The Power of Transdisciplinary Student-Faculty-Community Partnership in addressing Global Challenges

At Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), we integrate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our undergraduate curriculum through a pioneering 9-unit course titled "Global Challenges." This innovative one-year course, following the 3Cs pedagogical approach (Connection, Complexity, and Collaboration), involves 135 students, 15 faculty members from various disciplines, and 6 community stakeholders. Instead of teaching a single discipline in one course, our approach fosters a real-life student-faculty-community partnership. Students engage in interviewing faculty from various disciplines, participating in diverse field trips, and proposing solutions to global challenges related to clothing, eating, living, and commuting.

Rather than end-of-semester exams, each unit culminates in student projects showcased on campus and within the broader community through collaboration with WWF-Hong Kong. This method fosters self-directed learning and encourages students to apply their knowledge in the community, promoting effective transdisciplinary collaboration. Focus group feedback revealed that the transdisciplinary teaching approach not only significantly enhanced sustainability literacy but also instilled a sense of responsibility to advocate for sustainable practices. Students actively participated and leveraged information to deepen their understanding. They learned to appreciate failure as part of the learning process, to persevere, and to cultivate a growth mindset. These experiences empower students to become confident transdisciplinary collaborators, enabling them to realize their capacity for change and their role in driving sustainable practices.