THE SUSTAINABLE PRACTITIONERA workshop for STEM subjects on Sustainable Development

The Higher Education Academy

Session 5: International Aspects

Plan for this session

• To explore some of the International aspects around Sustainable Development

• To consider how these are particularly relevant to STEM subjects

Can you identify International aspects?

• Initially write down your own ideas of what these may be

• Next compare with a neighbour• Now combine with a nearby pair and decide on the main themes

• Report back the main International theme(s)

Some examples of International Aspects

• Biodiversity• Climate change• Sustainable Trade/Fair Trade

• International finance• Carbon trading

• International aspects of science: different cultures approaches to topics e.g. genetically modified crops, testing embryos etc.

• scientific soundness• International governance

More than just green: Environmental; social; economic; Scientific; Governance

• Finance: national systems of accounting: GDP (Gross Domestic Product) versus ISEW (Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare)

• Fairness: fair trade

• Social and geopolitical

• Science and technology

• Cultural

UK Government list of priorities of International Aspects

• Sustainable Development Dialogues

• Currently with• Brazil

• China

• India

• Mexico

• South Africa

• Focus for bilateral work on SD

• Themes includeClimate change and energy; sustainable consumption and production; natural resource management; governance; biodiversity; forestry; agriculture; fisheries; urban development and transport

• Working within the United Nations system

• Focusing on• Climate Change

• Protecting Biodiversity

• Reducing global poverty

You may find it helpful to consider if any of these would be suitable for embedding in to your own subject’s teaching and learning

Internationalisation in STEM• There are a number of aspects of International issues and HE • There are also issues relevant to International considerations and the STEM subjects

• Examples of these are:

1. International students are a growth area for HE students

2. In science and engineering, overseas students make up many of the postgraduate and research students, and can be a significant proportion of undergraduates

3. Including International issues within our provision has more chance to engage with these students and strengthen the links with their incoming knowledge and experience

4. For most STEM subjects, resources, research and employment (with overseas outsourcing) link SD topics with individual disciplines

E.S.D. and Internationalisation• To quote from the H.E.A. Internationalization site:

“We recognise that there are a number of current agendas in higher education which overlap with that of internationalization, especially in relation to curriculum development. These include sustainable development , development education and citizenship. We seek to work collaboratively with organisations specialising in these agendas wherever appropriate.”

This is also reflected in the U.N. project: United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

Given the following countries, what are the main sustainable development issues for them?

• USA• South Africa• China• India• In pairs consider each, and identify the main single issue for each country

• Report back the 4 issues

Final questions for you back in your groups of 4

• How can we use the International aspects of sustainable development to integrate overseas students and encourage all our students to consider the International dimension?

• Report back your groups views

Session Summary

• Given the International dimension, embedding it within our teaching can provide a way to engage with overseas students’ issues

• For home students, an awareness of the global dimension and the implications for their future careers is important