Georgia Institute of Technology
AC-5: Immersive Experience

The “Design Develop Build” program in South Africa is offered to students through the College of Architecture. During this twelve-week study abroad program students design and build an extensions to existing buildings in South Africa. Their designs focus on sustainability in the environment and in the community along with low-cost housing and education.

The Leadership for Social Good Study Abroad program offered through the Scheller College of Business is a 12-week program in Eastern Europe that takes students to Prague, Krakow, and Budapest where they look at the role of the nonprofit/social sector, civil society, and corporate sector in creating sustainable solutions to society's most pressing problems. From urban farms that address the need for a locally grown and economically accessible food source while creating employment for refugees, to system level solutions to solving chronic homelessness in Atlanta, to creating meaningful employment for people with disabilities in the Czech Republic, to affecting policy at the EU level to preserve biodiversity while increasing the competitiveness of businesses in Hungary - this program addresses the importance of triple bottom line solutions, as well as the importance of identifying the unintended consequences when assessing the impact of these solutions. The unique component of this program is the opportunity to learn hands-on about how these organizations operate during the project component of the course. Students work with a Budapest-based nonprofit to help them create sustainable solutions to the environmental and social problems they are addressing. Beyond solving their tasks, students immerse themselves in important topics like social justice, the link between economic development and biodiversity, what type of leadership is effective in the nonprofit sector, how can corporations model sustainability and be profitable at the same time, and what is the role of governments in supporting sustainable solutions.

Offered by the School of International Affairs, the Japan Program in Sustainable Development is a ten-week program home-based in the lovely, historic port city of Kobe. Japan – with superb mass transportation, low crime, progressive environmental policies, and endless things to do and see – is the perfect setting in which to study sustainable development. And Kobe presents a unique blending of traditional and modern as reflected in gleaming skyscrapers and bustling department stores alongside zen gardens, stately temples and shrines, and ancient arts. One week of the program is devoted to exploring the beautiful Japanese countryside, including planned visits to Fukushima, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Himeji. Through field trips, lectures, and multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural problem-based learning, this program aims to equip students with the tools needed to understand and respond to the broad issues of sustainable development.

Nature, Governance, and Sustainability in Costa Rica is a study abroad program offered by the School of Biological Sciences. The program provides a unique opportunity for students to learn and live in the tropics of Central America and introduces students to biological, governmental, and societal interactions that help communities protect natural resources, preserve biological diversity, support local innovation, strengthen societal ties, and bolster human capital. Students will travel through Costa Rica and visit a variety of spectacular locations where they will learn about the biological systems and societal practices that make Costa Rica one of the most successful countries in Central America.

Alternative Service Break (ASB) trips provide a meaningful way for students and staff to engage in a group oriented, immersion community service experience and to learn about service issues such as affordable housing, early childhood education, disaster relief, hunger and homelessness, and sustainable development. Key tenants of an ASB trip include meaningful community service, intentional group reflection, and personal leadership development. Trips are managed predominately by ASB, our student-run organization in partnership with Civic Engagement that seeks to provide affordable and meaningful service trips to Tech students during school breaks. Each break, we send groups of 12-18 students, with two student leaders, and two faculty/staff advisors to cities over the globe.