Abstract
Higher education includes space for creating cross-cutting competence profiles of future professionals aimed at addressing key sustainability challenges in increasingly complex and global contexts. The research seeks to identify and evaluate the level of engagement in environmental education in study programmes at a career-oriented higher education institution in the Czech Republic. The research sample consisted of 3680 students of the Tourism and Finance and Management study programmes of the College of Polytechnics Jihlava, who participated in work placements in the course of their studies. An educational analysis was applied for qualitative research and evaluation of the level of implementation of the environmental educational component. Quantitative research was based on a questionnaire method, with tests to verify hypotheses being performed at a significance level of 5%. It was proven that the inclusion of an environmental component was influenced by the study programme. This influence was confirmed for the Tourism study programme, while for Finance and Management it was not verified. The environmental component in the Tourism study programme is developed through work placements; however, with regards to major study subjects taught, qualitative research analysing the inclusion of environmental aspects in these subjects proved the opposite. The Finance and Management study programme does not currently use the potential for environmental education development. The research revealed certain drawbacks and uncovered the potential to streamline environmental education at the career-oriented higher education institution.
Highlights
The functional integration of environmental education as a relevant sustainability and public health factor fully integrated into the educational system cannot be achieved without a significant paradigm shift beyond the usual boundaries of educational institutions
The Finance and Management study programme guaranteed by the career-oriented higher education institution does not have the potential for development of environmental education for the time being, there is, for example, a scientific discipline of environmental accounting, which year-on-year increase of 3.7% in Tourism students at the College of Polytechnics Jihlava, participating in work placement with an environmental component
The research has clearly demonstrated the importance of the conceptual preparation of the curriculum of career-oriented study programmes, which, taking into consideration sustainability education, should be interdisciplinary, focused on practical skills and practical training, while functionally interconnecting environmental aspects, in particular
Summary
The functional integration of environmental education as a relevant sustainability and public health factor fully integrated into the educational system cannot be achieved without a significant paradigm shift beyond the usual boundaries of educational institutions. It is obvious that the need for functional integration of economic, social and environmental aspects in education and public health is currently the biggest challenge for global sustainable development In this regard, the role of higher education is irreplaceable in terms of preparation of future qualified professionals competent to provide systemic solutions to sustainability problems in increasingly complex and global contexts. Most authors agree globally that systemic thinking, critical thinking, strategic thinking or empathy, and the ability to cooperate with others are the decisive key competences in the context, but there is no universal list or a generally accepted agreement relating to the definition and implementation of these competences in educational practices Such a specification could help universities and educators better set educational objectives and procedures aimed at sustainable development aspects. Finding appropriate competence models based on how various stakeholders perceive these can help identify the main competences that educators should develop in their students, taking into account their own opinions and experience, and those of stakeholders
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