Higher Education and Sustainable Development ─ A model for curriculum renewal

Responding to the global and unprecedented challenge of capacity building for twenty-first century life, this book is a practical guide for tertiary education institutions to quickly and effectively renew the curriculum towards education for sustainable development.

The book begins by exploring why curriculum change has been so slow. It then describes a model for rapid curriculum renewal, highlighting the important roles of setting timeframes, formal and informal leadership, and key components and action strategies. The second part of the book provides detailed coverage of six core elements that have been trialled and peer reviewed by institutions around the world:

• raising awareness among staff and students
• mapping graduate attributes
• auditing the curriculum
• developing niche degrees, flagship courses and fully integrated programs
• engaging and catalysing community and student markets
• integrating curriculum with green campus operations.

With input from more than seventy academics and grounded in engineering education experiences, this book will provide academic staff with tools and insights to rapidly align program offerings with the needs of present and future generations of students.

Dr Desha has a degree in Engineering (Environmental, first class) and a PhD in rapid curriculum renewal. Her research focuses on building capacity for sustainable development within tertiary education. She is a Senior Lecturer in the Science and Engineering Faculty, QUT and a Principal Researcher with The Natural Edge Project (TNEP).

Mr Hargroves has a degree in Engineering (Civil/Structural) and is undertaking a PhD in carbon structural adjustment. His research focuses on opportunities for transformational change towards sustainable development. He is a Senior Research Fellow in the Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute and a Principal Researcher with The Natural Edge Project (TNEP)