Each morning in Switzerland, I log onto my computer and attend a British lecture in a classroom without leaving the country. No airport security. No flights. No spartan dormitory and missed kitchenware. Only Wi-Fi, lectures and the silent recognition that international education doesn’t have to be what it was before. As a business administration student, I do online classes while simultaneously working and living in Switzerland. And this means my carbon footprint is lower when compared to the classic study abroad scenario.
International education usually implies mobility constantly. Different countries, different houses, relocation all the time. But my educational experience has proven that global education can also happen differently nowadays. By taking part in online education, I have received international experience without any trips and additional resource consumption. For me, this is a clear example of how SDG 4 and SDG 13 can be interconnected. Education shouldn’t become less international but smarter.
Instead of considering sustainability an ideal, I perceive it today as a combination of many small things that when added up make a huge impact. The idea of sustainability was never associated with any one particular act. It is about routine and about habits. It is about constantly making choices that prioritize awareness over comfort until it becomes a habit.
This is also true about my daily life these days. I use public transport, try to consume mindfully and reflect on decisions which seemed obvious before. Sustainability is not for me about giving up on resources but rather about being responsible for our lives, travel and consumption. It is the small things – not consuming something unnecessary, using reusable items and even digital alternatives – that can make a real difference.
My studies in business administration has also influenced the way I see the concept of responsibility itself. In classes, the issue of sustainability is usually considered in the framework of ESG criteria, statistics, and business policies. However, my experience of international studies has taught my that sustainability becomes truly meaningful only in the context of everyday actions – the way we travel, consume, eat, move around, and live in a foreign environment.
This is where the UN Sustainable Development Goals go from being mere ideas to becoming everyday choices. For instance, SDG 11 encourages sustainable communities and mobility, SDG 12 implies more responsible consumption, and SDG 13 implies taking responsibility for reducing one’s emissions. Perhaps this is the reason why sustainable international studies do not imply getting rid of the exchange programs as such. Perhaps they imply finding new ways of global learning that do not put an extra burden on our planet.
United Nations (2026) The 17 goals. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals (Accessed: 19. June 2026).
