SAVE THE DATE!

We are living in a moment of extraordinary change. With sustainability under pressure across sectors – educators and practitioners face both crisis and opportunity. Building on the successes of the 2023, 2024, and 2025 events the virtual 2026 Sustainability Education Forum (SEF) on June 4 & 5 invites you to come together not just to exchange ideas, but to step into a deeper role: as catalysts and bold leaders. Together, we’ll share strategies, strengthen our schools and institutions, and shape the future of sustainability education in practical ways.

Why Attend?

Our community is grappling with rising anxiety, political backlash, and systemic barriers to sustainability, climate and justice work. Additionally, educators are seeing growing pressures—from budget concerns and political debates to generational shifts in student expectations. This forum is your space to tackle that reality head-on—with courage, creativity, and collective insight. The SEF 2025 is not just a conference—it’s a space for authentic conversations, creative problem-solving, and meaningful collaboration where you set the agenda. Using a dynamic, participant-led model, you’ll choose the conversations that matter most, connect with peers, co-create solutions in real time and walk away with new tools and ideas ready to implement.

What to Expect

• Two days of highly participatory, peer-driven dialogue shaped by the needs and questions of the moment.
• Pre-scheduled “Invitation” sessions with speakers addressing climate justice and cultural climate change—anchoring our time together with depth and perspective.
• “Open Space” engaging discussions where you choose the topics—centered on the urgent questions we’re all carrying
• Opportunities to share your insights, ask critical questions, and refine your sustainability education approach
• A global community of like-minded educators who share your sense of urgency and commitment to action
• No travel required—connect deeply, save resources, and engage fully in an immersive online experience!

Who Should Attend?

This space is open to anyone in the sustainability education community:

• Faculty in any discipline incorporating sustainability education
• Educators developing sustainability literacy, curricula or degree programs
• Sustainability staff supporting academic initiatives
• Instructional designers helping faculty integrate sustainability into courses
• Anyone passionate about advancing sustainability education in higher education

Throughout the SEF, you will have plenty of chances to exchange ideas and make new professional connections, while gaining inspiration and an opportunity to recharge your own efforts. In tough times, strong networks and focused conversations make all the difference. It is these types of connections that serve us throughout the years; they make the hard times manageable and the good times fun. Join us and let’s make some good times — together!

See map of  previous years’ participants and make sure to join the event for these important conversations!

Key Details

Event Dates: The SEF will take place on Thursday, June 4 and Friday, June 5, 2026 spanning multiple timezones. See Schedule. An optional pre-event networking meeting will be scheduled for Friday, May 29 at 2 p.m. EDT.

Registration Fees*

* To check if your organization is a current AASHE member, please search the AASHE Membership Directory.

A limited number of scholarships are available to individuals who need financial assistance to participate. Please apply by June 2 to be considered for a scholarship for this event. A pay-what-you-wish option is also available.

If you are tuning into the event from the Asia-Pacific region, contact us for significantly discounted registration rates!

Registration Policies:

• Payment is accepted in the form of Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover cards.
  If you need to pay by check or ACH, please contact us at least 5 weeks prior to the event start date. Registration using these forms of payment must be received 4 weeks prior to the event start date and full payment must be received by AASHE within 2 weeks of event start date.
• Cancellation Policy: A 20% processing fee applies to any cancellation prior to May 26, 2025. No refunds will be given after May 26, 2025.
• No substitutions are allowed.
• Registered participants will receive access to the recorded portions after the live event.
• Review all Terms & Conditions.

Register today

SEF is designed to be participatory, inclusive and collaborative and is based on an Open Space Technology (OST) format. You are invited to speak and share, pose questions and/or ask for input. Guidelines will be provided to make best use of our time together and to maximize capacities for partnerships, support and exchange. 

In addition to several pre-scheduled sessions that we call Invitations, you – the participant – get to set the agenda which will be created live each day by attendees who are present. Anyone can propose a topic which will then be assigned a session room. You and the other participants choose which discussions to attend.

Although the Forum is 100% online, there’s nothing virtual about it. Participate in this event as if it were in-person:

• Save the time you would have spent walking through the security line at TSA, and spend it with friends and colleagues by being present and engaged.
• Save the money you would have spent on transportation to the venue, and put it towards a great meal.

Share This Event

When we bring all voices and perspectives into the room, we create the conditions for powerful change. Invite your colleagues to join you at this event by using these sample messages!