The climate crisis is no longer a distant issue but an emergency. Its effects, such as rising temperatures, extreme weather, and environmental degradation, are disrupting communities and impacting lives around the world. Community education and engagement are critical to combat this crisis, and universities must prepare students with the knowledge and skills needed to address this challenge and help create a sustainable future.
University leaders from around the globe gathered on campus May 7-9 to discuss existential threats facing higher education. “When the truth is under siege, the university must not flinch,” said Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of Nafsa: Association of International Educators, and keynote speaker at the event, the Annual Network Meeting and Presidential Symposium for Universitas 21, or U21.
UC Davis received the 2025 Innovative Excellence in Internationalization Award from the Association of International Education Administrators. This award recognizes UC Davis’ leadership and accomplishments in institutionalizing and advancing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
One of the ways UC Davis students can get involved with the UN Sustainability Development Goals is through the SDGs Internship, where interns develop SDG-focused programming, identify SDG implementation opportunities, outreach about the SDGs, and more.
This year’s 13 Seed Grants for International Activities projects bring together more than 34 researchers across UC Davis and partner institutions worldwide, fostering collaborations to advance groundbreaking discovery.
This year’s six selected Grants for Advancing Sustainable Development Goals projects contribute to 13 of the 17 SDGs—locally and globally—bringing together more than 18 faculty, researchers and artists from across UC Davis and collaborating communities, government organizations and academic institutions worldwide.
