Framework for Introducing Education for Sustainable Development into University Curriculum

Inclusion of education for sustainable development (ESD) in the curricula
of universities, and in many forums, has been promoted for over a decade.
Despite this apparent enthusiasm, there is little to show that ESD has been
implemented in most universities. In Australia, surveys indicate an interest
in ESD but it is rarely a part of the curriculum. Having identified barriers
to the adoption of ESD and building on past experience with curriculum
change at RMIT, we undertook the Beyond Leather Patches project
to introduce ESD into two discipline fields. Using an action learning
approach, where academics were involved in audits of their courses/
subjects, workshops and renewal of their curricula, the project led to new
and revised courses and more capable academic staff. From the experiences
of the project, the framework reported in this article was developed to
guide within RMIT and at other universities who are seeking a process
to implement ESD.