Implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on Campus: An Exercise in Problem-Based Learning for a Sustainable University

Abstract Colleges and universities have a key role to play in teaching students about and implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs can be an essential tool in curriculum development while providing a structure for how universities can think about their mission and their place in society. One way to learn about the 2030 Agenda and develop a better understanding of the challenges in implementing the SDGs is to use problem-based and collaborative learning to enable students to develop projects to address selected goals and targets on campus. The use of problem-based learning uses the SDGs to educate students about sustainable development, enhance students’ problem-solving skills, and prepare students for the challenges they will face in the workplace. This article describes three different iterations of an SDG project undertaken in undergraduate environmental studies classes in 2016, 2018, and 2021. After reviewing the pedagogy of collaborative and problem-based learning, this article describes the steps in this semester-long project, the outcomes, and lessons learned for future problem-based learning projects.