Education for sustainable development: A means for infusing social responsibility in higher education in Egypt

• In Event: Highlighted session: Rethinking citizenship and sustainable development in the Arab region

Proposal

In a country with various ecological and social challenges, in addition to the dire need for educational innovation and transformation, this paper presents contributions from graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in a course offered by the School of Education. Both graduate and undergraduate programmes were offered at one of the non-profit private higher education institutions in Northern Africa, namely Egypt. The course focuses on education for sustainable development and aims to develop students’ social responsibility as change agents in their local contexts. The paper questions the extent to which enrolling in the course could bring about change to students and their roles towards their society. It is envisioned that higher education institutions represent one of the societal organisations as part of bridging between academia and society as a whole. The paper highlights how organisations such as higher educational institutions align their values with societal expectations (Atuguba & Dowuona-Hammond, 2006) through educating future elites of Egypt. The paper indicates the role higher education institutions need to take in order to lead societal transformation through their programmes and courses, especially in a liberal arts institution, such as that in this paper.
The paper lends it theoretical framework on the ‘Giving Voice to Values’, the social constructivist framework and theory of education for sustainable human development (TESHD), while building students’ capacity and how to enact on their values effectively (Gentile, Lawrence & Melnyk, 2015).

The paper analyses students’ end of course projects following a qualitative document analysis framework to explore how these projects could be used as evidence that documents changes in their perceptions on ESD, while allowing them to voice their values through their selected group projects. This could be an indication of the impact higher education programmes could have by investing in human capital and shaping future generations towards empowerment and social responsibility as change agents. The paper perceives that it builds on the ‘Giving Voice to Values’ approach (Gentile, 2010). This is mainly as students come to their courses with tacit orientations that drive their project choices and discussions inside and outside their classes.
The paper intends to illustrate the main milestones and processes students went through during the course and presents how their proposed projects can cater for change to take place in relation to the various domains of sustainable development (social, environmental, economic, or cultural). Projects started with introductions showcasing the extent to which students were aware of any ESD challenges, analysis what they thought was right or wrong, and finally to take action thought the projects they developed. The paper will present to what extent were the four pillars of learning presented. The pillars of learning specifically relate to ‘learning to know’, ‘learning to be’, ‘learning to live together’ and ‘learning to do’ (Elfert, 2015). The projects varied from those which could be start up projects to those which could form possible partnerships with industry and decision makers whether corporates, businesses, NGOs and/or ministries. The paper intends to end with suggestions of how courses in education for sustainable development offered at the School of Education could be seen as an opportunity for implementing a GVV approach through developing social responsibility among students enrolled in higher education institutions. The importance of this papers stems from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through inclusive social development and environmental sustainability. This is through social responsibility students in both the MA and Minor programmes exhibited throughout their final projects and how each project can contribute to increasing the welfare of humanity (Amoako, Agbola, Dzogbenuku & Sokro, 2015).

Keywords: Sustainability, Egypt, higher education, social responsibility

References:

Amoako, G. Agbola, R. Dzogbenuku, R. Sokro, E. (2015). CSR and Education: The Ghanaian and African Perspective. Education and Corporate Social Responsibility International Perspectives, 185-222. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2043-0523(2013)0000004011.

Elfert, M. (2015). Learning to Live Together: Revisiting the Humanism of the Delors Report. Paris, UNESCO Education Research and Foresight [ERF Working Papers Series, No. 12. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002338/233814e.pdf


Gentile, M. (2010). Giving voice to values: How to speak your mind when you know what’s right. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. Curriculum site:. www. GivingVoiceToValues.org

Gentile, M., Lawrence, A, & Melnyk, J. (2015). What Is a Giving Voice to Values Case? Case Research Journal, 35(2), 1-10.
http://store.darden.virginia.edu/Syllabus%20Copy/What-Is-a-Giving-Voice-to-Values-Case.pdf

Author

• Heba EL-Deghaidy, American University in Cairo