Sustainable Development Teaching and Research

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Sustainable DevelopmentTeaching and Research

• David Gauthier
• Professor of Geography and Executive Director,
  Canadian Plains Research Center
• Tel. [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Email David.Gauthier_at_uregina.ca

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Examples of University-Affiliated Sustainability
Research Initiatives Sustainability Communities
Initiative (SCI) University of Victoria
Sustainable Development Research Initiative,
UBC TCPL International Institute for Resources
Industries and Sustainability Studies ,
University of Calgary Sustainability Reporting
Program (SRP) York University York Centre for
Applied Sustainability (YCAS) York
University Environment and Sustainable
Development Research Centre (ESDRC), University
of New Brunswick
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University of Regina Examples of Courses Related
to Sustainable Development
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Institutional and organizational behaviour as a
component of sustainable development
undergraduate courses from the Faculty of
Administration, e.g. Admin 306 Ethical Issues
in Business, Admin 307 Legal Institutions and
Processes, Admin 344 The Planning and
Evaluation of Public Policy, Admin 441 Public
Policies for Northern Development. Examples of
graduate courses Administration 830 Social
Issues in Business, Administration 835
International Business. University of Calgary's
Haskayne School of Business offers various
programs in Environmental Management and
Sustainable Development. MBA with a
specialization in Global Energy Management and
Sustainable Development (GEMS) . MBA with a
specialization in Environmental
Management/Sustainable Development . PhD in
Management with a focus on Environmental
Management/Sustainable Development. Interdisciplin
ary MSc in Energy and the Environment for Latin
America the Caribbean (U of C/OLADE), in
Quito, Ecuador and Couva, Trinidad and Tobago.
Interdisciplinary MA/MSc (thesis-based) in
Resources and Environment Graduate Program.
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The way that people perceive and express their
environment as a component of sustainable
development Fine Arts, e.g. Arth 324 Canadian
Art and Cultural Identity, Arth 372
Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Painting. Resour
ce and Environmental Studies Degree Program - The
First Nations University of Canada, the
University of Regina and SIAST
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University of Regina Research Emphases
Culture and Heritage Energy and the
Environment Informatics Health Social Justice
University of Regina Research Chairs
Public policy and economic history Dr. Gregory
Marchildon (Administration) Social Justice - Dr.
Shadia Drury (Political Science) Energy and
Environment - Dr. Guo (Gordon) Huang
(Engineering) Environmental Change and Society -
Dr. Peter Leavitt (Biology)
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Research Centres and Institutes

• Canadian Institute for Peace, Justice and
  Security
• Canadian Plains Research Center
• Centre for International Education Training
• Centre for Sustainable Communities
• Centre on Aging and Health
• Dr. Paul Schwann Applied Health and Research
  Centre
• Humanities Research Institute
• Indigenous Peoples Health Research Centre (IPHRC)
  
• Sample Survey and Data Bank Unit
• Saskatchewan Instructional Development and
  Research Unit
• Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy
• Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation
  Research Unit
• Social Policy Research Unit

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• The International Test Centre on CO2 Capture in
  partnership with the
• International Energy Agency, SaskPower,
  TransAlta, EnCana Energy Ltd,
• Nexen Energy, the U.S. Department of Energy,
  and the Governments of
• Canada, Alberta and Saskatchewan
• The Greenhouse Gas Technology Centre in
  partnership with Saskatchewan
• Industry and Resources and Natural Resources
  Canada
• The Petroleum Technology Research Centre in
  partnership with the
• Saskatchewan Research Council, Natural
  Resources Canada and a number
• of industry partners including Nexen Energy,
  Petrovera, Husky Oil,
• TransGas Ltd, and Dakota Gasification Company
• The Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative
  in partnership with the
• Governments of Canada, Alberta, Saskatchewan,
  Manitoba, the
• Saskatchewan Research Council, and the Prairie
  Farm Rehabilitation
• Administration
• Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation
  Research Unit with the
• Saskatchewan Regional Health Authorities,
  University of Saskatchewan,
• Saskatchewan Health Services Utilization and
  Research Commission
• and Government of Saskatchewan
• Indigenous Peoples Health Research Centre is
  supported by the

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Examples of University of Regina Research Related
to Sustainable Development

• Administration Aboriginal Communities and
  Sustainable Rural Development
• Arts Institutional Adaptations to Climate
  Change
• Arts - TERRA (The Environmental Research and
  Response Applications Lab)
• Engineering Energy and Environmental Research
  Laboratory
• Education Enhancing Awareness and Understanding
  of Climate Change in Saskatchewan
• Engineering Regional Scale Climate Change
• Kinesiology and Health Health Impacts of
  Organizational Practices in Saskatchewan
• Luther College Sustainable Forest Management
• ORS-PARC Understanding the Impacts of Climate
  Change
• Science Atmospheric Transport Studies of
  Insecticides and Herbicides
• Science Green Chemistry Conference
• Science Laboratory of Environmental Change and
  Society
• Science Transportation and Accumulation of
  Potential Toxic Metals
• A cross-cultural study of health care
  decision-making culture, ethics, and religion
• Population health determinants
• Social cohesion and rural sustainability
• Weyburn CO2 monitoring project

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University Presidents Workshop Learning and
Sustainability The universities have the
necessary capacity to develop the intellectual
framework to support practical applications of
sustainable development concepts. Academic
leaders have the capability to convene academic
disciplines on large, complex issues, mobilize
resources, create incentives and programs for
faculty development and, most importantly, to
lead by example, thereby moving their
institutions toward interdisciplinary teaching
and research. Universities can show leadership
through innovation in curriculum design and
pedagogy and faculty development. Universities
can expand their scope through outreach and
partnerships for sustainable development. By
minimizing their own impact on the environment,
universities can lead by example through
ecologically sound institutional policies and
practices. Universities can generate funds to
further interdisciplinary research and teaching
efforts. Universities can show leadership in
stimulating debate that involves the environment
and the economy, not one to the exclusion of the
other.
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Organizational Structure
Organizational structure refers both to
disciplines as they are organized and to the
allocation of space. The discipline-centred
structure of universities is a challenge for
moving towards sustainable development. Visible
top-down leadership encouraging a supportive
climate for identifying, advancing and
implementing solutions and mirrored by
grass-roots support. Senior leadership in
university must be visible, including acting as
champions within individual faculties. Deans
can create and maintain a supportive climate and
encourage faculty buy-in in terms of grass-roots
spontaneous actions. Organize graduate
departments along research and teaching theme
lines as distinct from traditional
organizational structures. Renovate existing
spaces in older buildings and make use of
downtown areas rather than building new
structures as a more sustainable means of
increasing space, e.g. Harbour City Centre
Campus of Simon Fraser University.
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Resource Issues
Universities should seek large increases in the
funding of interdisciplinary environmental
research and teaching from non-traditional
sources. Research funds are often earmarked for
traditional disciplines, which results in the
continuing compartmentalization of problems and
solutions. Establish a proactive office of
research to identify opportunities for
cross-disciplinary research and funding from
alternative sources such as foundations or the
private sector. Create private sector spin-offs
of sustainable technologies that will increase
employment, provide research jobs for students,
and generate income. Increased collaboration
among universities on sustainable development
research activities. Establish cooperative
programs on sustainable development themes and
private sector apprenticeships. These
initiatives would allow students to get concrete
work experiences related to sustainability as
part of their education. Student exchanges
among institutions in Canada to further expand
students' learning experiences and to give them
an understanding of sustainable
development. Institute a surcharge on tuition to
generate funds for specific teaching and research
projects that focus on sustainable development,
e.g. UBC.
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Recognition for Interdisciplinary Teaching and
Research
Policy support from the administration to
recognize the value of outreach, partnerships
and collaborative work when evaluating tenure
and promotion. Cross-appointments for faculty
members. Granting Councils can be encouraged to
value interdisciplinary teaching and research.
Funding agencies can demonstrate leadership by
encouraging more applied research that addresses
real world problems in the community where the
university is located, that is, building on
local needs and expertise. Universities can
foster support for interdisciplinarity and
sustainable development by requiring
interdisciplinary team projects and research from
students and faculty. Universities can examine
their internal reward system and remove
disincentives. Staff reward committees with
individuals experienced in interdisciplinary work
and outside experts.