Design for Sustainable Development
Background:
This action-based learning course engages students in teams to apply design skills to address the sustainable development needs of entrepreneurial and community partner organizations.
We will visit Eryuan County of Yunnan Province to identify stakeholders, assess needs, and investigate design opportunities that connect ecosystem, rural economy, and ethnic heritage to local and global sustainable development goals.
Being conversant in Chinese is preferred but not mandatory. Having an open mindset — being curious, empathetic, optimistic, creative, confident — is far more critical!
Program locations: Yunnan Province
Duration:27 December, 2026 – 7 January, 2027
Study Language: English
Accreditation: 2 credits
Calculated as 1 credit per 16 contact hours (1 contact hour = 45 minutes)
Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students from all disciplines are welcome. Students must have a good command of English.
Slot: 10
Testimonials:
This winter program allowed me to deeply appreciate the beauty of nature, providing a break from the hustle of the city. Our visit to the Bufang Apple Farm showcased a sustainable business model that not only protects the environment but also generates economic benefits. From this, I realized that economic development and environmental protection are not contradictory; through excellent business models, achieving a “win-win” outcome is entirely feasible.
— Shaotian Sun, Senior at GC
Through this course, we have gained a deep understanding that environmental conversation necessitates an integration of technology and ecology. By innovating our approaches, we can introduce advanced technologies into ecosystems, harnessing their power to address environmental challenges while preserving the natural ecological balance to the greatest extent possible. Such strategies will serve as sustainable models for future environmental efforts, ensuring the long-term well-being of our shared planet.
— Yifan Chen, Senior at GC