Sustainability skills and the success of Future17

QS President Nunzio Quacquarelli explores the success of the Future17 Sustainability Challenge and its unanimous partner satisfaction.  

Launched in 2022, Future17 is a multi-institutional experiential learning programme that combines career-focused skill development, SDG literacy and practical work experience through real-world projects for global companies, start-ups and charities.

Since its inception, the Future17 programme has provided invaluable skills and experiences for students, with many of them subsequently achieving exciting internships and full-time offers with progressive companies in far-flung corners of the globe. 

Brett Dow, an undergraduate at University of Exeter was part of a multi-institutional team of students developing eco-labelling and supporting farmers for Indonesian think-tank Su.re.co. The project was for course credit as part of the Future17 SDG Challenge, involving over a dozen world-leading universities and managed by QS. 

Brett explained the importance of Future17 and the avenues it opened up for him: “It’s about getting to grips with how the organisation you are partnered with functions and helping them to find practical solutions. In return, the experience gives you a leg up in terms of applying for an internship.” 

Brett was subsequently able to build his relationship with the company into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity helping coffee farmers in Bali. He said: “I'm quite a young student but managed to secure an internship in Bali as a result of my project work on Future17. I've been given this amazing opportunity because of the relationships Exeter, QS and Future17 provided.” You can read more about Brett’s story here. 

Brett’s journey illustrates the fact that in recent years, sustainability has emerged as an integral facet of business globally. According to the World Economic Forum, Sustainability Specialists are one of the fastest-growing graduate occupations globally. 

It has become fundamental for many participants in the modern workforce – both fresh graduates and working professionals – to possess the skills necessary to understand and implement the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in business and beyond. 

Future17 SDG Challenge aims to bridge the skills gap faced by university graduates entering an employer market that is increasingly focused on sustainable development and soft skills. 

The member universities of Future17 include: Universities of Exeter, Stellenbosch, Sao Paolo, Auckland, Chinese University of Hong Kong, American University of Cairo, American University of Sharjah, Luiss, Arizona State, UCL, Tec De Monterrey, and the newest addition, Satbayev University in Kazakhstan. 

The most recent term of Future17 united more than 200 students from these universities with 31 partner organisations, engaging in projects ranging from recycling tea waste into fabric dyes in Sri Lanka to sustainable cannabis growth in Canada. 

Partner companies providing live SDG projects include large multinationals like Capgemini, Axel Springer, NGOs like United Nations and PRME, as well as local companies and start-ups – unified by their commitment to tackling SDGs. Partners benefit from an upskilled, diverse and ambitious workforce providing practical solutions to complex projects.  

All participating organisations have reported outstanding results in feedback surveys, unanimously praising the value of students’ projects for their future operations. 

Ben Howard-Cooper, head of sustainable finance at German fintech company Briink, emphasised the significant impact of student support in accelerating the company’s projects, highlighting the importance of collaboration and the role of the next generation in advancing sustainability frameworks: “By leveraging student support we were able to push through projects that would otherwise have taken us months if not a year to complete, so that was a huge help. We care a lot about collaboration and we know that the next generation is going to be integral in taking these frameworks and moving them to the next level.”  

Melissa Leung Pah Hang, Decarbonisation lead at Capgemini Invent highlighted the impact of diversity and fresh perspectives brought by the Future17 team: “Working with such a diverse team was very beneficial as we need diversity to solve complex problems. Future17 students brought a fresh perspective which was very useful, also for me personally.” 

“Though Capgemini is a big global company, there are still not that many practitioners in climate change adaptation. It is our duty to start these conversations, internally and with clients.”  

Partner universities also see excellent results. They enjoy enhanced experiential learning offerings and an improved focus on those often-elusive soft skills while bolstering their overall Environmental, Social and Governance strategy. This boosts their appeal to a new generation of perspective students who are increasingly prioritising sustainability. 

According to QS’ 2022 Sustainability Survey, 79 percent of prospective international students consider an institution’s sustainability practices extremely or very important, with 82 percent saying they would actively seek information on these practices. 

The climate crisis has, of course, driven the emergence of sustainability in the public consciousness, underscored by 2023 claiming the alarming title of the hottest year on record. However, sustainability encompasses more than just the climate, including but not limited to, equal opportunities, social justice, personal freedoms and economic development. 

Therefore, understanding the core principles of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and acquiring the necessary soft, hard and technical skills to implement them across various sectors is paramount.  

The Future17 2023 Spring Term had students tackling projects related to all 17 SDGs, addressing critical issues from economic development to climate action and education. 

QS’ 2023 Global Employer Survey identifies project management as one of the greatest skills gaps experienced by employers among business graduates, reporting 82 percent satisfaction with this skill among employees. Meanwhile, adaptability and collaboration remain key employer requirements. Interestingly, QS data suggests ethics, social responsibility and active learning are increasingly valued among employers in various industries. 

Thus, the success of Future17 is unsurprising, as it centres on project management, active learning and social responsibility while fostering collaboration and problem-solving. 

The Future17 SDG Challenge represents a significant movement in sustainability education and experiential learning. It equips students with the skills to excel in an evolving job market but also enables them to make tangible contributions to companies and communities across the world, thereby enhancing their employability and readiness to face the sustainability challenges of our times. 

Howard-Cooper at Briink encourages more organisations to take part in Future17 for the benefit of future generations, but also for the benefit of the individual company. “Making sure that we are working with student communities to upskill and train them around sustainability was something that meant a lot to our organisation. So that they can take the baton and run with it as they enter the workplace over the next couple of years.” 

If you are a student, belong to a university, NGO or company interested in finding out more about the Future17 SDG Challenge, please register to join the third QS Future17 Impact Showcase on 15 February.