Are you a student curious about SUSTAINABILITY and SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?
Do you want to explore what the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) mean and how they connect to your academic background?
Enroll today! Places are limited.
SUSTAINABILITY for ALL is a course designed to promote awareness of sustainability among all NOVA University students through engaging challenges and missions centered on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students will gain an interdisciplinary perspective by exploring the interconnectedness of SDGs across various topics. They will acquire essential fundamentals, skills, and tools critical to their professional development, regardless of their academic background.
SUSTAINABILITY for ALL is a course with no classes. Learning is based on 12 online missions, which can be completed at each student’s own pace, and on occasional in-person activities, such as workshops and the final Hackathon, where attendance is mandatory. A digital community of mentors and professors will support students throughout the learning process and the completion of the missions.
Why take this course?
Think Big
Dive deep into sustainability from every perspective —environmental, social, and economic.
Learn by Doing
Engage with real-world challenges through hands-on, mission-based learning.
Join the NOVA Network
Collaborate with professors, students, and experts from across NOVA’s 9 Schools.
Grow Together
Exchange ideas and knowledge with peers in a vibrant, interactive learning environment.
Enroll now!
Enrollments are open until February 18th!
SUSTAINABILITY FOR ALL is now open as an Extra-curricular course, providing a supplement to your diploma.
If you are an undergraduate, master or post-graduate student of any NOVA University school, join the 1st Edition, starting on March 1st at Campus de Campolide with speakers, workshops and a networking lunch.
Welcome Session
Kick-off the course with an engaging in-person session featuring inspirational talks and two dynamic workshops on Theory of Change and Systems Thinking. This session also offers a unique opportunity to network with students from all NOVA schools. Mandatory presence is required.
12 Missions
The course includes four sets of three missions, covering all 17 SDGs. Each mission is designed by professors from different NOVA schools, ensuring an interdisciplinary perspective. Students will complete one mission per set, for a total of four missions throughout the course.
2 Workshops
Between the mission sets, you will participate in two 1.5-hour in-person workshops. These sessions are designed to challenge your thinking about future perspectives and professional challenges in sustainability. Mandatory presence is required.
Hackathon
At the conclusion of the course, all enrolled students will engage in a full-day Hackathon on campus. This hands-on experience helps students tackle sustainability challenges by learning to manage complexity and embrace long-term accountability. Collaborate, learn, and have fun working in interdisciplinary teams. Mandatory presence is required.
Each mission starts with an exploration of key concepts and foundational knowledge, providing students with the tools they need to deeply engage with complex topics. Through practical assignments, these missions encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and meaningful progress toward sustainability goals.
Missions are organized in 4 Sets.
Missions Set 1: The Foundations of Life on Earth
Explore the physical and environmental foundations that sustain life on our planet.
- A Healthy Planet | SDG 14 – SDG 15
Investigate the importance of protecting and restoring ecosystems that enable life. - Land Use and Food Production| SDG 02 – SDG 06 – SDG 13
Examine sustainable land use practices and their connection to food security and climate. - Climate and Energy: Act Now! | SDG 07 – SDG 13
Address the urgent need for energy sustainability and climate action.
Missions Set 2: Human Health and Well-Being
Understand how the environment and resources impact human health and
quality of life.
- One Health and Well-Being | SDG 03 – SDG 13 – SDG 15
Explore the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. - Health and Sustainable Food | SDG 02 – SDG 03
Discover the relationship between sustainable food systems and public health. - Pure Air, Clean Water, Healthy Future | SDG 03 – SDG 06 – SDG 07
Investigate how air and water quality affect overall health and sustainability.
Missions Set 3: Human Structures and Challenges for Sustainability
Analyze human-made systems, including economic structures, and their
sustainability challenges.
- Responsible Consumption and Production | SDG 12
Discover strategies for achieving sustainable consumption and production patterns. - Sustainable Economic Development| SDG 01 – SDG 08 – SDG 10
Learn how to balance economic development with sustainability and equity. - Industry and Infrastructures | SDG 09 – SDG 13
Examine sustainable approaches to industry and infrastructure development.
Missions Set 4: Social Dimensions of Sustainability
Explore the social aspects of sustainability, including inclusion, peace, and urban development.
- Inclusion, Gender, and Migration | SDG 04 – SDG 05
Understand the interplay of education, gender equality, and migration in
building inclusive societies. - War and Peace in the 21st Century: Where, Why, and How? | SDG 16
Study the dynamics of conflict and pathways to sustainable peace. - How Sustainable Is Our Built Environment? | SDG 10 – SDG 11
Evaluate the eco-efficiency and sustainability of buildings and urban spaces.
Sustainability impacts all professional activities and personal decisions. Society and the market increasingly recognize the importance of addressing sustainability to prevent losses, mitigate damages, and promote environmental, social, and economic benefits.
Sustainability for All will:
Develop Essential Skills: Enhance critical thinking, self-learning, peer-learning, and problem-solving abilities essential for tackling sustainability challenges.
Address Real-World Problems: Equip you with the fundamentals and tools to analyze and respond to pressing sustainability issues by exploring:
Why are these challenges relevant? What causes them? What impacts do they have on social and ecological systems? How can they be effectively addressed and solved?
Adopt a Long-Term Perspective: Cultivate a medium- to long-term mindset as a strategy to anticipate, adapt to, or prevent worst-case scenarios.
Explore Interdisciplinary Solutions: Engage with measures from regulation, technology, innovation, or law to confront challenges, regardless of your scientific background.
Empower you to think critically and act strategically, making a meaningful impact in both your personal and professional endeavors.
DATE | SESSION | MODE |
---|---|---|
March 1 (Saturday) | Welcome session | In person |
March 1-14 | SET 1 (1 Mission / 3 Missions) | Online |
March 19 | Workshop | In person |
March 24 – April 4 | SET 2 (1 Mission / 3 Missions) | Online |
April 7 – 24 | SET 3 (1 Mission / 3 Missions, includes Easter Break) | Online |
April 30 | Workshop | In person |
May 5 – 23 | SET 4 (1 Mission / 3 Missions) | Online |
June 7 (Saturday) | Hackathon | In person |
Any questions? Send an email to sustentabilidade@unl.pt