Abstract:

Climate change is one of the most urgent challenges of our era, requiring solid education to form globally conscious and committed citizens and professionals. The Technological University of Uruguay plays a fundamental role in the collective construction of knowledge. Specifically, the Sustainability for Development Program within the Department of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the university proposes an innovative approach that integrates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Inner Development Goals (IDG), training students not only in academic knowledge but also in skills and perspectives that enable them to address global challenges comprehensively.

In this context, several initiatives were designed. The first of these was an introductory university course aimed at raising awareness of the topic by integrating the identification of problems in the environment. The objectives of this course are to foster a deep understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change, promote critical reflection on adaptation and mitigation strategies, and motivate students to propose concrete individual and collective actions.
The continuous assessment of the course focused on critical reflection and the practical application of knowledge. It included academic readings to approach scientific knowledge, class debates, case studies, and the development of final projects. Since students at the Technological University are located in various regions of the country, it is exciting to highlight the different realities depending on the territory.

This work presents the results of the projects carried out, which design innovative solutions that contribute to mitigation and adaptation both at the individual and collective levels for the regions where the students are located, ranging from personal initiatives to proposals for public policies.

The implementation of this course proved effective in raising awareness and training students on climate change. In a second phase, it would be interesting to prototype the solutions provided, incorporating interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches, and promoting participation in community projects to strengthen their role as agents of change.

Keywords:

Climate change, critical reflection, adaptation, mitigation, collective action.