Education for sustainable development at Chemnitz University of Technology

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to examine the current state of education for sustainable development (ESD) at Chemnitz University of Technology (CUT) and to propose a guide for analysing sustainability at higher education institutions (HEI) in terms of implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and sustainability dimensions in the cognitive domain of education. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a new combination of two frameworks, the “Phase Model of Sustainability in MBA (Master of Business Administration) Education”, developed by Hart et al. (2017), to classify sustainability-focused topics and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO’s) learning objectives for ESD (UNESCO, 2017) to classify sustainability-related topics. This paper analysed CUT’s study programs and faculties, the websites of the study programs and the (junior) professorships, using documentary analysis with a new set of keywords relating to the topic of incorporating sustainability in curricula. Findings The faculties and study programs of CUT are at different stages of integrating ESD. However, topics such as sustainable energy and production, recycling, sustainable management and innovation are prominent in the educational offerings of CUT. As the university is a technical university, the focus on these topics reflects the general direction of the organisation. Based on this study results, this study gives recommendations for further development for ESD at CUT. Originality/value This paper presents the case of CUT and a new guide for analysing sustainability at HEI, including recommendations for further development in relation to ESD.

Creating Sustainable Posthuman Accounting Learning Environments: The Case for Green Accounting in South Africa

“…Conventional Accounting Records in South Africa still show that maximising profits without including Sustainability calculations remains the main objective of many businesses, hence the entire Accounting education system ( de Wit, 2022). This overrated objective still ensures that many businesses and conventional Accounting curricula overlook the essential factors of production, like natural capital and ecological systems enshrined in the Corporate Social Responsibility -CSR legislation (Albert & Uhlig, 2021), leading to unreliable business profits being reflected in the Environmental, Social and Governance -ESG Reporting because environmental costs and natural capital are not accounted for. Secondly, the other issue is that teachers seem unaware of Green Accounting; this problem stems from the lack of comprehensive training towards teaching Accounting, which also highlights the environmental issues (Gray, 2013); this is a problem starting from high school (Grades 9 to 12) level up to the higher education training of the pre-service teachers ( de Wit, 2022).…”

“…The future generation does not only refer to humans but also to the animals and environment we live in. Therefore, Green Accounting argues for using renewable resources to generate profit, as this will be primarily done in an environmentally sustainable manner as prescribed by the UNESCO SDGs (Albert & Uhlig, 2021). In addition, this has been proven to provide the sustainability of us as the human species and the planet as a whole.…”

“…Green Accounting looks at the human, non-human and beyond human to ensure that all are considered. At the same time, profits are made (Albert & Uhlig, 2021), which is the substance of sustainability that acknowledges all the costs and factors of production. This position of looking into the animate and inanimate in Accounting operationalises at the same time the Posthuman theorisation.…”

Mapping enablers for SDG implementation in the private sector: a systematic literature review and research agenda

“…Furthermore, some researchers have conducted studies to support education institutions in the systematic introduction of the SDGs (Alm et al 2021 ; Leal Filho et al 2021 ), and others have specifically directed their research to training business administration and management students in alignment with sustainability (Gil-Doménech et al 2021 ). Moreover, Zanellato and Tiron-Tudor ( 2021a , b ) and Albert and Uhlig ( 2021 ) demonstrate the important contribution of higher education institutions toward implementing the SDGs, offering recommendations by means of case analysis studies on Babes-Bolyai University (Romania) and Chemnitz University of Technology (Germany), respectively.…”

Research on educational applications based on diagnostic learning analytics in the context of big data analytics

“…By collecting and analyzing student interaction data on learning platforms, educators can better understand students' learning habits, mastery progress, and difficulties. DLA is a technology that uses data analytics to diagnose problems in students' learning processes and provide personalized feedback [5][6][7]. It is able to provide customized learning resources and instructional strategies to help students overcome learning barriers based on their specific performance [8][9].…”