On April 17th 2022, the University of Economics and Law (UEL) and Middlesex University had successfully organized workshop “Sustainable development in higher education: examples from Middlesex University ” with the participant of the guest speaker – Assoc. Prof. Meri Juntti (Middlesex University) and postgraduate students, lecturers from the Faculty of Business Administration.
Sustainable Development is a global imperative reflected in global policy, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), national policy responses and numerous non-governmental and private sector initiatives. But what actually constitutes sustainable development remains contested, and there is an evidenced sustainability skills gap among professionals. Universities play a crucial role in developing a critical understanding of sustainable development and providing society with skilled professionals able to advance the necessary societal transition towards an environmentally and socially just economy. The challenge lies in the ability of universities to question societal structures and processes that underpin the climate crises, biodiversity extinction and surging inequality and in integrating this critical understanding into all disciplines and curricula in a relevant and useful manner.
Middlesex University has an over 20 year track record in providing education in environmental sustainability. The MSc Sustainability and Environmental Management is aimed at students with a first degree in the sciences and a wish to gain skills to apply this knowledge into practice in sustainability oriented jobs. The MA Global Governance and Sustainable Development caters to students with a degree in business, politics or the social sciences who wish to develop an understanding of the role of advocacy and robust legal and policy frameworks for sustainability. Middlesex University itself is undergoing a sustainability transition. Recently, the Executive together with Estates and Services committed to carbon neutrality by 2030. In 2021 the Executive ratified the UN SDG Accord whereby the SDGs are being mainstreamed throughout the university’s Strategy and activities.
At the workshop, Assoc. Prof. Meri Juntti – the guest from Middlesex University said that Faculty members have established the Sustainable Development Research Cluster to support interdisciplinary research into sustainability issues and to bring together a diverse range of people and disciplines across faculties. There is a range of emerging initiatives integrating this research into teaching through engagement with external and internal stakeholders and experts. But perhaps the biggest challenge remains the realisation of this crucial agenda in the face of ever tightening teaching budgets and pressure to favour marketing friendly provision that speaks to the constant need to raise revenue and rationalise the teaching provision.
The workshop not only marks the cooperation of University of Economics and Law and Middlesex University but also open new colloboration opportunities in the futures.