Future17 Sustainable Development Goals Challenge

Founded in 2019 by QS Quacquarelli Symonds and the University of Exeter (UK), the Future17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Challenge was established to bridge the gap between higher education, employer expectations, and the complex sustainability challenges facing the world today. The initiative connects universities, students, and organisations through authentic sustainability projects aligned with the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), creating meaningful learning experiences while delivering measurable social, environmental, and economic impact.

What is Future17?

Future17 is an international initiative that brings together universities and business schools, purpose-driven organisations, and students to address global sustainability challenges through applied, project-based learning. It consists of two interconnected components:

The Future17 SDG Challenge

An experiential learning programme in which employers, industries, NGOs, public institutions, and other organisations submit real sustainability challenges for interdisciplinary and international student teams to solve. Students collaborate directly with project partners to develop innovative and practical solutions to real-world sustainability issues.

The Future17 Consortium

A global network of universities and business schools committed to advancing sustainability education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and international engagement. Consortium members share expertise, exchange best practices, and jointly deliver the Future17 Challenge.

Who Participates?

Higher Education Institutions

Universities and business schools join the Future17 Consortium, nominate eligible students, and provide academic mentors to support international project teams throughout the programme.

Employers and Purpose-Driven Organisations

Companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), start-ups, charities, and public-sector organisations participate by proposing sustainability-focused projects and working alongside student teams to co-create impactful solutions.

Students

Students from Consortium member institutions, representing all academic disciplines and levels of study (excluding first-year undergraduate students), are eligible to participate. The programme promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and international teamwork, enabling participants to gain valuable global perspectives.

Programme Structure

The Future17 SDG Challenge is delivered twice each year through two 12-week cohorts:

• September – December

• January – May

The programme consists of:

• Four weeks of professional and employability skills development;

• Eight weeks of international team-based collaboration on live sustainability projects;

• A final project showcase and graduation ceremony, where student teams present their solutions to project partners and the wider Future17 community.

Sustainability Themes

Projects address a broad spectrum of sustainability challenges across the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainable development. Areas include:

• Climate action and resilience

• Biodiversity conservation

• Circular economy

• Renewable energy

• Sustainable cities and communities

• Human rights and social inclusion

• Community development

• Public health and healthcare access

• Responsible innovation

• Digital technologies for sustainability

• Education and lifelong learning

• Sustainable business practices

Each project contributes to one or more of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), providing participants with opportunities to create tangible global impact.

The Role of the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the world's shared framework for addressing today's most pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. They guide governments, businesses, educational institutions, and civil society in building a more sustainable and equitable future.

Future17 uses the SDGs as the foundation for all project activities, ensuring that student learning is directly connected to globally recognised sustainability priorities while supporting organisations in advancing their sustainability agendas.

Experiential Learning for Sustainability

Future17 is founded on the principles of experiential learning, an educational approach in which students develop knowledge, skills, and professional competencies by actively engaging with authentic challenges rather than learning solely through classroom instruction.

Through project-based collaboration with international organisations, students apply systems thinking, critical analysis, innovation, teamwork, and reflective practice to solve complex sustainability problems. This experiential approach enables participants to:

• Develop practical sustainability competencies;

• Strengthen problem-solving and project management skills;

• Gain international and cross-cultural collaboration experience;

• Build professional networks with global organisations;

• Enhance career readiness for sustainability-focused roles.

By integrating academic learning with real-world application, Future17 equips graduates with the knowledge, experience, and global mindset needed to become effective leaders in sustainable development.

For more information please visit: https://www.qs.com/solutions/future17