Sustainable Learning: A Curriculum Perspective For Higher Education

Abstract

The article explains Sustainable Learning and Education (SLE) in the context of higher education development. SLE is a comparatively new emerging concept in the education domain. The core philosophy of SLE is found in the education system that is based on sustainability. Sustainability is a border concept explored in the context of Natural Sciences,  Engineering and Information Technology. However, higher education needs more research in this domain. Based on literature and analysis of recent research papers a framework has been proposed in this study that describes proliferate and renewable curriculum methods flexible enough to meet the demands of changing circumstances. The curriculum of higher education should first identify the reason for the change. There are three forces that push towards the development of sustainable education which are changes in technology, complex problems and societal changes. Education cannot meet these changes with strong sustainability principles. These principles are credibility, dialogue, improvement, participation, reflection, regulation, challenge, sustainability, transparency and Transferability. Based on principle the higher education curriculum needs the ideation and transformation process in conventional methods. The ultimate expected outcome of the SLE is to produce innovators, flexible systems managers, complex problem solvers. The article has three-fold contributions, first, it addresses the gap in academic research on sustainable learning, secondly, it provides guidelines to police makers, thirdly every member of society can learn from this research paper, why sustainability is vital for a better future of existing and coming generations.