Higher education in turbulent times: navigating the transition from un-sustainability in a world dominated by technology
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
ISSN: 1467-6370
Article publication date: 22 August 2022
Issue publication date: 5 January 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the implications for higher education of a rapidly changing global context, where technologies play a role in the propagation of unsustainable patterns of change. Drawing from research on science and technology studies as well as existing work on (higher) education for sustainability, it seeks to expose the multidimensional nature of these patterns to raise a series of questions for educators, particularly those in engineering, computer science and other technical disciplines, and inform structured curricular and organisational interventions.
Design/methodology/approach
Theoretical perspectives on unsustainable patterns of technological change are explored with the objective of informing how the mitigation of their evolution could be addressed in educational settings. Key themes in the sustainability and higher education literature are then identified with the purpose of informing curricular and organisational intervention.
Findings
Countering unsustainable patterns of technological change requires the development of key sustainability competencies within more technical disciplines, informed by concepts in science and technology studies. This requires change at curricular, organisational and institutional levels to enable spaces for inter- and transdisciplinary learning to be created, so that skills may be developed.
Originality/value
This paper reflects on unsustainable patterns of technological change, identifying challenges for educators, in particular those in more technical disciplines.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper evolved from work done for a joint keynote speech at the 2021 Engineering Education for Sustainable Development conference in University College Cork with Professor John Barry (Queens University, Belfast). Many thanks are due to John for initial discussions and ideas. Particular acknowledgement is also due to Professor Edmond Byrne (University College Cork) for comments on earlier versions of the manuscript. Thanks are also due to Fiona Britton (Atlantic Technological University) and Dr. David Featherstone (University of Glasgow). Finally, the author is grateful to the anonymous reviewers and editors for the guidance that helped to shape this paper. Any remaining errors and shortcomings are entirely the author’s own.
Citation
Hume, T. (2023), "Higher education in turbulent times: navigating the transition from un-sustainability in a world dominated by technology", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 24 No. 1, pp. 212-229. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-07-2021-0274
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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