Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Amidst increasing global challenges in social, economic and environmental dimensions, the importance of involving our young generations in the discussions on how to address these connected issues is increasingly being recognised. This case study explores how different academic orientations influence students' perceptions of sustainable development across three distinct programmes at Swedish universities. These are BSc Biology and Environmental Sciences at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, BSc Business and Economics at Stockholm School of Economics, SSE, and BSc Peace and Conflict at Uppsala University, UU. Through interviews and thesis content analysis across these university programmes, this case study reveals that students' academic orientations influence their contextualisation of sustainable development, providing students with the language and frameworks to discuss and engage with these concepts effectively. This, in turn, influences students' emphasis on the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development. The findings from this study reveal the pivotal role that education has in equipping future generations with the necessary language and frameworks to navigate and address sustainable development.