UWE Bristol and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Programme mapping portfolio

Gough, Georgina

Abstract

At the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012, a process was initiated to formulate a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) for pursuing focused and coherent action on sustainable development. The SDGs emphasize the need to achieve balance between the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. This approach is premised on the recognition that sustainability requires full acknowledgement of the inter-linkages between these dimensions, and also between issues and sectors. Education has become increasingly visible in the international development agenda, and the SDGs provide a window of opportunity to reflect on and to advance an integrated approach to education. Such integrated approach to education planning will be necessary to achieve high quality education and wider development outcomes.

This document provides examples of ways by which programmes of study at UWE Bristol are engaging with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and using them to reflect on the content, delivery and outcomes of UWE’s educational provision. Each of the ‘maps’ contained here was produced by leaders and academics from the programmes or discipline in question.

This work was the subject of an Advance HE Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence for the Knowledge Exchange for Sustainability Education (KESE). The five year project which has led to the creation of this document will inform UWE’s ongoing commitment to the SDGs. Further curriculum mapping will take place, as will consideration of ways by which UWE’s research activities contribute and align to the ambitions of the SDGs.

Students have played an important role in our work with the SDGs: Undertaking mapping, creating new reading lists for their peers, co-organising events, bringing back examples of action from industry and collaborating with their academic tutors to enhance our engagement with the SDGs. They will continue to be crucial partners in our SDG work over the next five years.

• Report Type: Project Report
• Publication Date: 2021
• Deposit Date: Sep 8, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 8, 2022
• Keywords: SDGs ESD education for sustainable development
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/9912189