earth Month, organic food gardening and Patriot Green Fund projects provide students opportunities to develop and apply “critical doing” skills far beyond the classroom as well.