To support academics in delivering sustainability teaching that is relevant to their subject, we are publishing a series of resources on sustainability in the different subject areas.
To embed sustainability in the curriculum it is crucial to explore and understand the relevance of sustainability to the different disciplines. These resources outline some of the ways that sustainability is directly relevant to existing modules and subject areas.
Sustainability research in business and law is about securing the present and the future, for the economy, society and the planet. The future of business and the arts needs to be low-carbon and cost-effective, in a legal context that ensures individuals across the globe are valued equally and the environment is protected. The arts provide a medium to understand and share socio-political messages, and influence hearts and minds at home and in business towards sustainable living.
Innovative design can change people’s lives and the environment for the better. Science is essential to provide the evidence base underpinning action. Engineering and environmental science together can ensure better care of the natural environment and minimise potential damage construction, use and disposal (or avoiding it). This is about improving understanding about the interactions between humans and design, for example, identifying and capitalising on opportunities to enhance the lives of individuals through supporting rehabilitation and healthcare.
Maintaining human health is integral to sustainability. This includes both inter-generational and intra-generational equality – how the wellbeing of individuals can be sustained and improved without negatively impacting future generations. Sustainable medicine and healthcare considers mental and physical healthcare, and the challenges to delivering equal access to it.
To sustain societies, natural resources, human heritage and culture, we must better understand human beliefs and values – about ourselves, other people and the world around us. We need to understand the role of culture, through looking back through the centuries as well as at the present day and to the future.
Addressing the world’s sustainability challenges requires the evidence base for policy and action. As they continue to pursue sustainable solutions, global citizens will need to continue to value and pursue cutting edge scientific research. This ranges from the broad, such as climate change, to the microscopic – for example, the impact of microplastic in oceans.
Will technology save or destroy us? Physical and computer sciences explore the rapidly changing and developing role of technology in addressing some of the global and local sustainability challenges facing the world today. They help us understand our place in the universe and how innovation can provide a better future for all.
Many of the sustainability challenges faced by the world are driven by human choices, behaviours and opportunities. Understanding these is vital role in identifying and delivering successful sustainable solutions. Identifying the role of population – as a resource for addressing unsustainability as well as a potential driver of global challenge; of education in alleviating poverty and developing economically; of mathematics in modelling current and future scenarios.