From Classroom to Global Impact: 5 Ways to Champion the SDGs at UNSW Business School

In her final year of a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance & Marketing) at UNSW Business School, Ruvindri Ediriweera has shaped a university experience that extends far beyond lectures and assessments. Driven by a passion for sustainable development and global impact, Ruvindri has actively sought opportunities to connect her studies with real-world challenges — transforming her degree into a platform for meaningful change.

Recognised as a 2024 - 2025 BUS SDG Student Rep, Ruvindri has championed ways for students to better understand how the UN Sustainable Development Goals intersect with business education and future careers. Her journey reflects what is possible when curiosity meets initiative and when students see sustainability not as an add-on, but as integral to how business should be done.

As a student in the final year of my Bachelor of Commerce degree at UNSW, I have had a variety of different opportunities both within and outside of my course work to learn more about and engage with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

For any current or prospective UNSW Business School students who are interested in learning more about sustainable development, below are some insights I have gained throughout my time developing and engaging with this interest to help guide you in shaping your UNSW experience.

1: Equip Yourself with Foundations Through Coursework

UNSW Business school offers a variety of courses integrated into degree programs and as free electives, which can teach you the basics of the UN’s SDGs and how they interact with the business world.

This journey started in my very first year, where the Integrated First Year courses taught me the foundations of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and how organisations can align their decision-making to help achieve them. As I continued through majors in finance and marketing, consideration of SDGs was consistently incorporated in my coursework.

Finally, in a Work-Integrated Learning and Final Year Synthesis course, COMM3030, I was able to directly apply my learnings to work collaboratively with my peers on a real business problem a Social Enterprise was facing. This experience blended together all the technical skills I had learned throughout my degree, with a sustainability-focused problem-solving approach.

Top Tip: If you’re new to SDGs or want to know more about how they are applied in the business world, plan out your elective courses to make the most of UNSW Business School’s sustainability-focused course offerings within your major and Work-Integrated-Learning requirements.

2: Grow Your Community by Joining a Society 

Through this, I was able to gain a more globalised understanding of how organisations can work towards achieving SDGs and the complexities encountered in the process, while building strong friendships with the people I encountered along the way.

Top Tip: There are a plethora of societies on campus doing amazing work in the sustainable development landscape, so take the time to explore and discover what you are interested in and then get involved in a society taking part in that space.  A great place to start is during O-Week, where you can get a taste for different societies through their stalls and keep up with their social media pages.

3: Find Ways to Translate Your Learning into Action

There are so many opportunities within the UNSW community to get involved and start creating a positive impact as a student as you translate your learnings into tangible actions.

I was a project consultant at 180 Degrees Consulting UNSW, a role where I was able to work with a team of students to provide pro-bono consulting services for local not-for-profit organisations. This was a rewarding process where I was able to take my learnings about SDGs and sustainable business design outside of my coursework and apply it to a real-life situation.

Top Tip: Outside of societies, there are also lots of other exciting opportunities to do this as a UNSW Business School student, including through the Centre for Social Impact and UNSW Tax Clinic. 

4: Gain A More Global Perspective Through International Programs

The option to extend your learning experience internationally is a truly exciting and memorable opportunity which you can tailor to your interests while challenging yourself and discovering something new.

Top Tip: If this is something that you are looking forward to, I would recommend keeping updated with UNSW’s Learning Abroad Notices, Career Accelerator and UNSW Employability, being mindful of registration deadlines as they are often a lot earlier than you think (sometimes up to a year before the program begins).

5: Join the UNSW Team

In addition, I was able to gain insights into the SDG-focused academic research taking place at UNSW Business School, while gaining a deeper understanding of sustainable development initiatives within the organisation. It was also an exciting process to be able to design ways to engage and educate students about these initiatives and help provide access to sustainable initiatives on-campus.

Top Tip: UNSW Business School has a variety of committees that recruit student representatives, and it is a great way to get involved and expand your network beyond your student cohort in the process.

Overall, throughout the course of my degree, UNSW Business School and its affiliated societies have provided me with a wide variety of opportunities to grow my understanding of the UN’s SDGs and apply my learnings in sustainable development locally and globally in order to create a positive social impact.

These experiences have been exciting and memorable, enabling me to make the most of my education while providing me with lifelong friendships and communities.

Final Tip: To any current or prospective student, I would strongly recommend making the most of what the UNSW community has to offer and get involved throughout your time at the university, as there are so many opportunities to grow your interest in sustainable development while enriching your university experience.