Leanne Denby | Macquarie University (original) (raw)
Papers by Leanne Denby
Journal of Global Responsibility, 2011
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to review research and strategies in Australian business ed... more Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to review research and strategies in Australian business education that aim to foster graduate capabilities in sustainability concepts and practices, also to present a case study of teaching practice along with ideas for future development. Design/methodology/approach -The authors report on a research project by seven Australian universities, with financial support from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC), on how to develop and grade graduate capabilities with sustainability identified as a core graduate skill. An example is presented from the Faculty of Business and Economics of a strategy in action -the use of a case study (centred on sustainability practices at the university) to enhance the skills of merit scholars. Findings -Corporate social responsibility is a well-established concept in business management theory, with sustainability principles emerging as a core feature. In the higher education sector, the spirit may be willing, but training in the application of these principles has been implemented as an add-on rather than an embedded part of the curriculum. Although efforts are being made to find ways of nurturing graduate capabilities in sustainability practice, a significant obstacle is the lack of teaching models and materials. The authors offer findings from the ALTC graduate skills project as well as a case study of implementation. Originality/value -The authors report on practical innovations in fostering business graduate skills in implementing sustainability principles, assess the utility of current education practice and present some suggestions for future learning and teaching strategies.
Universities have been identified as being critical in developing sustainability-focused skillset... more Universities have been identified as being critical in developing sustainability-focused skillsets and mindsets (UNESCO in United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2004–2014, 2004; UNCSD in The future we want, 2012; UE4SD in The state of the art report 2014). A UK-based survey further identified that 80 % of students believe that universities should incorporate sustainable development. Additionally this percentage increases as students progress through their degree (LSIS in Embedding sustainability into teaching, learning and curriculum in the learning and skills sector, 2013). There is also a growing demand from business, for graduates to be sustainability literate, with company leaders increasingly seeing sustainability as one of the top 3 priorities (McKinsey in Sustainability's strategic worth McKinsey global survey results, 2014). Academic discussions around sustainability are often problematic due to many factors including understanding, relevance and time (LSIS 2013; Lozano 2010). The approach outlined in this chapter acknowledged barriers and utilised a method to mitigate these issues. The process focused on program level mapping and coverage of sustainability as an interdisciplinary concept, using the Macquarie University Sustainability Framework. The initial stages undertaken in 2014 investigated connections to sustainability in four undergraduate programs at Macquarie University: Bachelor
Journal of Global Responsibility, 2011
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to review research and strategies in Australian business ed... more Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to review research and strategies in Australian business education that aim to foster graduate capabilities in sustainability concepts and practices, also to present a case study of teaching practice along with ideas for future development. Design/methodology/approach -The authors report on a research project by seven Australian universities, with financial support from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC), on how to develop and grade graduate capabilities with sustainability identified as a core graduate skill. An example is presented from the Faculty of Business and Economics of a strategy in action -the use of a case study (centred on sustainability practices at the university) to enhance the skills of merit scholars. Findings -Corporate social responsibility is a well-established concept in business management theory, with sustainability principles emerging as a core feature. In the higher education sector, the spirit may be willing, but training in the application of these principles has been implemented as an add-on rather than an embedded part of the curriculum. Although efforts are being made to find ways of nurturing graduate capabilities in sustainability practice, a significant obstacle is the lack of teaching models and materials. The authors offer findings from the ALTC graduate skills project as well as a case study of implementation. Originality/value -The authors report on practical innovations in fostering business graduate skills in implementing sustainability principles, assess the utility of current education practice and present some suggestions for future learning and teaching strategies.
Journal of Global Responsibility, 2011
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to review research and strategies in Australian business ed... more Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to review research and strategies in Australian business education that aim to foster graduate capabilities in sustainability concepts and practices, also to present a case study of teaching practice along with ideas for future development. Design/methodology/approach -The authors report on a research project by seven Australian universities, with financial support from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC), on how to develop and grade graduate capabilities with sustainability identified as a core graduate skill. An example is presented from the Faculty of Business and Economics of a strategy in action -the use of a case study (centred on sustainability practices at the university) to enhance the skills of merit scholars. Findings -Corporate social responsibility is a well-established concept in business management theory, with sustainability principles emerging as a core feature. In the higher education sector, the spirit may be willing, but training in the application of these principles has been implemented as an add-on rather than an embedded part of the curriculum. Although efforts are being made to find ways of nurturing graduate capabilities in sustainability practice, a significant obstacle is the lack of teaching models and materials. The authors offer findings from the ALTC graduate skills project as well as a case study of implementation. Originality/value -The authors report on practical innovations in fostering business graduate skills in implementing sustainability principles, assess the utility of current education practice and present some suggestions for future learning and teaching strategies.
Universities have been identified as being critical in developing sustainability-focused skillset... more Universities have been identified as being critical in developing sustainability-focused skillsets and mindsets (UNESCO in United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2004–2014, 2004; UNCSD in The future we want, 2012; UE4SD in The state of the art report 2014). A UK-based survey further identified that 80 % of students believe that universities should incorporate sustainable development. Additionally this percentage increases as students progress through their degree (LSIS in Embedding sustainability into teaching, learning and curriculum in the learning and skills sector, 2013). There is also a growing demand from business, for graduates to be sustainability literate, with company leaders increasingly seeing sustainability as one of the top 3 priorities (McKinsey in Sustainability's strategic worth McKinsey global survey results, 2014). Academic discussions around sustainability are often problematic due to many factors including understanding, relevance and time (LSIS 2013; Lozano 2010). The approach outlined in this chapter acknowledged barriers and utilised a method to mitigate these issues. The process focused on program level mapping and coverage of sustainability as an interdisciplinary concept, using the Macquarie University Sustainability Framework. The initial stages undertaken in 2014 investigated connections to sustainability in four undergraduate programs at Macquarie University: Bachelor
Journal of Global Responsibility, 2011
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to review research and strategies in Australian business ed... more Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to review research and strategies in Australian business education that aim to foster graduate capabilities in sustainability concepts and practices, also to present a case study of teaching practice along with ideas for future development. Design/methodology/approach -The authors report on a research project by seven Australian universities, with financial support from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC), on how to develop and grade graduate capabilities with sustainability identified as a core graduate skill. An example is presented from the Faculty of Business and Economics of a strategy in action -the use of a case study (centred on sustainability practices at the university) to enhance the skills of merit scholars. Findings -Corporate social responsibility is a well-established concept in business management theory, with sustainability principles emerging as a core feature. In the higher education sector, the spirit may be willing, but training in the application of these principles has been implemented as an add-on rather than an embedded part of the curriculum. Although efforts are being made to find ways of nurturing graduate capabilities in sustainability practice, a significant obstacle is the lack of teaching models and materials. The authors offer findings from the ALTC graduate skills project as well as a case study of implementation. Originality/value -The authors report on practical innovations in fostering business graduate skills in implementing sustainability principles, assess the utility of current education practice and present some suggestions for future learning and teaching strategies.