A systemic approach to incorporate sustainability into university courses and curricula
Institution:
1. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA;2. Deparment of Forest Industry Engineering, Bursa Technical University, Bursa, 16310, Turkey;1. Finance and Accounting, University of Cadiz (Spain), Duque de Najera Avenue, Number 8, Spain;2. Management, University of Cadiz (Spain), Duque de Najera Avenue, Number 8, Cadiz, Spain;1. State University of Rio Grande of South and Federal University of Santa Maria, PhD Program in Administration, Avenue Roraima, 1000, Camobi Neighborhood - Room 4303, 97105900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil;2. World Sustainable Development Research and Transfer Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Lohbrügger Kirchstraße 65, 21033 Hamburg, Germany;3. School of Science and Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK;4. Graduate Program in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Passo Fundo, CAMPUS I–Km 171–BR 285, Bairro São José, Caixa Postal 611–CEP 99001-970, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil;5. College of Science & Engineering in James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia;6. Business Sustainability, Nottingham Business School, England, UK;7. Faculty of Business, Sustainability Initiatives Advisory and Coordination (SIAC), BlackSea Industrial Symbiosis Platform (BSISP), Cekmekoy Campus, Istanbul, Turkey;8. Sciences of Environmental Engineering Program, School of Engineering of São Carlos, University of São Paulo, Brazil;9. School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, United States;1. University of Helsinki, Centre for Environment, Viikinkaari 2a, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;2. University of Helsinki, Department of Environmental Sciences, Viikinkaari 2a, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Abstract:
This article is based on an analysis of Lund University that took place during the summer and autumn of 2004 (available for download at www.iiiee.lu.se, click library and publications). The university had experienced a loss of momentum in their progress regarding environmental issues. The purpose of the study was to identify barriers to including sustainability-related content throughout Lund University curricula, and eventually to develop solutions to eliminate/overcome these barriers. The article describes how Meadows' “Places to intervene in a system” Meadows D. Leverage points: places to intervene in a system. Hartland, VT, USA: Sustainability Institute; 1999] was used as a tool to systematically discover these barriers. The same intervention places are used as a basis for deriving solutions to eliminate/overcome the barriers. The main conclusions of this article are that Meadows list can be a useful tool to
a.systematically identify and characterise the barriers towards achieving the organisational objective of incorporating SD into courses and curricula;
b.identify ways to overcome these barriers;
c.increase chances that these barriers are addressed with sufficient leverage.
The authors also experienced that the work method described here provides excellent fuel for creativity.
