‘Education for Sustainable Development: a springboard for innovation, student enrichment and partnership’

UWE Conference Workshop:

Multi-disciplinarity and multiculturalism in sustainability education: pedagogy of risk and ethics

Presenters / FacilitatorsFBL teaching and research team: Svetlana Cicmil, Benoit Dutilleul, Ben

Pontin, Derek Braddon, , Vanessa Iwowo Fabian Frenzel

with MBA students and researchers: Stephen Batson, Nigel Stone, Elisabeth Reiersen

Executive MBA: Risk and Sustainability in Global Operations Our pedagogic aims and convictions

• Refocusing attention on sustainability crisis - as a complex alarming issue- not just an economic-scientific problem but a moral one

• Exposing consequences of the ontological separation between the socio-economic and the ecological

- introducing ethical concerns and risks associated with the dominant focus on infinite growth and technological / scientific solutions to ecological crisis

- Humans/organisations-IN-nature vs humans/organisations-AND-nature

• Critical pedagogy informed by moral philosophy • Discussing the process that has led to unsustainable world • Broadening the focus to embrace concerns of values, vulnerabilities and

(in)equality• Ethically addressing both the causes and solutions to the crisis

• ‘Sustainability’ – a non-homogenous subject - academic content, - practical application; relevance; - perspectives and personal positions

• MBA programme - Vested / powerful interests, tradition and expectations- ‘utilitarian’ culture (advantage, ambition, elite status, business)

• Micro-diversity in the class, in the moment • Learning process - resistance and anxiety

Executive MBA: Risk and Sustainability in Global Operations Key Anticipated Challenges

• Disciplinary diversity of the teaching team - Economics, Politics, Philosophy, Law, Management, Sociology, Engineering

• Visual means- Drawings, Art, Poetry and Film

• Attention to language - Sense-making; negotiation of meaning

• Study trip - Being in nature; Intrinsic value- Discussion of future scenarios: Classes in the eco-protected areas- Exposure, reflection and respect toward socio-cultural and ecological diversity- Humanity and healthy relationships with others

Executive MBA: Risk and Sustainability in Global Operations Innovative pedagogic methods

- Building shared understanding-Focusing on values, humanity and moral responsibility -Considering alternatives