
Support Us

The Right Livelihood Center (RLC) is housed within the Institute of Social Transformation at UC Santa Cruz, a collaborative effort between the university and the Right Livelihood Foundation. The center’s primary goal is to connect faculty and students with recipients of the “Alternative Nobel Prize” and to enhance teaching and service initiatives, connecting activism and academia.
As of now, 196 laureates from 76 countries are working to make the world a better place. The UC Santa Cruz community supports students and researchers in forming connections with these Laureates and colleagues within the global network.
In 2024, we were inaugurated as the Global Secretariat to lead the university network charge for social justice. Our vision includes:
- Harnessing global changemaker experiences, researcher knowledge, and student courage for social and environmental systems transformation
- Raising UC Santa Cruz’s prominence and effectiveness as a leader in durable systems change
- Strengthening a global network of universities with aligned values and common purpose
There are so many ways to support our work on campus and beyond. Our core areas of opportunity are:
- Convenings: Connecting Laureates, researchers, new donors, and the broader community. UCSC faculty and researchers can cosponsor laureates at events or apply for travel grants to visit laureates or Right Livelihood College campuses for joint projects.
- Faculty-laureate research clusters: Collaborations on cutting-edge systems change issues, including Earth Trusteeship, agroecology, extractivism, theories of change, and health.
- Academic experiences: Integrating undergraduate courses, study abroad, and master’s degree programs. By working directly with Laureates and affiliates, faculty collaborate on research and involve changemakers in courses via co-teaching or interviews.
- Student leadership: Building international solidarities about what matters to them. The Right Livelihood Student Club offers opportunities to meet Laureates, attend events, and volunteer with campaigns. Students can support the club’s efforts to get on the ballot for funding through activities like participating in opinion polls and advocating for the cause.
For more information on how you can amplify the work of the center, contact Joop Rubens, Executive Director of Development, Arts, Humanities, Library, and Social Sciences, 831.459.5870, jrubens@ucsc.edu