Sustainability in Higher Education: A Viewpoint
Presented by Prof. Deepak Sharma (Vice President for Academic Affairs, Asian Institute of Technology)
ProSPER.Net Webinar on Sustainability in Higher Education
16 October, 2020
2. FOCUS
Present a viewpoint of the role of Higher Education Institutions
(HEIs) in accelerating the transition towards the achievement of
sustainability – in the backdrop of the COVID-pandemic
4. HIEs AND SUSTAINABILITY
• PIVOTAL ROLE
— conceptual foundations
— analytical and decision frameworks
— ‘institutionalization’ of sustainability
— networks and alliances
• CHALLENGES
— internal
— external
• BROAD CONSENSUS
• COVID PANDEMIC!
5. COVID PANDEMIC
• WIDE-SPREAD DISRUPTION
— relevance and viability of the prevailing university model?
— soundness of the underlying constructs?
— compatibility with ‘sustainability’?
— human-nature relationship?
• RESPONSE OF HEIs
— ensure ‘continuity’ of education
— academic transformation
• CONTENTION
— necessary, but deficient response
• WAY FORWARD?
6. A WAY FORWARD
• METAMORPHOSIS!
• ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL NARRATIVE
• CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES