Curtin’s Sustainability Challenge leads the way for universities, government and industry to collaborate and tackle environmental and sustainability problems.
The Sustainability Challenge is a unique study unit that fosters collaborative problem-solving in sustainability tasks related to net zero, the circular economy and nature positive challenges. Offered by Curtin’s School of Design and the Built Environment, the unit is open to all Curtin undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Curtin student Habiba Rashid explained that for him the Sustainability Challenge was more than ‘an academic exercise’.
“It was a deeply personal opportunity to explore different ways of thinking, build skills, and collaborate with students from all walks of life. We’ve seen that even in one week, it’s possible to plant the seeds of real, lasting change,” he said.
In 2024, the program reached a new audience, with an inaugural Global Sustainability Challenge that brought together students from all six of Curtin’s global campuses.
In 2025, participants from an impressive range of disciplines – engineering, health sciences, communications, business, design and more – worked together on projects ranging from decarbonising ferry transportation to nature-based solutions for combating urban heat.
If you’re a student or industry organisation who is interested in participating in the next Sustainable Challenge, please email humanities-futures@curtin.edu.au.
To hear Professor Josh Byrne’s chat about Curtin’s Sustainable Futures program, listen to our research podcast, The Future of Sustainable Futures, also featuring Data Science student Saf Flatters.
