esd and the professional curriculum prof. colin t. reid project intern: nadeem ali school of law...
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ESD and the Professional CurriculumProf. Colin T. Reid
Project intern: Nadeem Ali
School of Law
University of Dundee
Project Aims To explore the extent to which ESD:
is part of, or can be accommodated within, or is squeezed out by
the formal accreditation criteria of professional, statutory and regulatory bodies (PSRBs)
How do staff incorporate elements of ESD? How does the level of embedding ESD vary across
disciplines and what lessons can be transferred?
Key Features Study of references to sustainability issues in
accreditation criteria Discussions with colleagues on actual practice
at the University of Dundee Internal symposium and open conference Link with existing work on graduate employability Use project to establish internal networks
Sustainability website created with academic and “house-keeping” elements
Accreditation criteria
Vary from explicit references to silence Some focus just on narrow professional
skills and professional ethics Some reflect broader concern for society Formal criteria do not reflect the concern
for sustainability shown by some professional bodies’ other activities
Strong - Architecture (ARB & RIBA)
Understanding of building technologies, environmental design and construction methods in relation to the consideration of a sustainable environment
The ability to integrate knowledge of: Climatic design and the relationship between climate, built form construction, life style, energy consumption and human well-being
Weak – Business (CIMA)
On completion of their studies students should be able to: explain the social, political and economic context of business
Students should be able to: discuss the framework of professional values, ethics and attitudes for exercising professional judgment and acting in an ethical manner, that is in the best interests of society and the profession
Silent – Law (Law Society) England & Wales – nothing
Scotland Display informed knowledge and understanding of the social,
economic, moral and ethical contexts in which law operates by:
demonstrating legal knowledge in association with related policy, underlying social conditions, professional ethical issues and moral issues.
Display critical thinking about laws and their place in society
Teaching Practice Embedded throughout curriculum
part and parcel of covering core Dedicated modules
will be optional if not in professional core Dedicated classes
need to integrate as part of core coverage Use of examples to illustrate wider points
e.g. links between international and UK law
Hurdles
Lack of definition or understanding of SD Most space in curriculum needed to cover
required elements If optional, seen as less relevant than
more “professional” topics No pressure from accreditation bodies to
do more
Building BridgesEngage with PSRBs to encourage incorporation of
sustainability issues within formal criteriaWide variety of attitudes among PSRBs
Developing FrameworksNeed for ESD to recognise constraints of meeting professional
criteriaSpread good practice of incorporating sustainability issues into
core topicsEstablish stronger links across institutions to support activity
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