Sustainable Development Goals
UN Sustainable Development Goals Introduction Video
What are the United nations sustainable development goals (Sdgs?)
The SDGs are 17 interconnected goals representing an urgent call to action to advance peace and prosperity for all people and the planet. According to the UN, the SDGs "recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. " (https://sdgs.un.org/goals)
The goals were adopted by all UN member nations in 2015, with target goals set for the year 2030. Each year, a progress report is released to the public.
How can education abroad impact the sdgs?
At first thought, the idea of study abroad having a positive effect on sustainability and sustainable development might seem counter-intuitive. Thousands of students boarding airplanes to travel to a host location surely must have a negative impact on our planet, right? This is an important question and one that Penn State Global, its partners across the University, and its colleagues within the field of education abroad seek to address.
The Forum on Education Abroad, which is the official Standards Development Organization (SDO) for the professional field of education abroad, released a set of guidelines for member institutions and education abroad professionals entitled "Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals through Education Abroad." Member institutions are called to adopt practices that align with their institutional goals and priorities while simultaneously meeting the guidelines set forth by The Forum on Education Abroad.
what is penn state doing?
Penn State is proud to be a leader in incorporating sustainability in all areas of study abroad. In fact, Penn State was recognized as the inaugural winner of The Forum on Education Abroad's award for Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals through Education Abroad in 2022. Learn more about the actions we are taking to incorporate sustainability into all areas of our work and programs.
