Abuzz with purpose

The Future17 programme is renowned for steering international students towards sustainability-focused challenges as diverse as digital learning and reuseable packaging.

For Jordan Vearer, the collaborative initiative delivered something altogether different – although just as impactful and rewarding. The Canadian 22-year-old’s project, focused upon a children’s storybook based in Uganda, is among the latest contributions by Waipapa Taumata Rau |  University of Auckland students to Future17, which has been running globally for three years.

Future17 teams international partner organisations with students from universities across Europe, Africa, South America and Oceania to tackle issues linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

At the end of the programme, student teams present their proposed solutions to potential users, be they corporate organisations, charities or NGOs.

As a Bachelor of Global Studies student with an interest in international politics and human rights, Jordan saw a chance to apply her learning to a tangible problem.

That proved to be working with youth-led enterprise Bees and Trees Uganda on a critical review of storybook Saving Bubungi: A Buzzing Adventure, which is aimed at educating young Ugandans about sustainability, biodiversity loss and deforestation.

Jordan's team, focused on SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 15 (Life on Land), analysed the book’s storytelling, language and illustrations to determine how well it communicated key concepts. They used academic research and online readability tools to produce a report on its strengths and weaknesses, recommending alterations to increase its effectiveness and suggesting a plan for how it could be adapted for a global audience.

“This experience gave me great exposure to the challenges of working collaboratively on an international scale and the flexibility and creativity that is needed to problem solve as a team when things don't go exactly to plan, especially when working across various time zones,” she says.

“It helped to solidify my belief in the importance of doing work that both aligns with your personal values and feels meaningful, as it was the purpose behind our project that motivated me to stick with it when challenges did come up.”

While participating in Future17 didn’t change her plans for post-graduation, it did open her eyes to the world of opportunities out there for sustainability-focused work.

“It’s also increased my confidence to transfer what I have taken from my degree into a meaningful career.”

For fellow Global Studies student Kate Wood, originally from Boulder, Colorado, the drawcard was the chance to step outside the classroom and work on a practical project with global collaborators.

Her team focused on developing a flexible climate literacy training module for staff members at the University, co-designed with students from South Africa, Azerbaijan and China. The module incorporated videos, infographics and interactive elements, along with tools such as a carbon footprint calculator, to make climate concepts accessible and actionable.

“This experience has been transformative,” she says.

“It not only gave me hands-on practice in project management and cross-cultural collaboration, but also deepened my interest in sustainability education and climate action.”

Future17 has now matured into what Andrew Patterson, who leads the programme at the University of Auckland, calls a world-class opportunity for students.

“What started for us in 2022 as essentially an ambitious experiment is now producing real change for partner organisations while giving students a world-class experience, with some benefitting further from opportunities following their involvement in the programme,” he says.

He describes the current group as “highly motivated and globally aware”, noting that the diversity of backgrounds represented across faculties strengthens the University’s reputation within the global consortium.

“Our students have a strong reputation across the consortium for their leadership capabilities, and knowing our new intake I have every confidence they will strengthen this reputation.”

For Patterson, the expanding network of universities and project partners is a major strength, exposing students to a wider range of projects and cultural perspectives while positioning Auckland as part of a global sustainability education ecosystem.

“You might find yourself in a team with peers from four continents, working with an organisation headquartered somewhere else entirely,” he says.

“It gives our students international experiences without leaving home, and it allows New Zealand perspectives – especially around Indigenous knowledge, Pacific issues and innovation – to be woven into global conversations.”

The outcomes, he adds, speak for themselves: educational material for youth in Africa and Central Asia, policy recommendations for food security in Southeast Asia, and projects aimed at reducing plastic waste and expanding opportunities for people rescued from human trafficking. Future17 alumni have gone on to be showcased on international platforms, including one invited to speak about the programme at a summit in Malaysia.

Looking ahead, Patterson hopes to gradually grow the programme while keeping its quality intact.

“In the next year or two, we’d like to see the programme fit more comfortably within the degree programmes of a wider range of students,” he says.

“We’d also like to expand our network of project partners in the Asia-Pacific, and to encourage more New Zealand organisations to get involved.

“Longer term, I’d like Future17 to be recognised as a flagship example of how New Zealand universities can lead in collaborative, interdisciplinary sustainability education.”