Teaching sustainability: ECON MUNI will make bachelor's and master's courses "greener"

Fourteen courses at ECON MUNI will include sustainability and ecology topics starting next autumn. Marie Hladká, Vice-Dean for studies, explains what exactly the "greening" will involve and why it is an important part of university education.

What exactly does the "greening" of courses mean?

"Greening" means integrating the topics of sustainability, ecology and the sustainable development goals into teaching. Students will for example focus on the impact of economic models on the environment and learn how to design sustainable economic strategies. The courses will also include the monitoring of environmental responsibility and sustainability in financial decision-making and the evaluation of credit applications by individuals and businesses. Alternative investment evaluation methods based on sustainable development criteria for investment funds will also be included. And finally, students will learn how to evaluate the environmental impacts of the logistics strategies of businesses, consumer purchasing behaviour regarding sustainable living, how to measure the performance of a company in terms of sustainability and many other skills.

How many courses will be affected by the upcoming changes?

We will be innovating a total of 14 courses. They include Environmental Economics, Strategic Management, Logistics, Tourism Projects, Public and Social Policy, Banking, Financial Markets, Marketing and a course in English on Corporate Social Responsibility.

Why do you believe it is important to change existing courses like this?

It makes a lot of sense to incorporate green topics into the curriculum because it prepares students for current social challenges. Through these innovations, they will gain skills that are in demand on the job market and that will enable them to actively contribute to dealing with global problems. They will learn to critically evaluate the environmental impacts of different economic and social activities and to design solutions that are not only economically viable and feasible but also environmentally friendly. This approach enhances the attractiveness of the study programmes for students interested in ecology and sustainability and prepares them for careers in such fields like sustainable management, environmental consulting or corporate social responsibility.

Seventeen teachers from ECON MUNI are involved in the development of the new syllabi. What does their work involve?

ECON MUNI teachers play a key role in innovating the content of each course. Each course has its own expert guarantor responsible for the quality of the innovation and its timely completion. These teachers also provide methodological support and ensure that the innovations are in line with current trends and labour market needs. They also work with external partners such as businesses and NGOs that can provide practical examples and case studies for the teaching.

Will only the content of existing courses be changed, or will brand new courses be created?

The changes, as planned, are part of the university-wide project Promoting Green Skills and Sustainability at MU. The project involves the creation and innovation of not only courses but also study programmes. At our faculty, we have decided to update the existing courses.

Will the changes apply to all levels of study?

The innovations will concern undergraduate courses, i.e. courses in bachelor's and master's programmes.

The „NPO 7.4. – Podpora zelených dovedností a udržitelnosti na MU“ project (Promoting Green Skills and Sustainability at MU) was supported by the National Recovery Plan, sub-programme 7.4 Green Skills.