Transforming the communities of tomorrow

Abstract

The exponential globalisation of the economy warrants the formulation of a pathway that harnesses the human and social capital that can work together collaboratively and proactively to promote the development of sustainable communities. Education for Sustainability presents that pathway to ensure transformation of the current human and social capital thus fostering change in society and helping build communities that can be more sustainable in all aspects. However the power of education in achieving sustainable development has been seriously undermined indicated by the relatively slow implementation of sustainability concepts in most educational curricula.

This paper elaborates the importance of education for sustainability and expounds on an Applied Technology degree offered at Unitec, New Zealand. Based on a qualitative study the research corroborates that student’s perspectives and opinions on sustainability undergo significant transformation when concepts of sustainability are embedded and integrated in the curriculum. The findings demonstrate that educating the current student generation is essential for manoeuvring the community towards sustainable development.