Course Of Sustainable Development Research Articles

The pertinence of a communication for sustainable development course in university: A case of Universiti Sains Malaysia

In line with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)’s designation as Malaysia’s “university in a garden”, the Communication for Sustainable Development course is offered by the School of Communication on a compulsory basis for all undergraduate communication students, and on an optional basis for other students. This study aims to examine students’ perception on the relevance of the Communication for Sustainable Development course at USM. Sixteen undergraduate students from three different batches – who had completed the course in 2019, 2020, and 2021 – were interviewed online. The analysis highlights the uniqueness of the course and reveals that all students perceived this course as highly relevant to them, for exposing them to the concept of sustainable development and teaching them ways to effectively communicate sustainability messages. The students also described the uniqueness of the course, highlighted by its focus on sustainable development, in addition to its issue-based approach. Moreover, the students also described the crucial role of social media as an effective tool for communicating about sustainability. Overall, the students opined that this course is highly pertinent to USM and the university’s prized reputation and branding of sustainability. The insightful findings offer a valuable guideline for universities and course coordinators in designing and developing sustainable communication courses.

Toward sustainable automobility: Insights from a stewardship literature review of the industry

AbstractThe automotive industry is actively pursuing a course of sustainable development; however, to date, progress has been limited. This is because a truly sustainable future requires a substantial and transformative approach to automobility. Some scholars argue that this transformative approach might be found by exploring an industry transition based on stewardship rather than the current status quo of incremental change. Hence, as a way of offering new insights to stimulate action for sustainability, this study presents the first comprehensive review of stewardship in the automotive sector. From an analysis of 161 peer‐reviewed articles published between 1990 and 2022, we identified two underconceptualized forms of stewardship—environmental and social—both of which have an interconnected relationship. Environmental stewardship involves actions that address ecological challenges, while social stewardship pertains to broader, positive impacts on communities. We argue that understanding the interplay between these different forms of stewardship is crucial for achieving comprehensive sustainability outcomes. Additionally, this research identifies gaps in the literature and outlines areas for future research to help both managers and society navigate the complex sustainability issues facing the automotive industry.

Is It Easy to Do the Right Thing?: An Approach to Sustainable Development in Teacher Education in Sweden

The essay deals with sustainable development in teacher education in Sweden. Using self-study of teacher educator praxis allows inquiry into practical experience informed by propositional knowledge. Using a curriculum theory approach, two dimensions of work on sustainable development at a university are presented, the intended and enacted curriculum. The intended curriculum is expressed in policy documents whereas the enacted dimension is exemplified by a Sustainable Development course addressing, among others, teacher educators at the current university. The two curriculum dimensions are well-aligned with one another. Policy documents ascribe the students and the teaching staff an active role as contributors to work on sustainable development from the point of view of three dimensions, environmental, social, and economic. The call for action dominates, and the rationale for the course is grounded in insights from natural and social sciences. The need to include insights from the humanities is proposed as they may enrich work on sustainable development with novel sensitivities. The essay invites teacher educators to discuss ways to prepare prospective teachers for work on sustainable development.

A Conceptual Model for the Development of Rural Territories of Regions Based on the Principles of Green Economy

Introduction. In recent years in Russian theory and practice more and more attention has been paid to the transition to a green economy through the introduction of innovative clean technologies that ensure resource conservation and increased attention to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation. Rural territories of the country’s regions are significantly differentiated by all elements of sustainable development: economy, quality of life and the state of the environment. If the first two elements are actively promoted through the implementation of targeted programs and projects, then the preservation of natural potential, the prevention of environmental degradation by reducing its pollution is not being implemented enough. So, the purpose of the article is, on the basis of the study, to determine the priority areas for the introduction of green technologies in agriculture, contributing to the solution of environmental and social problems of administrative-territorial entities. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted on the materials of official data of Rosstat, reports of state executive authorities (for example, the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia), as well as other information and analytical organizations. The empirical material was processed by using statistical methods (groupings, cluster analysis), which represents an assessment of the socio-economic situation, human development, the state of the environment of 14 subjects of the Volga Federal District, on the basis of which directions for the transition of rural areas to a green course of development are proposed. Results. The transformation of rural management is considered in the paradigm of sustainable development with an emphasis on nature conservation through the development of scientifically based regional models for the phased solution of acute environmental problems in accordance with financial capabilities and competencies. A conceptual model of transition to the green course of sustainable development of rural areas is proposed, including diagnostics of problems, conditions and factors of the state of the environment, social sphere and economy. Discussion and Conclusion. Due to the existing complexity of the rural economy and significant differences in the composition and structure of economic entities in the regions, their strategic goals and priorities for sustainable development are not the same. A model of purposeful transition to organic agriculture has been developed for regions with a predominance of small forms of management.

Implementation of ESG strategies of Russian companies under sanctions restrictions

Purpose:of the study is to analyze and determine the prospects for the implementation of ESG strategies of Russian companies in the context of escalating anti-Russian sanctions restrictions.Methods:the study is based on the application of the concept of sustainable development, evolving from the "umbrella" concept of corporate social responsibility. The application of the concept of a systematic approach and the theory of decision-making to the management of the organization allowed us to consider the possibilities of incorporating ESG principles into the development strategy of companies.Results:an assessment of the state of non-financial reporting in Russia is given, showing a significant gap between Russian companies and foreign ones in the number of published reports. The impact of Western sanctions on the disclosure of financial statements has been determined, and the relevant draft law is expected to be approved regarding the regulation of the issuance of non-financial statements, the development of which takes into account the experience of anti-Russian sanctions restrictions. It is established that in conditions of high uncertainty of the geopolitical and economic situation, Russian companies confirm their commitment to the course of sustainable development, recognizing the possibility of revising the Sustainable Development Goals, updating the ESG strategy and the portfolio of ESG projects. The prospects and tasks for the development of the ESG agenda, as well as the directions of the evolution of non-financial reporting, are determined.Conclusions and Relevance: in the face of unprecedented sanctions restrictions, Russian companies continue to follow previously adopted ESG strategies. Building business processes based on ESG principles gives undeniable advantages at different levels of the economic system: at the macro level – improving the environmental situation on a planetary scale; at the national level – progressive socio-economic development; at the micro level – increasing loyalty to the company of all its stakeholders with all the ensuing advantages. Recognizing the positive adherence of Russian companies to the global trend of issuing non-financial reports informing the public about the results of the implementation of their ESG strategies, Russian business needs to improve the quality of this activity: organize the process of preparing reports taking into account current challenges, trends, requests of the state, investors and society, objectively reflect the results in the field of ESG transformation.

Smart Agro-Clustering Based on the Chain "Education-Science-Business" for Sustainable Development

The rapid development of technologies has made their adjustments in absolutely all universe processes. The accelerating pace of technology development, and constant crisis phenomena direct all interested parties towards clustering. The study is devoted to studying theoretical and methodological developments regarding clustering, the analysis of the current state of the course of sustainable development chosen by Ukraine and the achievement of goals within its framework. A special place is given to the aspect of financial regulation of creating an agricultural cluster. The analysis showed the need to improve the established clustering chain by adding schools as cluster members at the initial stage. The authors proposed and clearly presented a scheme of interaction between stakeholders in a Smart-cluster and described why this agrarian cluster could be considered smart. The resulting synergistic effect of creating a cluster is not only in increasing the efficiency of its work as a whole compared to the efficiency of individual participants but also in the mutual strengthening of competitive positions. To improve the financial regulation of creating a smart agrarian cluster, the authors proposed an algorithm that would allow the most efficient allocation of money depending on priorities. Forecasting needs to be reviewed periodically because it is planned that at the initial stage, the smart cluster will be financed by “locomotives”, i.e. profitable industries/enterprises; in the future, financing will fall on the shoulders of promising highly profitable non-resource high-tech industries/enterprises.

Research on Effective Teaching Courses Planning for Environmental Literacy in Climate Change

The earth’s environment has been affected by drastic changes in the weather and generally, countries have been vigorously promoting the implementation of environmental education. Through teaching designs from teaching theories with Taiwan’s higher education general education curriculum; the general course of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, this study developed a multi-teaching model and used the two-stage teaching strategy of observation and action in a variety of teaching activities arranged in each week of the semester in order to gradually improve students’ environmental literacy. The specific actions and cognitions of adjustment and mitigation are to achieve the teaching goal of cultivating the ability of environmental literacy among students in the course as well as obtain feedback from the questionnaires on teaching after the course. The multi-teaching model constructed by the institute would obviously help students to improve their learning effectiveness.

Conceptual Framework for Teaching Sustainable Development Course in Blended Learning Environment

Purposes: This paper presents a conceptual framework for teaching sustainable development courses in an online learning environment in institutions of higher education. Sustainability development courses are becoming essential in higher education institutions mainly to educate the younger generations who will be part of the community to make it happen. Higher education institutions are experiencing dramatic shift to cater a young generation of prospective students, to integrate technical innovations in teaching practices and to concentrate on increasing concerns about global sustainability issues. There has been little research to promote an innovative learning in the teaching of sustainable development. The goal of this paper was to create a framework for teaching sustainable development in a virtual learning environment (blended learning) due to the lack of a conceptual framework that could direct this implementation.
 Findings: Hence, the blended learning method is eco-friendly, whereby protects global environmental resources. For hands-on experiences, students will develop projects to make their campus and community more sustainable. In the process, students learn how to analyse sustainability and able to apply online learning knowledge into practice.
 Implication: The conceptual framework proposed will support all educators in higher education institutions engaged in the promotion of quality online education in this pandemic circumstance to develop an effective online practise that are aligned with the corresponding learning needs, skills and facilities.

Investigating Early Childhood Preservice Teachers’ Personal Teaching Efficacy and Outcome-Expectancy Beliefs Regarding Education for Sustainable Development in Turkey

This study investigates teaching efficacy beliefs of Turkish early childhood preservice teachers toward education for sustainable development (ESD), as well as their personal efficacy and outcome-expectancy beliefs regarding ESD. The study also examines whether or not significant life experiences, year of undergraduate study, and taking courses regarding sustainable development influence students’ ESD teaching efficacy beliefs. In the pilot study the structure of the Turkish version of the Education for Sustainable Development Teaching Beliefs Scale (EfSD-B) was explored within a sample comprised of 158 early childhood preservice teachers. Then, 541 early childhood preservice teachers participated in the main study and completed an adapted version of the EfSD-B scale. The study results revealed a moderate sense of ESD teaching efficacy with its two constructs. Further, the participants’ responses did not significantly correspond with significant life experiences, taking ESD or sustainable development course, and preservice teachers’ year in undergraduate study.

Розвиток альтернативних (чистих) джерел енергії: досвід ЄС

The article is concerned with studying the European experience in the development of alternative (clean) energy sources, identifying problems and prospects for the production and consumption. The publication considers the advantages for countries from the use of new generation of energy carriers, including: independence from the countries – suppliers of traditional energy; ensuring ecological production and consumption; environmental protection and minimization of risk to the climate, human health, biodiversity, etc. The article provides the EU regulatory documents, namely: Directive 2018/2001/EC on alternative energy sources as part of the «Clean Energy for All Europeans» package and National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) for 2021-2030, which set out the mechanism for fulfilling new goals for 2030 as to alternative energy sources. The new directive establishes a mandatory goal for alternative energy sources for the EU for 2030 (not less than 32%), provides for measures for various sectors of the economy, as well as transport, and strengthened criteria for ensuring the sustainability of bioenergy. The transition of the EU to the use of biofuels is explained by the course of sustainable development of European countries in the sphere of energy and ecology, the status of the economy and the general ecological policy of the countries. The division into generations of biofuels is provided as follows: the first generation, or conventional fuel, is fuel from ordinary food crops grown on arable land; the second generation is biofuels made from various types of biomass; the third generation is made exclusively of algae; the fourth generation of biomass involves the use of biochemical methods for carbon capture. It is determined that the production of biofuels can give impetus to the revival of the national agrarian economy, improving the environment, enhancing the ecological safety of the country, as well as promoting the development of the country’s logistics infrastructure.

Awareness of the Role of “Religious People” in Environmental Conservation from the Perspective of Islamic Studies Students

Protecting and conserving the environment is the responsibility of every individual including religious people in the Islamic context. Religious people play an important role in environmental conservation because they have the ability to cultivate public awareness on environmental conservation by linking the field of environmental conservation with religious knowledge. However, studies that focus on the role of religious people in helping the efforts of environmental conservation are still lacking. Therefore, this study explored the awareness of the role of religious people in environmental conservation from the perspective of students enrolled in the Islamic studies program. This study is a qualitative study where data were obtained from the reflective assignments of second year Islamic studies students who were following the Global Ecology and Sustainable Development course. Data were analyzed thematically using the ATLAS.ti version 7 software. Based on the findings, there are eight main roles played by religious people from the students’ perspectives. The eight themes, sequentially arranged from the highest to the lowest, are providing environmental awareness to the public, adopting a sustainable lifestyle, becoming a role model, conducting environmental campaigns, working together with NGOs or the authorities, enhancing Islamic values in relation to the environment in oneself, becoming an environmental volunteer and contributing financially to environmental conservation. The role of religious people that was proposed by the students is in line with the Islamic values related to environmental conservation, namely ta’awun, mahabbah,ihsan and qana’ah. These values need to be lived and translated into behavior by religious persons so that they are followed and made a role model by the public in contributing toward environmental sustainability efforts.

STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPORTS INDUSTRY

The article examines the role of the sports industry in modern conditions of the socio-economic development of the state, substantiates the definition of the concept of "sports industry" and reveals the content characteristics that are inherent in it, reveals the features of the development of the industry. the sports industry, the importance of applying the cluster approach to the strategic development of the sports industry is substantiated, the mechanism of interaction in the system "state - society - science - business" is substantiated, which will increase the efficiency of joint activities of economic entities in the sports industry, an organizational and structural model of a sports cluster is developed. Goal. Determine the mechanisms for the development of the sports industry in Ukraine in the context of the adopted course of sustainable development of the state. Methodology. In the course of the research, an empirical-theoretical method based on the analysis of statistical data was used; structural method; comparative analysis; abstract logical generalization. Scientific novelty. The cluster approach is proposed as a mechanism for the strategic development of the sports industry for the production of a high-quality sports product and the role of state policy in this process is determined

УРАХУВАННЯ ЗАРУБІЖНОГО ДОСВІДУ ЩОДО ГАРАНТІЙ ІНОЗЕМНИМ ІНВЕСТОРАМ В УКРАЇНІ В УМОВАХ СТАЛОГО РОЗВИТКУ

It is emphasized that recently in Ukraine there is a tendency to reduce the volume of foreign investment, but the effective implementation of economic, social and environmental components of sustainable development requires adequate investment. Among the main reasons holding back the inflow of foreign investment in Ukraine, in numerous studies of scientists, there is a failure to comply with the guarantees provided by the investment legislation of Ukraine. It is noted that today Ukraine has adopted a large number of regulations governing the activities of foreign investors and provide certain guarantees for the protection of foreign investors, but in the process of investing investors face problems related to the implementation of these guarantees. This is due to the fact, that the Ukrainian legislator is constantly changing the law on investment activities. That is why the authors chose the purpose of the article to study the positive experience of some European countries, which have chosen a course of sustainable development, to guarantee the protection of foreign investors. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the main strategic goal of the governments of these countries is to create great opportunities for the provision and implementation of such guarantees. Certain guarantees for the protection of foreign investors in some European countries that have chosen the course of sustainable development, namely: Great Britain, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, have been studied. Based on this study, a number of guarantees for the protection of foreign investors have been identified, which make sense to introduce in Ukraine.

Identifying Key Issues of Education for Sustainable Development

This paper elaborates and presents key issues established for a course on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). ESD is supported by the United Nations (UN) organization and its agency, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Quality education is also one of the seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The evolution of sustainable development and ESD is overviewed first in order to define the most important content of ESD in future teaching. Because of the fast development of humankind in all the SD pillars (economic, social and environmental), the climate crises as well as the new technologies and knowledge emerging, education leaders and teachers are lacking modern and effective content for ESD. Therefore, twelve key issues of ESD are identified and elaborated in the present article. The issues are organized into four groups (approach, contents, teaching, and organization) with three items each. The approach is including ESD scope, policy, and cooperation, the contents part deals with the three ESD pillars — environmental, social and economic; the third group, teaching, regards ESD methodologies, transformative teaching and learning, and capacity building; the organization group presents ESD metrics, documents, and institutions. The twelve issues have been synthesized after reviewing the available literature, enhanced by the participation in several international projects on education. In addition, they were further elaborated from feedback obtained from three international conferences focused on education for sustainable development, social responsibility, and sustainable consumption and production. The key goals suggested by the audience of the international conference in Vienna were holistic education, stakeholders’ awareness, participation and cooperation, and building capacity of stakeholders, while the challenge was found to be the timely evolution of human society towards the deep transformation. This paper is an informed perspective proposing content for an Education for Sustainable Development course.

ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE TECHNICAL / TECHNOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT IN RELATION TO THE RESOURCE BASE OF ENTERPRISES

The content of technical and technological equipment of the enterprise is revealed through the definition of potential production capacity by increasing production capacity in the conditions of a growing demand for high-tech products and services. Theoretical provisions and conclusions relate to the structural content of technical and technological development through the relationship with the conditions for the development of the technical and technological base. There are given the main elements of technical and technological equipment that can be measured and focused on the growth of the technological level of production. It is shown that the prospects for technical and technological equipment lie in the development of knowledge-intensive means of labor, the level of fundamental scientific and technical research, as well as technological integration of related processes. The stable dynamics of resource provision in the form of capital injections into technological re-equipment and modernization of production in the Russian and Western economies are revealed. The article offers a synthesis of innovative approaches to the technical and technological development of enterprises with the designation of special areas of the production process by technologization, structuring mechanisms of diagnostics data to inform management decisions, outsourcing services, corporate governance and the taxation of transnational associations. The article reveals the prospects for establishing relationships between industrial enterprises and financial structures based on the principle of supply chain financing. Further studies of technologization include the digitalization of production, knowledge economy, as well as schemes of platform cooperation between industrial companies and stakeholders. It is emphasized that the technical and technological equipment of enterprises has a high degree of dependence on the state of the resource base, which should be regulated taking into account deviations from the course of sustainable development.

Sustainable Development Principles for Engineering Educator

This paper focuses on the justification and incorporation of sustainable development course into the certified training of engineering educators. Under the ERASMUS+ Project ENTER, a consortium was set up to build the capacity of engineering HEIs by strengthening engineering educators’ preparation by an innovative kind of engineering pedagogy. One of the project tasks is to create a novel multicultural and international approach for formal post-graduate professional and pedagogical education of engineering educators. After a thorough educational market analysis, study of HEIs requirements and educators’ needs, a formal training program was designed. One of the core courses of that program is the course on Sustainable Development. The main aim of this course is to help educators to develop a strategy how to integrate sustainable development principles into engineering education at large.

The Concept of an Eco-Efficient Regional Development Strategy: A Case of the Baikal Region

The transition to sustainable development requires a comprehensive systematic state policy and suggests a change in existing cultural characteristics that determine the nature of the economic development of society. It assumes reliance on effective mechanisms that can minimize the time and risks of possible destructive processes of such a transition. As a mechanism for institutionalization, we propose using the concept of ecological efficiency as a criterion for the compliance of strategic development plans and relevant regulatory legal acts with the selected course of sustainable development. This work aims to disclose the concept of eco-efficiency through understanding the benefits of focusing on qualitative development criteria. The methodological basis of the study was the provisions of dialectical realism, which determines the variability of the content of quantitative development indices with the constancy of qualitative guidelines, thus ensuring balanced development of civilization for an indefinitely long term. Keywords: sustainable development, ecological efficiency, sustainable development strategy, Baikal region, dialectical realism

Evolution of Innovative Quintuple Helix Model for the Example of Industrial and Natural Parks in Ukraine

Sustainable development is not possible without continuous improvement of economic, social and ecological activities through innovation modeling. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the economic and ecological innovation activity of industrial and natural parks based on Helix-modeling in its evolutionary context. Within the proposed conceptual approach the role of regulation in the modeling of innovation activity in the context of sustainable development is revealed: the combination of state, market and social regulation is the key to formulating effective policies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, namely through: the formation of frameworks and the minimum necessary control over the observance of the rules of behavior in the market of innovative goods and services. Particular attention is paid to the projection of Helix modeling into the plane of park activity in its evolutionary context: Triplex Helix → Quadruple Helix → Quintuple Helix. The evolution of Helix-modeling can be in the opposite direction: on the one hand, it is advisable to combine the experience of environmental management (ecologization of industrial parks), and, on the other, to attract investment in the economy of environmental management (economization of natural parks) in the implementation Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The division into evolutionary stages is conditional in the sense that parallels can be drawn between the evolution of the conceptual model of innovation and the conception of sustainable development; Helix-model analytically accompanies the course of sustainable development. The inclusive approach has been defined as a common in the formation of economic and ecological innovations in the activities of parks, first of all, experience and wellness tourism.

Life Skill Training among Young People: A Pan Commonwealth Perspective

Young people constitute the majority of population in Asia and Africa region now and will remain, the same for few more decades. Young people are identified as the reagent of development across the globe. In fact, the Sustainable Development Goals, which has been proclaimed recently by the United Nations -which is a follow-up global agenda to the Millennium Development Goals also emphasizes the importance of young people in the course of sustainable development. Life skill training has become an invincible ingredient of discussions; particularly while the discussing about development in line with young people. The recent discussions by all international bodies have significantly gladdened the topic and mounted country specific policies and programmes allied to the same. Countries like India, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia has already started to capitalize young people and impart life skill training for them. The enormous amount invested on young people is been equalized to the future of the country. The current paper investigates on the possibility and strategies to slot in the life skill training in Asian countries to equip the young people to ensure their productive contribution to the economy. It further describes different approaches to the life skill training across globe and the success identified. The study is purely on the basis of the secondary data available with the Commonwealth Secretariat and other international bodies.

Correlation between sustainability education and engineering students’ attitudes towards sustainability

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the impacts of a sustainable development course on the beliefs, attitudes and intentions of a cohort of engineering students in a university in Miri, Malaysia, towards sustainability.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaire survey was conducted among the cohort of students encompassing the three facets mentioned.FindingsThe respondents expressed low to medium agreement towards all the survey items related to beliefs, attitudes and intentions. A sense of moral obligation towards sustainability is linked to higher sustainability awareness, willingness to safeguard sustainability and a sense of responsibility towards sustainable development. The respondents were generally perceived to have fundamental knowledge of sustainable development.Research limitations/implicationsThis study shows that a sustainable development course called Engineering Sustainable Development offered in a university in Miri, produced positive impacts on the beliefs, attitudes and intentions of the engineering students towards sustainable development. Sustainable development courses are generally instrumental to impart the value and practices of sustainability among university students.Originality/valueAs limited correlational studies on whether sustainable development courses effectively shape the beliefs and attitudes of students have been previously conducted, this study provides insight into the effectiveness of one of such courses and how the course can be further improved to enhance its effectiveness.