Our Approach to Education
Our History
The International Sustainable Development Studies Institute (ISDSI) was started in 1998 as an initiative of Dr. Joseph Brockington of Kalamazoo College, developed by Mark and Dana Ritchie, who were already living in Chiang Mai and working in development. The program started its first year with six students and has since grown to include over 600 students from more than 50 colleges and universities across the US. In 2005 ISDSI was recognized as one of three “best practice” programs by the Institute of International Education (IIE) Andrew Heiskell Awards, and in 2006 was nominated as a UNESCO Centre of Excellence.
The Villager as Teacher (ให้ชาวบ้านเป็นครู)
At the heart of ISDSI’s educational approach is the principle that the most powerful learning happens in direct engagement with local communities — that the villager is the teacher. Rather than bringing the classroom to the field, we bring students into genuine relationships with the people and places they are studying, where local knowledge, experience, and perspective become the curriculum. (For more on this, see our article on Sustainability Education and Social Justice.)
Community Collaboration
ISDSI’s primary work is capacity building through community-based education. We partner with local communities in research, projects, and activities that support sustainable development. We are currently working with the community of Mae Tha on the Mae Tha CARES project — Climate Action and Responsible Education for Sustainability — part of a larger initiative focused on grassroots and youth-led climate action.
School of Record
ISDSI’s School of Record is the University of Minnesota. Semester and summer programs are approved by the University of Minnesota for transcripts and credit, and students have the option of requesting a UMN transcript for a fee. Policies on transcripts vary by institution, so students should check with their study abroad advisor. ISDSI is also the Thailand partner for the University of Minnesota’s MSID Thailand programs.