This limited-offer, instructor-paced online course accompanies the 43-day, 15,000-kilometer Marco Polo Drive of Peace, Culture and Sustainable Development, from Rome to China's Greater Bay Area. Across seven modules, learners will follow the journey through video lectures filmed at key locations along the route, including Rome, Belgrade, Istanbul, Baku, Samarkand, Dunhuang, and Suzhou.
Through the lens of the Silk Road, the course explores the civilizations, empires, ideas, and technologies that connected Europe and Asia across centuries. Topics include the travels of Marco Polo, the history of the Silk Road, the Mongol Empire, the great dynasties of Central Asia, Chinese civilization, and the technological transformations shaping Eurasia and the world today.
Each module includes a video lecture, a brief quiz, and recommended readings. Learners will also have the opportunity to participate in three live-streamed class meetings with Professor Jeffrey Sachs and his travel companion, Mr. Patrick Zhong. Those who successfully complete the course and attend at least two live sessions will receive a Marco Polo Drive of Peace certificate signed by Prof. Sachs, issued by the SDG Academy.
The course is designed to be accessible and engaging rather than heavily demanding. The expected weekly workload is approximately three to four hours, consisting of about one hour of video content, one to two hours of reading, and a short multiple-choice quiz. The goal is to travel together—virtually and intellectually—and gain a deeper understanding of how cultural exchange, cooperation, and innovation have shaped human history and can contribute to peace and sustainable development in the 21st century.
The course runs from June 15, 2026, through August 15, 2026.
