Excellence in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD

For the fifth year, our Excellence in ESD Awards celebrated the innovative and inspiring ways our academics engage with their students on ESD. Eleven academics from across the four faculties were selected as finalists, with five being chosen as winners and these are summarised below.

Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Team, BU Business School

The new MBA programme was underpinned by the UN SDGs and represents “a real shift in thinking” within the business sector. Commended by the revalidation panel for “Incorporating sustainability and responsibility into the curriculum”, many assignments were sustainability focussed and for their final projects, around half of the students chose to focus on the SDGs. Judges’ comments:

“Being the only group to enter this competition, the work of the MBA programme team is a leading example of how departments can work collaboratively to embed the SDGs in their teaching, not just as an add-on but as an integral part of the programme delivery and outcomes.”

Dr Fiona Cownie, Faculty of Media & Communication

Fiona’s final year optional unit Relationship Marketing brings a future-facing outlook to organisations’ practice of marketing. Ethics have been at the heart of her teaching for many years; and 2019-20 saw environmental stewardship as a shared value informing its discipline and practice. As a result of this focus, students were encouraged to use sustainability to inform their practice as graduates, and 90% of students placed the UN SDGs at the heart of their unit assessment. Student feedback on the unit:

“Prior to this unit I had no idea what the UNSDGs were, I am so glad we covered this as now I am so aware of what they are and how to use them within my work and daily life. I’m glad this was a core part of the unit as sustainability”.

Dr Sukanya Ayatakshi Endow, BU Business School

Sukanya’s third year unit Entrepreneurship and Business Ventures is centred on her belief of the power of enterprise in changing society. Facilitated via the BU Social Entrepreneurs Forum, students were expected to work in groups to support local socially-focused businesses develop their business model or business planning needs. Judges’ comments:

“Sukanya's module is an excellent example of how collaborative, applied projects focussing on the SDGs can instil a sense of global citizenship and inspire innovative action and showcases the range of methods that can be used to embed ESD.”

Prior to this unit I had no idea what the UNSDGs were, I am so glad we covered this as now I am so aware of what they are and how to use them within my work and daily life. I’m glad this was a core part of the unit as sustainability.

Student feedback on Relationship Marketing unit

Dr Louise Preget, BU Business School

Louise’s online unit, Global Business Ethics, Social Responsibility and Sustainability develops students' skills in sustainable, responsible and ethical management practice within an institutional and global context. Feedback shows that every student on the course felt that they were developing as responsible business leaders. Student feedback on the unit:

“Louise's unit with its aim to develop future-facing management practice that embeds social justice, ethics and global citizenship, represents an excellent example of how to engage students with these global challenges. Encouraging students to identify their own values ensures the course can influence personal, as well as professional, behaviours.”

Dr Stacy Wall, Faculty of Media & Communication

Stacy’s final year unit ‘Community and Digital Engagement’ tasked students with identifying an issue, cause or problem affecting the local community, and developing a multi-media portfolio to support the work of organisations or charities working to combat this issue. Judges’ comments:

“The Community Showcase revealed the impact of student projects on both the local community and the students themselves. The highly emotive presentations delivered by students were all well received by organisation key members. Each student at the end of the unit thanked me for the unique opportunity the unit provided to make a difference in the local community. Many students continue to volunteer with their partner organisations – they continue to make an impact on society by finding ways to help organisations better engage with their target community.”