There is also a growing number of innovative educational programs that are bringing together the best that academia and sustainable communities have to offer. For example, the Community Studies Program runs semester programs at Findhorn through Pacific Lutheran University and Geocommons runs programs to Auroville through the University of New Hampshire. Other university campuses that are embracing sustainability in their curricula and operations include Brown, Cornell, Oberlin, Tufts, and Harvard, to name but a few. The mission of Living Routes is to develop and support a diverse, yet integrated set of ecovillage-based educational programs that empower participants to help build a sustainable future. At the core of Living Routes is an expanding collection of experiential learning programs that support participants to develop knowledge, skills and values through direct experiences within sustainable communities.
Some programs are semester-long residential experiences in one or more ecovillages.
Many of our ecovillage-based programs will be closely integrated with ongoing, related coursework that students are taking at neighboring colleges. By linking the developmental priorities of ecovillages and partnering schools, these programs will help students and their sponsoring colleges become significant players in developing societal models that help restore a healthy relationship to our planet and to each other. Living Routes programs will be connected to a consortium of colleges and universities that allow students to participate as part of their academic career. While hands-on learning and community living is a hallmark of these programs, we hope to augment these experiences through distance learning courses and through internet linkages among students and ecovillages around the world. Research projects that compare technologies and practices across participating ecovillages and campuses will provide outstanding educational opportunities for students, vital input for ecovillage and campus development, and excellent venues for educating the broader public.