Education and personal development play a crucial role in sustainability and social responsibility. For those interested in courses related not only to nature conservation or environmental education, but also to development cooperation, migration or ethics and many other areas, the Sustainable University has therefore prepared a Database of sustainability courses. Each of the selected subjects also fulfils one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which followed the Sustainable Millennium Goals in 2015, are defined for seventeen areas linking social, environmental and economic aspects. They have been agreed by all UN Member States, universities, business and civil society. By 2030, goals such as ending poverty, responsible production and consumption, and the protection and sustainable use of land and water resources should be achieved.
"For education, the fourth goal is of major importance. In addition to quality, accessible and equitable education, it should also ensure that by 2030 all students have the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development," adds UP Sustainable Development Officer Miroslava Zavadil.
The SDGs are used by states and companies to structure their development and environmental efforts, and the UP Sustainable Development Strategy is based on them, containing fifteen priority areas for life at the university. One of them is education for sustainability. The database therefore offers an overview of subjects related to sustainable development, which are grouped according to the relevant SDGs. In addition to the individual goals, the categories of faculty, language in which the course is taught and the form of study can also be used to filter and clearly search for courses.
The faculties of science and education offers the most courses covering sustainability, but it is also possible to choose from the offer of other faculties (FA, FPC, LF). If a student does not have the courses directly in his/her study plan, he/she can also enrol in most of them as category C courses.
"We will be happy if the database helps students find interesting subjects, brings new knowledge and inspires them to incorporate sustainability principles not only into their studies but also into their everyday lives," adds Miroslava Zavadil.
The Database of sustainability courses is part of the Sustainable University website, where you can also find, for example, records of lectures, tips for sustainable living, energy audit results, methodologies and strategic documents. There are regular invitations to events or opportunities to get involved in challenges and projects such as Bike to Work, European Sustainability Week or Car Free Day.