Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham conducted its first-ever university-wide student survey on sustainability, aimed at evaluating and understanding students’ current knowledge levels on diverse sustainability topics. The survey covered local and global issues such as traditional ecological knowledge, climate action, and gender equity while providing insights into students’ sustainability interests and concerns. Participation in the survey was voluntary, reflecting the institution’s commitment to fostering a culture of sustainability awareness and engagement among its students.
The overall results revealed that a majority of students at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (79.5%) demonstrated an “Advanced” level of understanding of core sustainability concepts, achieving scores between 15–20 marks*. This trend was particularly notable among undergraduate students, highlighting their strong grasp of sustainability principles.
An analysis across the various schools at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham showed variations in scores across the four knowledge domains assessed. Students from the School of Science emerged as top performers, achieving an “Advanced” level of sustainability understanding, while students from the School of Business had the lowest average scores, reflecting a “Basic” level. Notably, students from Psychology, Humanities, Communication, and Social Sciences excelled in the Environmental Knowledge domain, as these programs increasingly integrate topics such as environmental and climate justice. Similarly, students from the Schools of Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, and Education scored highest in the socio-cultural domain, reflecting the regionally-rooted focus of their curricula.
When asked to rank their priorities for the Sustainability and Resilience 2030 initiative, students at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham identified Climate Action as their top priority, followed by Integrating Traditional Indian Knowledge Systems. These priorities strongly align with the university’s vision of fostering sustainability through a blend of modern innovation and ancient wisdom. The rankings reflect Amrita’s commitment to strategic initiatives like environmental stewardship, resilience-building, and preserving India’s cultural heritage while addressing global challenges. Download a high-quality report version of the result.
This survey, conducted as a pilot with a modest sample size (n = 118), included primarily undergraduate students (72%) and had a 30% attrition rate. While acknowledging potential self-selection bias, the insights provide valuable initial indicators of students’ sustainability preferences and their alignment with Amrita’s long-term sustainability goals.
The Live-in-Labs™ program at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is a transformative, multidisciplinary initiative designed to immerse students in rural development challenges while enhancing their understanding of sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This flagship program is mandatory for students in several undergraduate and postgraduate programs and operates across multiple rural communities in India.
The program’s objectives are twofold: to foster awareness of sustainability challenges through real-world interventions and to integrate Indigenous knowledge systems into scientific and technological solutions. Students engage in community-based projects supervised by faculty members, focusing on areas such as water management, renewable energy, education, and health.
This year, over 500 students participated in a 2-hour orientation session to assess their baseline understanding of sustainability challenges in rural India. Following this, they undertook a 10-hour foundational course titled Sustainability: Think, Care, Do, which contributes to 15% of their final assessment. The course deepens their awareness of sustainable development concepts and connects their project work to SDG targets, making the theoretical knowledge actionable.
Students then participated in a 15-day rural immersion, where they applied their learning to develop innovative, scalable solutions tailored to the specific needs of the communities they served. The program culminated in a final reflective assessment, worth 25% of their grade, where students critically analyzed the outcomes of their interventions, linking their work to specific SDG goals.
Student Reflection:
“The Live-in-Labs™ program opened my eyes to the real-world challenges of sustainability and how these challenges intersect with social, cultural, and economic realities in rural India. It was an incredible experience to work hands-on in a community, co-create solutions, and see the impact of our efforts. I particularly loved how the program pushed us to connect theory to practice, linking our solutions directly to SDG targets. It has completely redefined my understanding of sustainability—not just as a concept but as a tangible, actionable framework. Developing solutions with and for the community has been the most rewarding part of my academic journey.”
The learning and sustainability outcomes of the Live-in-Labs™ program are continually reviewed to ensure its effectiveness and scalability, reinforcing Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s commitment to holistic, impactful education.