A new course on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals at
Utah Valley University is equipping students to become informed advocates for sustainable mountain development (SMD), both in the State of Utah and at the United Nations. With a strong focus on mountain communities and ecosystems, the course combines academic study with hands-on engagement, demonstrating how classroom learning can be translated into effective real-world advocacy.
Using a student-engaged learning (SEL) model, the course provides practical experience in addressing pressing challenges facing mountain regions. Students work collaboratively under faculty mentorship to develop initiatives that link locally grounded action in Utah with global policy dialogue and decision-making processes at the United Nations.
The curriculum covers a range of themes that offer a well-rounded understanding of sustainable mountain development, drawing on lessons from past initiatives to illustrate how engagement in international policy forums, event organization and multi-stakeholder dialogue can advance mountain priorities. It also situates SMD initiatives implemented since 2011 within the broader context of the adoption and ongoing implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Since 2011, members of the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), a coalition of student clubs at Utah Valley University, have been advocating for sustainable mountain development. Their work demonstrates the growing role of youth in global policy processes, with students actively contributing to United Nations policy spaces and bringing mountain perspectives into international dialogue.
