Connecting the world’s brightest young minds with partners to tackle the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Future17 is a multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary global challenges education program for students, focused on developing 21st century skills and tackling the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This transformative opportunity was initiated by the University of Exeter in partnership with QS. They have brought together a Consortium of universities from five continents: the University of Exeter, UK; The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Stellenbosch University, South Africa; University of São Paulo, Brazil; University of Auckland, New Zealand; LUISS, Italy; American University in Cairo, Egypt; American University of Sharjah, UAE; Arizona State University, USA; Tec De Monterrey, Mexico, and UCL, UK. Students from Consortium universities work in international interdisciplinary teams on projects sourced by the QS ImpACT Charity from businesses, charities, start-ups and global organisations to develop actionable solutions to real-world challenges aligned with the SDGs. Future17 was launched in 2021 and has now seen over 500 students gaining experience and SDG skills.
Future17 aims to:
- Support students of Consortium institutions to develop the skills required for their future global careers through international collaboration.
- Develop actionable insights to enable organisations to address imperatives and obstacles aligned with SDGs.
- Generate value with and for partners – universities, businesses, third sector organisations.
PROJECTS 2021-24
Number of projects per country
| wdt_ID | Country | 21/22 | 2021/22 | 22/23 | 2022/23 | 23/24 | 2023/24 | Total | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2 | Cameroon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | |||
| 3 | Canada | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | |||
| 4 | Congo | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 5 | Congo,the Dem. Rep. of the | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| 6 | Germany | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | |||
| 7 | India | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 12 | |||
| 8 | Indonesia | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||
| 9 | Israel | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||
| 10 | Japan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 11 | Kazakhstan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| 12 | Malawi | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 13 | Mali | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 14 | Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||
| 15 | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| 16 | Pakistan | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| 17 | Portugal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |||
| 18 | Serbia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 19 | Singapore | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |||
| 20 | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |||
| 21 | Spain | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | |||
| 22 | Sri Lanka | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |||
| 23 | Switzerland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 24 | Ukraine | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 25 | United Arab Emirates | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Projects by SDGs
| wdt_ID | SDG | 21/22 | 2021/22 | 22/23 | 2022/23 | 23/24 | 2023/24 | Total | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 No Poverty | 1 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 4 |
| 2 | 10 Reduced Inequality | 0 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 21 | 5 |
| 3 | 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities | 2 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 9 | 31 | 7 |
| 4 | 12 Responsible Consumption and Production | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 8 | 23 | 5 |
| 5 | 13 Climate Action | 6 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 12 | 34 | 8 |
| 6 | 14 Life Below Water | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| 7 | 15 Life on Land | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 15 | 3 |
| 8 | 16 Peace and Justice Strong Institutions | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 9 | 17 Partnerships to achieve the Goal | 3 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 25 | 10 | 40 | 9 |
| 10 | 2 Zero Hunger | 1 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 18 | 4 |
| 21/22 | 22/23 | 23/24 | Total |
Projects by sectors
| wdt_ID | Industry sector | 21/22 | 2021/22 | 22/23 | 2022/23 | 23/24 | 2023/24 | Total | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Aerospace | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 29 | Agriculture & Farming | 10 | 5 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| 30 | Arts, Culture & Entertainment | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | ||||
| 31 | Automotive | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 32 | Construction | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 33 | Consulting Services | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| 34 | Defence & Intelligence | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 35 | EdTech | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 36 | Education | 5 | 9 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| 37 | Energy & Resources | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | ||||
Skills required by Employers
| wdt_ID | Required skill | 21/22 | 2021/22 | 22/23 | 2022/23 | 23/24 | 2023/24 | Total | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Accounting & Finance / Accounting | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | Accounting & Finance / Financial Analysis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 4 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Business Analysis | 1 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 23 | 4 |
| 5 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Business Development | 1 | 3 | 13 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 26 | 4 |
| 6 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Business Management | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 7 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Entrpreneurship | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| 8 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Innovation | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 4 | 19 | 3 |
| 9 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Market Research | 2 | 5 | 23 | 10 | 22 | 7 | 47 | 8 |
| 10 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Product Development | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 2 |
| 11 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Product Management | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
PARTICIPATING STUDENTS 2021-24
Students distribution
| wdt_ID | University | 21/22 | 22/23 | 23/24 | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| 2 | Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali (LUISS) 'Guido Carli' | 0 | 28 | 20 | 48 |
| 3 | Satbayev University | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| 4 | Stellenbosch University | 32 | 78 | 84 | 194 |
| 5 | Tecnológico de Monterrey | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | The American University in Cairo | 0 | 35 | 67 | 102 |
| 7 | The American University of Sharjah | 0 | 0 | 43 | 43 |
| 8 | The Chinese University of Hong Kong | 20 | 30 | 22 | 72 |
| 9 | The University of Auckland | 0 | 20 | 35 | 55 |
| 10 | University of Exeter | 22 | 66 | 98 | 186 |
| 11 | University of São Paulo | 26 | 57 | 27 | 110 |
| ∑ = 100 | ∑ = 314 | ∑ = 407 | ∑ = 821 |
Skills Presented by Students
| wdt_ID | Skill | 21/22 | 2021/22 | 22/23 | 2022/23 | 23/24 | 2023/24 | Total | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Accounting & Finance / Accounting | 8 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 47 | 1 |
| 23 | Accounting & Finance / Financial Analysis | 6 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 27 | 1 | 45 | 1 |
| 24 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Business Analysis | 4 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 46 | 2 | 67 | 1 |
| 25 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Business Development | 4 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 28 | 1 | 45 | 1 |
| 26 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Business Management | 8 | 2 | 26 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 69 | 1 |
| 27 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Entrpreneurship | 2 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 69 | 1 |
| 28 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Innovation | 3 | 1 | 33 | 2 | 61 | 2 | 97 | 2 |
| 29 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Market Research | 8 | 2 | 33 | 2 | 42 | 1 | 83 | 2 |
| 30 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Product Development | 3 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 39 | 1 |
| 31 | Business & Entrepreneurship / Product Management | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
Most Popular Industry Sectors
| wdt_ID | Industry sector | 21/22 | 2021/22 | 22/23 | 2022/23 | 23/24 | 2023/24 | Total | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Aerospace | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 29 | Agriculture & Farming | 10 | 5 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| 30 | Arts, Culture & Entertainment | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | ||||
| 31 | Automotive | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 32 | Construction | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 33 | Consulting Services | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| 34 | Defence & Intelligence | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 35 | EdTech | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 36 | Education | 5 | 9 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| 37 | Energy & Resources | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | ||||