Sustainability in the curriculum
Helen Puntha
Sustainability is an issue of vital concern for the world at large and as such it is also an issue of key importance for all
disciplines within universities. Sustainability means literally 'to maintain' or 'keep going' and is usually spoken of in
the context of sustainable development which the The Brundtland Commission of the United Nations has defined as "... development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs". It is widely accepted that there are three components to sustainability namely
the environment, society and economy. Some would argue that the immediate challenge of climate change renders environmental
sustainability a more urgent priority for consideration; however given the interconnectedness of all three elements it could
be said that any thorough consideration of sustainability would necessarily involve an exploration of all three elements and
the relationships between them.
Sustainability Education is the phrase used throughout this resource to describe any education which involves the development
of skills, knowledge and competencies relating to and contributing towards sustainability. The phrase 'Sustainability Education'
is often used interchangeably with the phrase 'Education for Sustainable Development'. The second phrase is more widely used
although it is contentious given the ambiguity and possible negative connotations of the term 'development' as well as the
underlying assumption that it is feasible or desirable for development of any interpretation to be sustainable. Likewise the
term 'sustainability' could be considered inappropriate as it suggests maintenance of or a view to maintaining, current economic,
social and environmental conditions which some may consider impossible or undesirable. It is considered that of the two phrases
'sustainability education' suggests a more open exploration of social, economic and environmental issues including but not
limited to the subject of 'development' and as such it is the more appropriate term for use within a multi-disciplinary institution
of higher education such as Nottingham Trent University.
Given the immense impact of higher education instititutions on the world through the education and research they provide and
the graduates they produce, universities are being encouraged to address sustainability both within and outside the curriculum.
UNESCO has declared the 2005 - 2015 decade as a Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. In the UK, the Higher Education
Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) published in 2009 a strategic statement and action plan on sustainable development in the higher education sector which addresses sustainability education through teaching and research
as well as the reduction of carbon emissions. Nottingham Trent University is currently at the top of the People and Planet
Green League published by the Guardian newspaper which ranks institutions according to their environmental sustainability credentials.
The institution which already has a sustainability-focussed mission, 'to be a leading professional university, delivering
education and research that shapes lives and societies' is now looking to embed sustainability education as demonstrated by
the inclusion of a related graduate attribute within the Nottingham Trent University 2010 / 15 Strategic Plan which states
that core to the student experience will be: Understanding and appreciation of social, economic or environmental sustainability
issues.
It is intended that this resource provide an introduction to sustainability education encompassing both theoretical understanding
of sustainability as well as practical guidance for introducing the topic of sustainability into the curriculum. The resource
also links to work being done outside the curriculum in the area of sustainability both within and outside Nottingham Trent
University.
Resources
- The Centre for Professional Learning and Development (CPLD) and the Centre for Academic Development and Quality (CADQ) in
conjunction with the Beyond Greening the Curriculum Group (BGCG) hosted a symposium on Symposium on sustainability in the curriculum on 29th June 2011. Papers and discussion notes are available to download.
- A resource list on sustainability education is available for download. The list includes various journal articles and papers on sustainability
education as well as links to online guidance on implementing ESD. The list also includes details of various regional, national
and international sustainability-related organisations and projects.
- An executive summary of the NTU report on sustainability in the curriculum is available for download. The report summarises the findings from a survey of NTU staff which was carried
out by the Beyond the Greening the Curriculum Group in 2010 / 11. The complete report will follow in due course.
How to
- CADQ have created a Framework for Sustainability in the Curriculum. The framework is based on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Five Pillars of Learning.
The Pillars aim to provide transformative education to foster personal growth and human development and as such the pillars
are a useful tool for exploring and discussing the various characteristics of sustainable education. CADQ have sourced various
learning activities which relate both to the UNESCO Five Pillars and to the Nottingham Trent University Graduate Attributes.
It is intended that these learning activities which are framed within the UNESCO Five Pillars will support staff and student
understanding and knowledge of sustainability
- CADQ have produced some exemplar sustainability activity worksheets. Please feel free to adapt and use these with students.
If you would like to contribute an exemplar worksheet, either discipline specific or generic, please contact Helen Puntha.
- The Centre for Sustainable Futures based at Plymouth has produced a number of interactive sustainability learning and teaching activities
- Oxfam Education website contains a range of learning resources relating to sustainability with an emphasis on global citizenship
- The Sustainability Information Teaching Exchange (The SITE) offers a range of resources to support the running of basic sustainability training workshops within higher education institutions
- The ESD Toolkit site is an interactive professional development programme including materials exercises and links to support educators’ development
of sustainability expertise
- The UNESCO Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future programme is a professional development programme to support the planning
and delivery of sustainability education.
Case studies
Case studies from NTU will be available at a later date. If you would like to offer a case study of an approach to including
sustainability in the curriculum please contact Helen Puntha.
Find out more on wider sustainability at NTU.
NTU regulations and guidance
The NTU Strategic Plan outlines the graduate attribute relating to sustainability under the heading of Global Citizenship.
You might also be interested in Internationalising the curriculum.
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