Mission:
Future Generations promotes research, learning, and action toward
inclusive and sustainable community change worldwide.
About Us
Future Generations University is a global pioneer in higher education, specializing in the interdisciplinary field of Applied Community Development. The University offers one-of-a-kind learning opportunities to community grounded professionals committed to developing a more inclusive, sustainable, and hopeful world.
Together with the University’s partner organization, the Future Generations Global Network, our Global Team gathers practitioners, students, academics, and community leaders in a universe of learning to advance the well-being of people and planet. We are headquartered in the heart of Appalachia where we reach to other marginalized communities all over the world with our method to advance community-based sustainable development.
Vision:
Future Generations University seeks a global shift in practice so local adaptation responds to emerging challenges. This vision extends research, learning, and action so present generations improve futures for generations yet to come.
Recognizing the now overarching global climate disruption and to advance this vision effectively, Future Generations University applies these tenets:
ENRICH THROUGH APPLIED EDUCATION: Future Generations University, across all its partner organizations, extends impact through education linked to practice.
PROMOTE EQUITY AND EMPOWERMENT: Regardless of circumstances, communities must have agency over their direction to achieve equity and empowerment. The University prioritizes the vulnerable and marginalized by promoting their empowerment in their communities.
CONSERVE EARTH’S SYSTEMS (AIR, LAND, WATER): The University protects Earth’s biodiversity and life systems through training partner organizations at landscape and community levels in such a way that enhances community capacities to adapt to disrupting global systems.
EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN: The University lifts the voices of women and supports them in enhancing their skills and abilities to be core agents of change and improve their lives and the lives of their families.
ASSURE LIFE-LONG, WORLD-CIRCLING LEARNING: Future Generations global family consists of country partners, faculty, alumni, graduates, staff, boards of trustees, and partner practitioners. We are a global network of holistic learning for generations yet to come.
SCALE-UP SUCCESSES: Quality of life rises from successes locally grown through action learning and continual experimentation. Thus, the Future Generations Global Network advances and supports alumni partnerships to scale up regional successes in community change.
CREDO: Communities thrive when we share what we know. Sustainable, inclusive communities evolve when we act from our successes; unite as partners—top, bottom, and outside; decide, plan, and act using evidence, not opinion—then our behaviors will benefit generations yet to come.
Future Generations delivers and teaches local impact at global scale. With its proven method for community development, this world-circling, yet community grounded, universe of learning is uniquely positioned to advance just and lasting change for all.
Our History
Over three decades, Future Generations has evolved a global learning organization with expertise in community grounded sustainable development. Future Generations University exists to extend this learning through innovative graduate education, training, and collaborative research across a Global Network of development practitioners. Members of this Global Team share a proven method, SEED-SCALE, to advance inclusive, sustainable change across hundreds of communities in more than 42 countries.
Our Shared Future
Communities all over the world must be equipped to develop site-specific solutions to grow resilience in the face of global challenges. That’s what we do at Future Generations. And we’re charting a new course to offer our community-based learning at a larger scale than ever before possible.
For the first time in human history, every country of the world has signed on to the same set of goals: the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In these, governments, many corporations, and donor agencies have shared targets to address our immense global challenges.
