This initiative proposes to create and implement a meaningful and measurable institutional learning outcome (ILO) focused on sustainability and climate-forward education. Degree-granting departments will align this ILO with their own missions, curricula, and program needs to determine how best to meet the outcome. By including a sustainability and climate-forward learning outcome as an ILO, the university can build on existing practices that already require each department to align themselves, their departments, and their curricula with the ILOs while providing maximum flexibility and autonomy for each department to decide how, where, and to what degree their own unique curriculum can be aligned to address climate change and sustainability. Actionable items include:
- Integrate diverse teaching styles and materials, such as art, storytelling, and experiential learning, to promote sustainability literacy and engagement across campus.
- Align co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences, internships, research opportunities, and community partnerships with this ILO to provide practical solutions to sustainability challenges and foster climate resilience.
- Support research across sustainability topics by collaborating closely with researchers to develop relevant research themes and plans aimed at innovative solutions to climate challenges.
- Create local study programs that complement existing international programs, allowing students to engage with local environments and cultures to assess and address local sustainability challenges, thereby promoting climate resilience and community understanding.