ASU Empowers Global Students in Sustainable Innovation Program

Sustainability and Innovation Summer Experience fosters collaboration and real-world solutions for UN's Sustainable Development Goals

In summer of 2023, Arizona State University (ASU) concluded its second annual Sustainability and Innovation Summer Experience program, which successfully brought together a diverse group of students from partner institutions around the world.

The program's primary objective is to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address global challenges and become agents of change in their communities. Through interdisciplinary teamwork, participants collaboratively developed sustainable solutions aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These innovative projects, tailored to specific regions and target populations, showcased the power of localized solutions in effecting meaningful change.

Participants came from universities such as CEIPA Business School in Colombia, Universidad Latina de Costa Rica, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, The Northcap University in India, Universitas Esa Unggul in Indonesia, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara in Mexico, Mapúa University in the Philippines and the University of Donja Gorica in Montenegro.

Over the course of two weeks, 23 students engaged in a diverse range of activities designed to foster personal and academic growth. They attended classes, lectures and workshops led by ASU faculty members from various departments, including the School of Sustainability, the School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Makerspace in the Hayden Library, and the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

In addition, the students had the opportunity to hear from local Arizona entrepreneurs and experience Dreamscape Learn—an interactive and educational virtual reality platform. A visit to the Grand Canyon further emphasized the importance of environmental preservation and showcased the natural beauty of Arizona.

Reflecting on the program, participant Mia Sekulovi, from the University of Donja Gorica in Montenegro, shared, "The overall experience is amazing. I’ve met many different people and amazing students from around the world... We’ve had a lot of fun and visited very interesting places... hanging out and learning a lot about each other."

ASU faculty and staff were impressed by the students' motivation, enthusiasm, and diligence throughout the program. Global Launch Director Dianna Lippincott expressed her excitement, stating, "ASU and Global Launch remain committed to fostering global collaborations and empowering students from around the world to lead the way toward a better future."

The program was hosted by ASU Global Launch, with support from the ASU School of Sustainability, the School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Thunderbird School of Global Management and the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment. 

For more information about ASU’s network of global universities please visit the ASU Global website.