Higher Education Curriculum Research Articles

Sustainable Education for Sustainable Heritage: Managing the Tension Between Professional Practice and Critical Inquiry

ABSTRACT This paper reflects on Uppsala University’s experiences from organizing higher education in conservation, and argues how curricula can be rethought and reorganized to foster a genuine shift towards sustainable education. It discusses various experiences of developing and planning interdisciplinary higher education programs in conservation and how curricula can be transformed to broaden the sustainability competence of future heritage professionals. We need to foster heritage professionals that are capable of exploiting the dynamic and negotiated nature of heritage for the good of society. By embracing change and loss there are opportunities to use heritage in more benign and sustainable ways. But there are profound differences between how heritage and its role in society are understood in conservation as a field of practice and as a field of inquiry. Based on the experience from Uppsala University, the authors argue that there is a need for a conservation curriculum in higher education that balances and integrates normative competence and critical inquiry: a middle path, where opposing perspectives can thrive in parallel.

Ten Simple Rules for Incorporating the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into Environmental and Natural Science Courses

In 2015, the United Nations (UN) established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to combat poverty, inequality, and climate change. Recently, integrating these goals into higher education curricula has emerged as essential for fostering positive environmental and civic engagement. Challenges persist, particularly the prioritization of social and economic concerns over eco-centered principles and ecopedagogy. Education must emphasize the politics of environmental issues, advocating sustainable practices that benefit both humans and nonhuman species. This article proposes ten simple rules for incorporating the SDGs into undergraduate courses in ecology, evolution, and environmental science. We conducted a literature review, analyzing 940 publications from 2014 to 2024 using ISI Web of Science and Google Scholar. We focused on fields like Green Sustainable Science and Technology and Environmental Education to identify the best practices for integrating SDGs. Our findings link pedagogical successes to the SDGs, facilitating effective educational strategies. For practical sustainability education, students must grasp the interplay between the environment and societal elements such as diversity, justice, and resilience. Connecting course topics to the SDGs offers a powerful framework for teaching undergraduates about complex environmental challenges. Our research highlights a novel approach to embedding SDGs in environmental education, promoting critical thinking and literacy across various settings.

Rethinking General Education from the Perspective of High School and Higher Education Curriculum Articulation

This study explores the concept of curriculum articulation between secondary and higher education, focusing on the continuity of curricula and their implications for foundational liberal education in universities. It analyzes the similarities and differences between general education at the high school and university levels. Both frameworks aim to cultivate holistic individuals equipped with essential competencies and a sound moral character through broad-based education. They share commonalities in historical origins, educational objectives, and curricular structures. However, high school curricula are typically organized around subject-based learning, whereas university curricula are more discipline-oriented, with pedagogical differences arising from the distinct roles of teachers and professors. These differences manifest in instructional content, teaching methodologies, and assessment practices. From the perspective of curricular continuity, sequence, and integration, the study advocates for the development of academically rigorous liberal arts courses at the university level that facilitate interdisciplinary mobility and integration for students, and the enhancement of teaching methods for interdisciplinary courses through ongoing faculty research. The conclusion suggests conceptualizing liberal education as encompassing three distinct domains: basic literacy education, liberal arts education, and experiential learning. It emphasizes that the scope of liberal arts education should extend beyond basic competencies, asserting that continuous faculty engagement and scholarly inquiry are essential for the effective development and refinement of liberal education curricula.

A roadmap for developing higher permafrost education in Norden

We perform a first permafrost higher education curriculum survey in Norden. Permafrost is part of the education within both bio- and geosciences and engineering, and the variation in educational activities reflect this. Five permafrost-specific geoscience and engineering permafrost courses exist, whereas there are 23 bachelor and 25 master courses with a permafrost content ranging from 1% to 50 %. The is large potential and clear needs for closer permafrost teaching collaboration. This could focus on permafrost course development, teaching methods, sharing practical experiences including fieldwork and further developing the educational offer. Such collaboration could establish: 1) An online, joint Nordic specific course on permafrost, sharing the special permafrost competences existing across the universities using digital teaching tools, 2) Nordic collaboration on developing joint, both general but also specific, PhD courses on permafrost, 3) Lifelong education in permafrost, and 4) Internships a part of active permafrost education to better meet the future employers and society’s needs. The Nordic region might also gain largely from establishing an overview-providing interdisciplinary joint Nordic course aiming to characterize the region and its diversity broadly including both natural and social sciences, and naturally covering different topics including permafrost and seasonally frozen ground. The mapping done for this paper will function as a first overall roadmap catalogue providing an overview of all offered courses on permafrost. The overall outcome of our survey shows large potential for increased and deeper inter-university collaboration for further developing joint permafrost higher education both in the form of courses and other educational activities between institutions across Norden, and potentially with ambitions for joint permafrost degrees between several institutions. Based on the presented results and the mapped different future plans for permafrost education across Norden, we discuss the implications of our results, specifically concerning the potential for increased collaboration in Nordic permafrost education. These focus on permafrost course development, teaching methods, sharing practical experiences including fieldwork and further developing the educational offer. In more detail increased collaboration could establish: 1) An online, joint Nordic-specific course on permafrost, sharing the special permafrost competences existing across the universities using digital teaching tools, 2) Nordic collaboration on developing joint PhD courses on permafrost, 3) Lifelong education in permafrost, and 4) Internships as part of active permafrost education to better meet the needs of future employers and society. The Nordic region might also gain largely from establishing an interdisciplinary joint Nordic course, aiming to characterize the region and its diversity broadly and including both natural and social sciences, and naturally covering different topics including permafrost and seasonally frozen ground.

The higher education’s role in the multisectoral evolution of the diabetes mobile unit programme

Abstract Background The global prevalence of obesity and diabetes is increasing. Overweight and obesity during early childhood increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The diabetes mobile unit (DMU) programme is a collaborative initiative between the Bahrain Diabetes Society, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) Medical University of Bahrain, the Ministry of Education, and other stakeholders. Objectives To develop a sustainable educational programme to empower nursing and medical students to educate schoolchildren on healthy lifestyle choices and potentially reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Results The DMU programme is incorporated into the undergraduate nursing and medical curricula. It fosters experiential learning in public health education and promotion, encourages trainee-trainer mentorship, and cultivates essential graduate skills, thus enhancing their career prospects. Since 2012, the programme inducted 300 staff and students and educated 7,000 children. In 2023, the programme was re-launched in alignment with RCSI’s three strategic pillars: learning and teaching, research, and community engagement. The programme expanded its stakeholders’ network and incorporated strategies to promote interprofessional learning among staff, students, and alumni. The outcome of these endeavours included publishing an interactive storybook, creating innovative educational tools, and ongoing research. Conclusions This novel programme highlights the role of higher education in promoting multisectoral collaboration for public health awareness initiatives. The key to the programme’s success is synchronizing education, research and community engagement in higher education curricula and various contexts. Key messages • Multisectoral collaboration is essential in developing evidence-based and culturally congruent programmes. • Linking education, research, and community is vital to achieving sustainable development goals.

Embedding Sustainability in Tourism Education: Bridging Curriculum Gaps for a Sustainable Future

The evolving challenges in the tourism industry, particularly those related to sustainability, demand significant revisions to current degree programs. This paper presents the design of a higher education curriculum for tourism studies at a Spanish university, responding to industry needs for broader, high-level knowledge and skills, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, digital transformation, and socially responsible practices. The curriculum prioritizes critical and strategic thinking alongside liberal reflection to empower students to lead in sustainable tourism development. Developed collaboratively with the entire tourism faculty, the curriculum design was informed by an extensive analysis of 105 international university courses, 204 job offers, feedback from 195 alumni, and ongoing consultations with professionals and community partners. Grounded in the concept of curriculum space and the philosophic practitioner framework, the curriculum integrates knowledge, soft skills, and attitudes to foster an innovative, sustainable learning ecosystem that prepares graduates to tackle the complexities of modern tourism with a focus on long-term environmental and social impacts.

Integrating Digital Literacy into Curriculum for Enhancing Student Engagement in Higher Education

This article explores the integration of digital literacy into higher education curricula as a strategy for enhancing student engagement. With the increasing reliance on digital tools and platforms in both academic and professional environments, developing digital literacy skills has become essential for students. This study examines how embedding digital literacy into course design can foster interactive learning, improve critical thinking, and promote active participation in the classroom. Drawing on recent case studies and educational frameworks, the article highlights key practices for successfully integrating digital literacy into various disciplines. The findings suggest that when digital literacy is incorporated effectively, it enhances students' motivation, collaborative learning, and overall academic performance, preparing them for the demands of the modern workforce. The article concludes with recommendations for educators and institutions on how to implement digital literacy strategies within their curricula to better engage students in a digital age.

University Students’ Attitudes and Perceptions towards AI Tools: Implications for Sustainable Educational Practices

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in educational settings offers significant opportunities to promote sustainability by transforming learning experiences. This study analyses the usage, attitudes, and perceptions of AI tools among university students in Slovenia providing a comprehensive analysis that informs both academic practices and policy-making with emphasis on sustainability. We used a structured questionnaire with a sample of 422 participants reflecting a diverse demographic profile across various fields of study. The questionnaire was designed to measure the frequency of AI tool usage, the purposes for which these tools are employed, and students’ attitudes and perceptions towards AI’s potential benefits and drawbacks in education. Statistical analyses, including Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), were utilized to test hypotheses concerning differences in AI tool usage based on the level and field of study. Findings reveal that students recognize the efficiency of AI, but express concerns about its impact on learning quality and academic integrity, emphasizing the need for a balanced and responsible integration of AI in education to achieve sustainable outcomes. Results indicated that a majority of students are engaging with AI tools, with varied frequencies of use largely dependent on their field of study and academic level. The findings suggest that while AI tools are becoming an integral part of the educational landscape in Slovenia, there is a critical need to address the educational, ethical, and psychological impacts of these technologies. The results highlight the necessity for further research into the educational implications of AI, suggesting a balanced and sustainable approach to integrating these technologies into higher education curricula. Such an approach ensures that the adoption of AI not only enhances learning outcomes but also aligns with the principles of sustainability, promoting long-term benefits for both education and society.

CiteSaga: Conceptualisation of a Serious Game for Citation and Reference Styles

This article asserts that serious games (SGs) are effective tools for teaching citation and referencing styles in higher education. The proposed SG aims to enhance students' understanding and application of these styles through an engaging, game-based approach. We use an agile design cycle combined with educational design and design science research methodologies. The SG's key elements include objectives, rules, mechanics, learning outcomes, and assessment strategies, all integrated into higher education curricula.

Internationalising higher education curricula for sustainable development: considerations for indigeneity and (inter)culturality

Higher Education (HE) can play a fundamental role in the achievement of sustainable development, and particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as captured in the Incheon declaration. However, what approach HE should take in this mission is a contested space. In this paper, we interrogate the idea of indigeneity. The pursuit to ascertain how an indigenised approach to internationalisation can support or enhance the contribution of HE curricula towards sustainable development is driven by the understanding that for sustainable development to be achieved at all, the process of knowledge creation must strive to make integral those epistemologies that exist beyond the “West”; an understanding that aligns, in particular, with Target 7 of the United Nations (UN) SDG 4 and seeks to empower victims of epistemic violence. In doing so, we employed a bibliographic research which captured a dual approach consisting of a bibliometric analysis of literature and a review of case studies. The findings from both methods suggest that internationalisation appears in different disciplinary contexts, but these are not always aligned with indigenisation. We maintain that the construct of (inter)culturality can address aspects within the framework of indigeneity to boost the internationalisation of HE curricula and outcomes for sustainable development. Central to this are four factors, namely: the need for effective human engagement with (inter)cultural competence, medium/place of curricula interaction, the initiative form and the reach of the development.

Course-Skill Atlas: A national longitudinal dataset of skills taught in U.S. higher education curricula

Higher education plays a critical role in driving an innovative economy by equipping students with knowledge and skills demanded by the workforce. While researchers and practitioners have developed data systems to track detailed occupational skills, such as those established by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), much less effort has been made to document which of these skills are being developed in higher education at a similar granularity. Here, we fill this gap by presenting Course-Skill Atlas – a longitudinal dataset of skills inferred from over three million course syllabi taught at nearly three thousand U.S. higher education institutions. To construct Course-Skill Atlas, we apply natural language processing to quantify the alignment between course syllabi and detailed workplace activities (DWAs) used by the DOL to describe occupations. We then aggregate these alignment scores to create skill profiles for institutions and academic majors. Our dataset offers a large-scale representation of college education’s role in preparing students for the labor market. Overall, Course-Skill Atlas can enable new research on the source of skills in the context of workforce development and provide actionable insights for shaping the future of higher education to meet evolving labor demands, especially in the face of new technologies.

Transforming workplace diversity and HRD: towards a critical HRD framework for radical intentionality

ABSTRACT This article explores the evolution of diversity in HRD and explicates various tools for workplace diversity. Based on the Bierema-Callahan model of critical HRD, the literature review outlines four phases of evolution: organising by diversity management, learning from diversity training and higher education curriculum, changing to social justice and intersectional diversity, and relating through diversity intelligence. Each phase reflects the shifts in conceptualisations of workplace diversity and corresponding HRD actions and responses. The discussion introduces the concept of radical intentionality in HRD, emphasising the need for intentional transformative actions to address lingering systemic issues of workplace discrimination and marginalisation. Furthermore, it proposes a framework illustrating how HRD tools for workplace diversity can be deployed within four areas of HRD engagement to positively impact workplace experiences for diverse employees. Implications for HRD practitioners include informed decision-making in selecting appropriate tools for diversity initiatives and evaluating their effectiveness. Future research opportunities involve identifying new tools and intended impacts, advancing the quest for social justice and workplace inclusion for all.

Agile Backward Design: A Framework for planning higher education curriculum

AbstractIn the last two decades there has been an increase in research and discussion regarding curriculum in Higher Education (HE). The literature in this field tends to focus on curriculum change at either the whole institution or individual program or unit level. Formal writing on HE curriculum also does not offer a framework that openly draws upon context, learner needs, pedagogical approaches, and industry requirements to formulate a collaborative model of curricular development. To fill these gaps in HE curriculum discussion and literature the aim of this study was to develop a cross-disciplinary model applicable to both unit (academic module that makes up a program) and program (degree) levels of curriculum development by enabling academics to generate and structure engaging learning opportunities for students. The research team developed this model by drawing on elements of Agile mindset and Backward Design. We call it Agile Backward Design (ABD). This paper reports on this new approach to curricular design. A critical reflective inquiry approach was used to discuss the development of the model. To report the transformation that was made at the program and unit level a case study was employed. In ABD, the researchers have constructed a dynamic and responsive framework that has been foundational in the design and development of innovative curriculum and pedagogy at the unit and program level of undergraduate degrees in the IT discipline area.

Integrating environmental social and governance values into higher education curriculum

Integrating environmental social and governance values into higher education curriculum

CHAPTER 4: the Place of Knowledge, Graduate Attributes and Technology in the 21st-Century Higher Education Curriculum

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the complexities and challenges for higher education curriculum transformation in the 21st century. More specifically, the focus is on the ways in which such transformation could place equal value to disciplinary knowledge, graduate attributes, and technology. In other words, how to enable students to learn so that they can use acquired disciplinary knowledge, graduate attributes, and technology to enable them to adapt to changes brought about by 21st-century demands. By means of a literature review as a research methodological choice, the chapter explores the value of placing disciplinary knowledge, graduate attributes, and technology side by side in the centre of the curriculum.

Efisiensi Kurikulum Perguruan Tinggi Islam di Indonesia: Tinjauan Literatur tentang Peningkatan Kompetensi Intelektual dan Kesiapan Kerja Melalui Pendidikan Agama Islam

This study aims to analyze the efficiency of the curriculum of Islamic universities in Indonesia in ensuring the readiness of students to enter the workforce, by reviewing the role of Islamic religious education in improving intellectual competence. Through a literature study approach, this study identifies the challenges and opportunities faced by Islamic universities in integrating religious values ​​with the intellectual and professional needs of students. The main focus of this study is the effectiveness of the curriculum in balancing theoretical aspects of religion and practical skills needed in the workplace. This study found that the curriculum of Islamic universities in Indonesia has attempted to adopt an integrative approach that combines religious education with the development of soft skills and hard skills that are relevant to professional careers. However, there are still some weaknesses in the implementation, such as the lack of curriculum adjustment to the dynamics of the labor market, as well as the imbalance between religious education and practical skills. The results of this study indicate that Islamic religious education has an important role in shaping the character and professional ethics of students, which are the main capital in entering the workforce. Therefore, increasing the efficiency of the curriculum through collaboration between academics, industry practitioners, and policy makers is needed to ensure that students' intellectuality is in accordance with the demands of the workplace. This study contributes to the academic discussion on the reform of Islamic higher education curriculum and emphasizes the importance of Islamic religious education in producing graduates who are not only intellectually competent, but also have strong ethical values ​​to face professional challenges. The implication of this study is the need for a more flexible and adaptive curriculum strategy to improve the competitiveness of Islamic higher education graduates in the global job market.

Enacting Business Education Employability Skills Through a UDL Lens

This article introduces the notion of synergies between employability skills embedded within the university curriculum and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. It draws on a previous study which examined the disjuncture between espoused and that of actual teaching and assessment practice of employability skills within the business curriculum. While that study produced a typology to aid in the development of these skills, this paper now considers how a UDL perspective might make the teaching more relevant to individual students and in doing so more inclusive. We argue that employability skills applied through a UDL lens is particularly appropriate since they have a common goal – to create expert learners. As defined by the UDL guidelines (CAST, 2018) such learners are purposeful and motivated, resourceful and knowledgeable, as well as being strategic and goal-directed. While this is one example of UDL underpinning effective teaching and assessment practice, it also reflects a growing awareness around the potential of UDL within higher education curriculum design.

Penyuluhan dan Pendampingan Pembuatan Teh Bunga Telang dan Sereh Wangi Untuk Menurunkan Kadar Gula Darah Di Desa Bandar Dawung Tawangmangu

Community Service Lecture (CSL) is a community service program that is part of the higher education curriculum in Indonesia. The purpose of this program is to contribute to the community in Bandar Dawung village, Tawangmangu district, Central Java. One of the contributions given is the assistance program for making telang flower tea (Clitoria ternatea L.) and making jelly candy from citronella leaves (Cymbopogon citratus) is efficacious in lowering blood sugar levels. The main problem faced is the high prevalence of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, due to the body's relative and absolute insulin deficiency. The method used is divided into three stages, namely pre-activity, activity process, and evaluation. The results of this mentoring activity show that the level of public understanding of the benefits and processing of telang flowers and citronella leaves is 80%.

Is gender studies absent in the Civic Education curriculum in higher education?

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Aspects Considered Relevant in Higher Education Curriculum to PRODUCE Business innovative Graduates

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been tasked with the responsibility to generate knowledge through research and educate students and PRODUCE graduates with the capability to innovate and develop business innovation through entrepreneurial teaching. Therefore, it is significant for a university to align itself with the needs of the industry to PRODUCE graduates with the capability to PRODUCE business innovation. The purpose of this research was to determine aspects considered relevant in the Higher Education curriculum to PRODUCE graduates ready to develop business innovation and become entrepreneurs. The mixed-method research approach was deemed suitable for this research, therefore both qualitative and quantitative data were collected through the use of semi-structured interviews with 11 participants from the University of Johannesburg commercialisation units and an online questionnaire from 69 innovation experts from the South African Business Innovation Community (Innovation Summit), and the Innovation, Sustainability, and Visionary Leadership Group. The data collected was then analysed through descriptive content analysis and statistical analysis. This study is part of a PhD study completed in 2022 and only the results about the aspects considered relevant in the Higher Education curriculum to PRODUCE graduates ready to develop business innovation are presented and discussed. Based on the findings it is significant to note that aspects, such as creativity; originality and initiative; critical thinking and analysis; analytical thinking and innovation complex problem solving; and entrepreneurship are relevant and suitable for the university curriculum. In conclusion, more emphasis should be reflected in the Higher Education curriculum on these aspects mentioned above to PRODUCE graduates ready and capable of developing and producing business innovation. Higher Education Institutions should regularly implement interventions to improve their curriculum to best suit the needs of the industry or the business sector.