Global Portal: Sustainability Across Borders

Explore sustainability from a global perspective

What can we learn about sustainability by connecting with people in different parts of the world?

Join us for a unique opportunity to connect live with people overseas through the Global Portal — a walk-in, life-sized shipping container equipped with full-body, high-definition audio and video that connects the University of Melbourne with other Portals around the world.

Across the Global Portal sessions, students will explore different sustainability challenges and ideas from an international perspective. Topics will range from climate justice and environmental inequality to the future of sustainable, inclusive communities, giving participants the opportunity to hear firsthand perspectives, ask questions and share their own experiences.

Each session is interactive and places are limited, so please select one session that works best for you.

Mexico City

Topic: Climate Justice: Who Pays the Price?

When: Thursday 15 October 2026

• Session 1: 1:00–2:00pm

• Session 2: 2:00–3:00pm

Climate change is not felt equally around the world. This session explores environmental justice, inequality, and global responsibility, examining who contributes most to the climate crisis, who bears the greatest cost, and what a fair path forward could look like.

Connect live with Mexico City to hear firsthand perspectives on how communities are experiencing and responding to environmental change on the ground.

Bengaluru, India

Topic: Designing cities future generations deserve

When: Monday 19 October 2026

• Session 1: 2:00–3:00pm

• Session 2: 3:00–4:00pm

As cities around the world grapple with rapid growth, climate pressures, and shifting social needs, this session invites students to imagine what urban life could look like for generations to come. Connecting live with Bengaluru, students will explore how design, planning, and community voice shape more sustainable, equitable, and livable cities, and hear directly from a city undergoing this transformation in real time.

What is the Global Portal?

The Global Portal is a life-sized immersive video installation connecting you live with students, artists, entrepreneurs and community leaders around the world.

Through cutting-edge audiovisual technology, it creates the feeling of being in the same room, enabling small-group conversations and meaningful cross-cultural exchange.

Located on Concrete Lawn (University Plaza), the University of Melbourne hosts Australia's first Global Portal in partnership with Shared Studios.