In recent years, sustainability has gained significant attention in education. Universities of Applied Sciences have taken sustainability in education seriously. Why this shift? It comes down to various factors, including government reforms recognizing global challenges and educational institutions collaborating to find innovative solutions. In Finland, a commitment to sustainability in teaching aligns with the need to balance economic growth with finite environmental resources and address challenges like climate change and equality.
Universities of Applied Sciences educate future professionals that can be in the forefront of solving sustainability challenges in the society.
Universities of Applied Sciences educate future professionals that can be in the forefront of solving sustainability challenges in the society. In December 2021, The Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences Arene published, that highlight sustainable development as one of the competencies for both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Metropolia officially introduced Arene’s shared competencies into all of its degree programmes in the autumn 2022.
In this text, we explore the importance of sustainability in education and introduce the steps taken at Metropolia to support its teaching staff in integrating sustainability into curricula.
Sustainability in education must involve both staff and students
People tend to have various views on what sustainability is. Building a common understanding on what sustainability actually means and its systemic nature was identified as the starting point for Metropolia. The goal was set, that every Metropolian, whether a member of staff or a graduating student, will receive sustainability know-how that can be implemented in working life and society.
The goal is that everyone will receive sustainability know-how that can be implemented in working life and society.
To achieve this goal, sustainability is being integrated into all degree programmes. The vision is clear: every graduate should possess relevant sustainability expertise tailored to their specific field and profession.
A current state analysis was conducted in all degree programmes in 2022. The aim was to identify how sustainable development is part of the teaching by analyzing the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how the themes of the goals are part of courses. Based on the analysis the degree programmes have conducted plans for continuing the integration of sustainability into the curricula and everyday teaching in the years to come. Sector-specific specialists from Metropolia’s Sustainability in Education team have offered sparring, when conducting these analyses and working on integration.
Sustainability know-how of the teaching staff is key to be able to integrate sustainability aspects into teaching. Parallel to the current state analysis, a basic course on sustainable development for the entire staff was launceh. The online course presented the basic concepts and systemic nature of sustainable development, its three pillars and how sustainability is managed at Metropolia. By the end of September 2023, 726 staff members had completed the course, which is around 70 % of Metropolia’s full-time staff. The course has helped in shaping shared understanding on what sustainability in higher education context means.
Clean and sustainable solutions Innovation Hub offered to all students of Metropolia and other universities of applied sciences 30 ECTS credits of free electives from the training package of clean and sustainable solutions. The package consists of five courses, of which one can complete one or more according to their own interest and schedule. The contents are designed to be suitable for students of all fields, and the implementation is such that it enables experts from different fields to work together and learn from others in multidisciplinary environments.
Promoting collaboration between teachers is vital for sustainability in education
Collaboration between teachers is key to success in integrating sustainability into the everyday life of teaching. Teachers have limited resources which is why peer-to-peer sparring, sharing best practices and truly focusing on the practical level of teaching is important in sustainability work.
Sharing best practices and truly focusing on the practical level of teaching is important in sustainability work.
Metropolia’s Sustainability in Education Team organized an event for teaching staff in September 2023. The aim was to share new practical knowledge and expertise on how to integrate sustainability in education, to provide time for discussion and collaboration in education development. It was aimed at Metropolia’s Heads of Degree, teaching staff, study coordinators, guidance counselors and others working with educational development. There were somewhat 80 people enrolled for the event.
In the joint session Metropolia’s work towards sustainability in education, Arene’s work for sustainability competencies and the EU’s Green Comp Framework were presented. Event continued in four field-specific sessions, where lecturers from each field shared their best practices on integrating sustainability into teaching.
Feedback of the event was positive, and participants wished for similar opportunities for discussion also in the future, but with a multidisciplinary approach so that participants can learn from different fields.
Key take-aways from field-specific sessions:
Culture
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- Various courses were presented: the innovation course in design, the sustainable design course, the circular economy and design course, the courses and course plans related to fashion and clothing.
- Discussion was held on the contents and the possibilities for cooperation between different degrees and majors as well as future plans. Several points of convergence were identified.
Technology
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- Development of a sustainable development module as part of all students’ orientation was discussed. The idea is to progress after this to the knowledge of sustainable development of the different training programs in the field with different courses. In this way, it is possible to acquire sustainability competence at three different levels: the basics of sustainable development at a general level, sustainable development in one’s own field and sustainable development as part of one’s own professional competence.
- Innovation projects were identified as a good way to integrate sustainability thinking into the studies of degree programmes. Project- and learning environments like Carbon garage, IoT garage, Urban Farm Lab, Hymy village provide more opportunities.
Social and Health Services
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- Social and Health Services campus actively integrates sustainable wellbeing into operations and teaching methods, aligning with a broader commitment to holistic sustainability in education.
- Emphasizing self-awareness and responsibility, Collaborative Storytelling is key to teaching sustainability as theory and practice.
- In September’s joint session, diverse topics were discussed, from student innovations reducing hospital carbon emissions to participation in the EU project SDG4BiZ and efforts to infuse sustainability into osteopath practices.
- The sustainability in education team has orchestrated impactful events, fostering a meaningful exchange of stories among teachers, students, and practitioners. These discussions inspire collaborative efforts towards Metropolia’s strategic goals for 2025, showcasing the community’s dedication to sustainability in social and health services education.
Business
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- Presentations from different topics in the field of business were held: responsible business, economy, marketing and finance. Each gave listeners new perspectives and ideas for integrating sustainability into their own courses.
- Responsible Business is a comprehensive overview of the theme of sustainable development and responsibility. The course includes a wide range of expert lectures and small group discussions. This type of implementation has received really good feedback from students.
- The ideas of sustainable economy and climate change were discussed with concrete examples.
- In marketing courses sustainability is embedded into the business cases that the students solve.
- A new course Responsible Finance and the background to its development. The course is very up-to-date and responds well to the changing needs of the financial sector.
- Presentations from different topics in the field of business were held: responsible business, economy, marketing and finance. Each gave listeners new perspectives and ideas for integrating sustainability into their own courses.
The journey towards sustainable education continues
Collaboration and time for discussion and reflection among peers is vital, if we want to succeed in sustainable education. To respond to this need, Metropolia will set up a network of teachers invested in sustainability in their own teaching. The network will operate in 2024 with an idea of changing ideas with peers as well as sparring and helping colleagues in their own fields to integrate sustainability into curricula and courses.
Collaboration and time for discussion and reflection among peers is vital, if we want to succeed in sustainable education.
In light of the gigantic megatrends and societal challenges ahead such as climate crisis, biodiversity loss as well as threats to democracy and wellbeing it is clear that there is still much work ahead of us. As Helen Keller once wisely noted, ”Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” These challenges require collective effort and an unwavering commitment to change.
Rebecca Solnit, in her work ”When the hero is the problem,” reminds us that it is often not heroes but ordinary individuals working collaboratively who bring about transformative change. The road ahead may be long and arduous, but with unity, determination, and a shared vision, we can remain hopeful and continue to aspire towards a sustainable future for all of us. Universities of Applied Sciences have a responsibility in educating future professionals that can solve these challenges.
Writers
Elli Ojala (MBA) works as Metropolia’s Sustainability Manager. Elli is in charge of integrating environmental, social and economic sustainability into Metropolia’s everyday operations.
Tricia Cleland Silva serves as a senior lecturer and holds a PhD in Management and Organization. Her co-created method of Collaborative Story Craft and Story Mediation inspires her roles in sustainable development and inclusion within higher education and community of practice.
Riitta Lehtinen, Licentiate in Technology (Chemical Engineering) works as a principal lecturer in the Department of Clean Technologies in Metropolia. Her favorite aphorisms are: Look at systems – think globally, act locally! Waste is a choice, the choice is (y)ours! and Less is more!
Juha Ainoa, MA (Design), is a senior lecturer and head of major in the design degree in Arabia Campus.
Anne Perkiö, M.Sc. (Econ.) and Licentiate in Education, works as a Principal Lecturer and Head of Business Administration Programme in Metropolia Business School. Her motto is: Always learning!
Additional information
Metropolia’s sustainability website
Shared competencies for universities of applied sciences. Arene.
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