Addressing the SDGs through an integrated model of collaborative education

Abstract

Complex problems addressed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as climate change, rising inequality and entrenched poverty, are interconnected and hence call for collaborative approaches and integrated solutions. Traditional monodisciplinary educational approaches do not adequately prepare students to develop innovative solutions to address the SDGs. For example, often sustainability courses are taught from a business, engineering, environmental science, or social science lens. This is problematic as sustainability practitioners need to explicitly value, include and interweave knowledges, skills and perspectives from different disciplines, industries, and cultures. To address this, Monash University educators from science, social science and business disciplines co-designed an integrated sustainability course to prepare students to address the complex issues underlying the SDGs, drawing upon the Research Skills Development framework. This chapter describes the collaborative model used to design and develop the Master of Environment and Sustainability course. The chapter concludes with personal reflections from academics and students.