Education for Sustainable Development
Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University regards education for sustainable development as an important area of its educational activity, aimed at building the knowledge, competences and practical skills needed to address today’s environmental, social and economic challenges.
Strategic basis of education for sustainable development
The development of education for sustainable development is set out in the Development Strategy of Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University for 2023–2027.
Strategic goal 7 directs the university’s activities towards achieving the global UN Sustainable Development Goals. In particular, operational goal 7.1 provides for students to develop an understanding of the SDGs and the ability to act on them through formal and non-formal education programmes.
The Strategy also sets the task of including learning outcomes related to sustainable development in the educational components of all higher education programmes (expected result R 7.1 and indicator I 7.1). One of the practical ways of carrying out these strategic tasks is teaching courses devoted to the Sustainable Development Goals and to particular aspects of sustainability, including environmental safety, energy efficiency, decarbonisation, rational use of resources, social responsibility, gender equality and integrity.
Sustainable development among the elective courses
Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic has a system of elective courses that allows students to shape an individual learning path.
The list of courses is given in the university-wide catalogue of elective courses. Students choose courses in their personal account on the university’s learning portal according to the established procedure.
The courses on offer include specialised courses devoted directly to sustainable development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as courses covering particular environmental, social, economic and management aspects of sustainability.
These courses are offered at the bachelor’s, master’s and PhD levels. Whether a particular course can be chosen depends on the level of study, the educational programme and the conditions of its inclusion in the catalogue.
To keep information about the content of studies open, the descriptions of the courses and links to their syllabi are given below, so that their topics, learning outcomes and competences can be viewed without signing in to the university’s learning portal.
Courses on sustainable development
The courses are grouped by theme. The SDGs shown indicate how the topics of the courses relate to the global goals and are not necessarily formal labels in the syllabi.
1. Sustainable Development Goals and social responsibility
Formalization of Sustainable Development Goals
Related goals: all 17 SDGs
The course is devoted directly to the concept of sustainable development, the system of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, their targets and indicators.
More about the course
It covers the economic, social and environmental components of sustainable development, human capital development, ecological balance, sustainable economic growth, the development of cities and communities, and how the SDGs are implemented in Ukraine.
The course builds a systemic understanding of the links between the global goals and the ways of taking them into account in research and professional work.
Social Responsibility
Related goals: SDG 8, SDG 12, SDG 16, SDG 17
The course deals with the theory and practice of social responsibility and the interaction of the state, business, society and the individual in the context of sustainable development.
More about the course
It covers the principles of responsible business conduct, the social consequences of economic activity and the role of organisations in ensuring sustainable social development.
Studying the course helps to develop the competence to take social, economic and ethical aspects into account in professional decisions.
2. Energy efficiency, ecology and resource management
Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization of Energy
Related goals: SDG 7, SDG 9, SDG 13
The course is devoted to modern approaches to improving energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing low-carbon energy.
More about the course
The programme covers renewable energy sources, energy management, smart grids, hydrogen technologies, carbon capture and the economic mechanisms of decarbonisation.
The course builds an understanding of the technological, environmental and economic aspects of the energy transition.
Fundamentals of Ecology
Related goals: SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 15
The course builds knowledge of how natural systems function, how society and the environment interact, and the consequences of human impact on the natural environment.
More about the course
It covers environmental factors, pollution, environmental protection measures, environmental standards, waste management, alternative energy sources and environmental monitoring.
Studying the course helps to develop environmental thinking and a responsible attitude to the use of natural resources.
Harmful Substances and Their Utilization
Related goals: SDG 3, SDG 12, SDG 15
The course deals with the impact of harmful substances and waste on the natural environment and with ways of reducing the negative consequences of industrial activity.
More about the course
It covers sources of pollution, hazardous substances, industrial and household waste, ways of treating and disposing of them, and issues of environmental safety.
The course builds knowledge of safe waste management and rational use of resources.
Protection of the Population, Territories, Environment and Industrial Safety
Related goals: SDG 3, SDG 11, SDG 13, SDG 15
The course covers the protection of people, territories and the environment, risk assessment, prevention of emergencies and minimisation of their consequences.
More about the course
Particular attention is paid to occupational safety, risk management and taking into account the environmental and social consequences of management and technical decisions.
The course develops the competences needed to ensure safe and resilient conditions for life and professional activity.
3. Gender equality, social justice and integrity
Gender Studies
Related goals: SDG 5, SDG 10, SDG 16
The course is devoted to the study of gender relations, ensuring equal rights and opportunities, and overcoming discrimination and social stereotypes.
More about the course
The programme covers gender equality in law, politics, the economy, communication and the media, as well as gender-based violence.
The course helps to develop critical thinking and an understanding of the importance of equal opportunities for the sustainable development of society.
Gender Sociology
The course considers gender relations as part of the social organisation of society, how social roles are formed and how gender inequality arises.
More about the course
It covers equal access to economic, political and educational resources, social stereotypes and the social conditions for equal opportunities.
The course helps to understand the social factors of inequality and ways of overcoming it.
Anti-Corruption and Integrity
Related goals: SDG 16
The course deals with corruption, the principles of integrity, prevention of corruption and responsible behaviour.
More about the course
It covers the causes and consequences of corruption, anti-corruption mechanisms, the ethical foundations of professional activity and the role of integrity in public institutions.
The course builds knowledge and values related to transparency, accountability and good governance.
Open information about the content of studies
To provide open access to information about educational opportunities in sustainable development, the syllabi of the relevant courses are published on this page.
The syllabi contain information on the aims and content of studies, topics, competences, expected learning outcomes, the scope of the course and forms of assessment.
Publishing these materials allows students, applicants, teachers, partners of the university and other interested people to learn about the content of the courses without signing in to the learning portal.
Whether particular courses can be chosen depends on the current educational programmes and the university-wide catalogue.
Official resource: Catalogue of elective courses of Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic.
Education for a sustainable future
Courses on sustainable development help to build an interdisciplinary view of today’s challenges and an understanding of the links between economic activity, technological development, the state of the environment and the well-being of society.
Combining technical, environmental, economic, management and social subjects allows students to see sustainable development as a complex task that requires responsible decisions and cooperation between specialists in different fields.
Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic continues to develop educational opportunities in sustainable development and to keep information about the content of the relevant courses open.
See also
- SDG 4 «Quality Education»: all areas of the goal.
- SDG 17 «Partnerships for the Goals»: education for sustainable development as one of the areas of partnership.
- Sustainability Literacy Assessment.
