Abstract
It is critical that future sustainability leaders possess the skills and aptitudes needed to tackle increasingly ‘wicked’ challenges. While much has been done to identify this need, inadequate Leadership Training for graduate students in Sustainability (LTS) continues to plague even the most highly-resourced institutions. Collectively, the authors of this paper represent the small yet growing number of LTS programs across the United States and Canada working to close this training gap. In this paper, we describe the integrative approach we took to synthesize our collective knowledge of LTS with our diverse programmatic experiences and, ultimately, translate that work into concrete guidance for LTS implementation and design. We present a framework for the suite of key LTS aptitudes and skills yielded by our collaborative approach, and ground these recommendations in clear, real-world examples. We apply our framework to the creation of an open-access curricular database rich with training details, and link this database to an interactive network map focused on sharing programmatic designs. Together, our process and products transform many disparate components into a more comprehensive and accessible understanding of what we as LTS professionals do, with a view to helping others who are looking to do the same for the next generation of sustainability leaders.
Highlights
Stemming from a working meeting at the US National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) in February of 2020, the curricular and network mapping approach we present pairs a set of rigorously co-developed LTS competencies with in-depth documentation of tested training activities and programmatic design details for seven established LTS programs across North America
We argue that a community- and practice-driven approach that integrates the collective and institutional knowledge of diverse experts and programs with common goals but distinct approaches, and that illuminates what leadership for sustainability development looks like in varied university settings, is critical to advancing LTS
Why isn’t it as as simple as replicating modbegan developing the list of aptitudes by working first in small groups, and els?” We began developing the list of LTS aptitudes by working first in small groups, and as theasfull refining whatwhat we considered to beto the leadership skillsskills that thegroup, full group, refining we considered beindividual the individual leadership sustainability challenges demand
Summary
When students are trained through siloed or lecture-based approaches alone, they are denied exposure to the diversity of experiences and expertise inherent to sustainability issues [7] but may be prevented from developing the skills and aptitudes that cross-cutting, dynamic, real-world challenges require the most [8,9,10]. In such cases, it is not surprising that graduate students are often dissatisfied with how their graduate training has prepared them to engage in problem solving and collaboration [11], or that they can struggle to put into practice the core dimensions of sustainability science [12], namely: interdisciplinary research, stakeholder engagement, and translating knowledge into solutions [13,14]. As Shriberg and Harris attest, “we cannot tell students to go . . . be a sustainability leader without providing the structure and skills training for success” [18]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
