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  5. How can you embed sustainability in your curriculum?

How can you embed sustainability in your curriculum?

Linking to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The UNSDGs are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

The SDGs present a holistic view of sustainability, one that understands it is vital that we integrate sustainability within and across all areas, far beyond climate change to also incorporate issues such as inequality, peace, hunger and education.

  • Which of the UNSDGs resonate with you?
  • Which of the UNSDGs relate to your curriculum content?

Example showing integration of UNSDGs into a course at Bournemouth University

 

Embedding graduate attributes and skills

If there seems to be a less direct link between the content of your course and sustainability, another approach is to consider the skills and graduate attributes that you can develop in students through the course.

The updated Queen Mary graduate attributes framework includes the attribute: Promote socially responsible behaviour for a global sustainable future.

  • How could this be integrated within your curricula?

UNESCO has also defined key competencies for sustainability. These include many generic skills which all Higher Education courses should be supporting students to develop:

Systems thinking

•       Recognise and understand relationships

•       Analyse complex systems

•       Deal with uncertainty

Anticipatory

•       Understand and evaluate multiple outcomes

•       Create own visions for the future

•       Assess consequences of actions

•       Deal with risks and challenges

Critical thinking

•       Question norms, practices and opinions

•       Reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions

•       Take a position in the sustainable development discourse

Strategic

•       Develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainable development

Collaboration

•       Learn from others

•       Understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others

•       Deal with conflicts in a group

•       Facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving

Self awareness

•       Reflect on own values, perceptions and actions

•       Reflect on role in the local community and global society

•       Continually evaluate and further motivate actions

Normative

•       Understand and reflect on norms and values that underlie actions

•       Negotiate sustainable development values, principles, goals and targets

Integrated problem-solving

•       Apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainable development problems

•       Develop viable, inclusive and equitable solutions

•       Utilise appropriate competencies to solve problems

How are you developing these skills or competencies in your curricula? Are there ways you can highlight the connections between these skills and the key competencies for sustainability or the UNSDGs?

 

Education approaches

Advance HE has a range of guidance and support for embedding Education for Sustainable Development and sustainability across the sector. In their Education for Sustainable Development Guidance, education approaches which support the development of the above competencies are highlighted. You can explore using these approaches and methods as additional ways to embed the competencies for sustainability and highlight this to students:

  • Collaborative learning
  • Enquiry based learning
  • Play-based or playful learning
  • Learning through storytelling
  • Problem-based learning

 

Further resources and guidance 

 

 

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