Age of Sustainable Development

The Age of Sustainable Development, offered by SDG Academy through edX, is an introductory online course designed to provide a broad overview of sustainable development and its central question: how the world economy can continue to develop in a way that is socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable. The course explores the interactions between the economy, the environment, and humanity, from finite resources and climate change to equality and global well-being. It is an updated version of Professor Jeffrey Sachs’ 2015 course and has been reoriented around Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Core Content

The curriculum is structured across 14 modules and introduces the main foundations of sustainable development through economic, social, environmental, and policy perspectives. It covers topics such as economic growth and progress, poverty, environmental threats, the transition from the MDGs to the SDGs, inequality, the history of economic development, extreme poverty, planetary boundaries, human rights, gender equality, education, health, food systems, climate change, biodiversity, and the role of governance. The course is designed to help learners understand how these themes connect rather than treating them as isolated issues.

Key Skills

Participants will develop the ability to understand the basic tenets of sustainable development, interpret the links between economic development, environmental limits, and social inclusion, and build a broader systems-level perspective on global challenges. The course also helps learners strengthen their ability to engage with topics such as inequality, poverty, climate change, finite resources, and sustainable development policy using a more informed and connected framework.

Target Learners

This course is designed for anyone new to the concept of sustainable development who wants to understand its foundations and relevance to life and work. SDG Academy also identifies graduate students, advanced undergraduate students, sustainable development practitioners, and private-sector professionals, including those working in corporate sustainability and responsibility, as suitable learners. This makes it relevant to both academic and professional audiences seeking a concise overview of the field.

Learning Format

Hosted through edX and SDG Academy, the course is delivered in a self-paced online format and can be accessed at any time. SDG Academy lists 14 modules, with an expected study effort of two to four hours per module. The learning experience includes pre-recorded lectures, readings, quizzes, a final exam, and a discussion forum. The course is free to access, and learners who complete it successfully are eligible to purchase an edX verified certificate signed by the instructor.

Additional Benefits

The course offers strong value for learners seeking a broad and structured introduction to sustainable development from one of the field’s best-known educators. Its updated alignment with Agenda 2030 and the SDGs makes it especially relevant for current sustainability learning, while its wide-ranging syllabus provides a solid foundation for further study or practical work in development, policy, and sustainability-related fields.

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