Sustainability in the curriculum

The Curriculum Working Group comprises academic colleagues from across London South Bank University’s seven schools.

In the 2016/17 academic year, LSBU initiated a multi-disciplinary course evaluation process whereby a detailed review was made to research the current provision of sustainability content within LSBU’s undergraduate and postgraduate courses delivered in the 2016/17 of teaching. Course content was reviewed from a three-way perspective - economy, society and biosphere/environment – in line with the three “pillars” of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Officially known as ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, the UN SDG’s set out the road map (2015- 2030) that universities including LSBU can navigate towards to meet the seventeen aspirational ‘Global Goals’ (supported by 169 targets).

LSBU’s preliminary assessment included all 241 courses on offer during the 2016/17 academic year - 140 undergraduate and 101 postgraduate courses – the summary findings are as follows:

• 130 of LSBU’s undergraduate courses contain some references to sustainability (out of 140) equating to 92% of courses
• 88 of LSBU’s postgraduate courses contain some references to sustainability (out of 101) equating to 87% of courses
• In summary, 218 courses (out of 241) offered at LSBU in 2016/17 contain some references to sustainability equating to 91% of courses

The results from the preliminary assessment look very promising. However, follow-up activity is now required to verify the level of sustainability content within our courses, e.g. whether “high, medium or low”, as well as to make recommendations for further embedding of sustainability thinking to the courses, where practical.

This will be a priority action for 2017/18 academic year as a means to validate the on-going integration of further sustainable development content into the LSBU curriculum.

This most recent work builds on past work Gail Langley completed in 2015 at LSBU to identify Education for Sustainable Development activity across teaching and learning. Prior to that, Dr Deborah Andrews also undertook a comprehensive review of the status quo of ESD within the curriculum, so LSBU is able to demonstrate continuous improvement in this field.

Prof. Ros Wade has facilitated a sustainability session at a Faculty Meeting for staff, and is constantly promoting the sustainability agenda in her capacity as Director of the London Regional Centre of Expertise.

Prof. Pat Bailey is also a Council Member of the Regional Centre of Expertise.

London South Bank University, in collaboration with the RCE London, hosted an open day for refugees, their families, friends and supporters on 24 June 2017. Prior to that, LSBU hosted the meeting of the European Regional Centres of Expertise on 23 and 24 June 2016.

Sustainability is embedded into the Product Design and Engineering Product Design courses from the first year, including a specific Design for a Sustainable Society module; sample assignments include design for dementia, reducing food waste and reusing waste from the hospitality industry. All students learn about sustainability principles and apply them to design projects.

A number of postgraduate courses also include sustainability: the Masters in Engineering Management module about Energy, the Environment and Product Life Cycle introduces students to sustainability prior to developing alternative thinking about the engineering, design and current practice in these fields.

In MSc Sustainable Energy Systems students consider the broader implications of what they are studying in the Energy Resource Use and Analysis module, measuring Life Cycle impact as well as considering the use of renewable energy systems.

Our second year Chemical and Petroleum and Mechanical Engineering students also cover sustainability and sustainable engineering.

LBSU Business School addresses key sustainability issues through the following modules: Environmental Economics and Sustainability; Business Risk Management and Knowledge; Globalisation and Development; Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship.

The National Bakery School also covers sustainability in the following modules: Business/Environmental Management and QM Best Practice; Food Regulations and Sustainability; and Food Control and Sustainable Practice. Dr Delia Ojinnaka gives an annual lecture on food security and sustainability at the University of Valencia, Spain.