Making a difference in sustainability and social mobility

Two of the most important topics of this age are sustainability and social mobility. In the face of international criticism of higher education among conservatives and authoritarians, these two issues may be the ground upon which credibility can be recaptured and built.

The U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an important international measure that some institutions track in order to demonstrate their environmental impact. Some educators predict that achieving sustainability goals is only possible of higher education steps up to take a more significant role. Arizona State University's SDG domination over the last 5 years as the top U.S. university is impressive. However, one might ask why U.S. institutions in general are declining in their SDG fulfillment and why more are not tracking their contribution. Phil Baty, chief global affairs officer for THE asked, "Given the breadth, depth and resources of higher education in the country, and their global leadership in university research, we expected to see more American institutions come forward and demonstrate their commitment to supporting a sustainable future..." As an institution with multiple programs in areas outside of the U.S., Carnegie Mellon University is a significant example of incorporating the SDGs to document its impact.

Social mobility is important both as a U.S. domestic issue but it is increasingly a concern at a global level. U.S. institutions are ranked in their effectiveness in promoting social and economic mobility with a particular focus on the pay-off for students from minoritized or lower-resourced economic backgrounds. The problem is balancing the internal U.S. national social mobility in the face of mass immigration across the world. This graphic confirms that the U.S. is one of the countries with the highest immigration and that its share has been growing. However, the U.S. is not a stand-out in comparison to most of the leading economic centers of the world.

As anti-university political movements gain momentum immigration will likely be a flash-point. Countries with high levels of in-migration will need to demonstrate that immigration is a plus rather than a minus. It begins to be a plus when immigration turns into positive social and economic mobility. This is the "American Dream" of which generations have spoken; taking it seriously is key to political healing as well as the welfare of all.