We're pleased this month to highlight Responsible Futures International pilot institution University of the West Indies (UWI, several locations in the Caribbean). The Responsible Futures International Programme reinforces existing sustainability structures and engages the student body through various activities. For instance, UWI took part in the 7th annual international Teach In in March 2024. This campaign is delivered by SOS-UK which calls on educators to pledge to include the UN Sustainable Development Goals in their teaching, training, and learning throughout the month.
Closely related are other student-led initiatives: the Trees for Tomorrow (T4T) programme and the UWI STAT (Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow) Ambassadorial Corps. T4T is a three-part student project aimed at educating primary students in Trinidad and Tobago about sustainability and climate change. It consists of a teaching session with a worksheet covering five topics on a sustainable future, tree planting of Moringa tree seedlings, and an arts & crafts activity that teaches children how to make useful items and avoid plastics. The programme has a goal of expanding its reach to other primary schools and instilling sustainability values into lessons on an ongoing basis. UWI STAT on the other hand helps shape young leaders through service and volunteerism across all five UWI campuses and 17 Caribbean countries that the UWI serves. This unique program brings together students at the primary and tertiary level, encouraging community engagement.
The Responsible Futures International Programme and UWI STAT both focus on raising awareness at the tertiary level about negative impacts of climate change and the promotion of behaviours that assist in reducing detrimental climate impacts, while T4T begins already at the primary level to support a sustainability mindset early on.
All three programmes focus on the SDGs, especially SDG4 - Quality Education, SDG13 - Climate Action, and SDG17 - Partnerships for the Goals.
Learn more here about the Responsible Futures International Programme.