TY - CHAP
T1 - Bridging the Theory–practice Gap Through Work Integrated Learning- educating Students as Change Agents Advancing the SDGs
T2 - A Case Study of WIL in Higher Education at a Master’s Program in Sweden
AU - Alm, Karin
AU - Pontoppidan, Caroline
AU - Argento, Daniela
N1 - W.Leal Filho et al. (eds.) 2024. The Contribution of Universities Towards Education for Sustainable Development, World Sustainability Series.
About this book: The book gathers inputs from universities and research organizations working on matters related to sustainable development in a variety of contexts. It also provides a platform for the dissemination of information on the latest initiatives, paving the way for technology transfer and networking. Furthermore, the book intends to provide a fertile basis upon which universities may cooperate more closely in this key area.
Universities, as centers of education, research, and innovation, have a unique position and responsibility in promoting sustainability. They can offer degree programs, courses, and workshops focused on sustainability, environmental studies, and related fields, educating students and the wider community about the principles and challenges of sustainability. Also, universities can conduct cutting-edge research to address sustainability challenges, such as climate change, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss. They can develop innovative technologies and solutions that promote sustainable practices in various sectors, including energy, agriculture, transportation, and urban planning. There is a perceived need to better understand and engage universities further on sustainability initiatives.
Against this backdrop and in order to facilitate a broad discussion on the contribution of universities toward sustainability, this book is being produced.
Last but not least, a further aim of the book is to present methodological approaches and experiences deriving from case studies and projects, which aim to show how sustainability may be incorporated as part of university programs.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.
PY - 2024/4/2
Y1 - 2024/4/2
N2 - This chapter has two key objectives. The first is to explore how Work Integrated Learning (WIL) as a pedagogy can advance education for sustainability in higher education to ensure a sustainable future. The second is to facilitate educators escape dualism between theory and practice while shaping employable graduates able to serve society as change agents. This mixed method study has a qualitative case study design, with an empirical focus on student’ engagement throughout WIL in a Swedish Higher Education Institution (HEI) context. The findings show how WIL addresses unanswered questions in the HEIs collaborative practices that can support the sustainable development considering inherent influences of local and national contexts. Extrapolating from this, this chapter contributes by identifying how WIL can enable students as future change agents through engaging with industry and communities while applying theory on real-life challenges of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
AB - This chapter has two key objectives. The first is to explore how Work Integrated Learning (WIL) as a pedagogy can advance education for sustainability in higher education to ensure a sustainable future. The second is to facilitate educators escape dualism between theory and practice while shaping employable graduates able to serve society as change agents. This mixed method study has a qualitative case study design, with an empirical focus on student’ engagement throughout WIL in a Swedish Higher Education Institution (HEI) context. The findings show how WIL addresses unanswered questions in the HEIs collaborative practices that can support the sustainable development considering inherent influences of local and national contexts. Extrapolating from this, this chapter contributes by identifying how WIL can enable students as future change agents through engaging with industry and communities while applying theory on real-life challenges of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
KW - Work-integrated learning (WIL)
KW - Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
KW - Change agents
KW - Sustainability literacy
KW - Dualism of theory practice
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-49853-4_32
DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-49853-4_32
M3 - Chapter in book
SN - 978-3-031-49852-7
SN - 978-3-031-49855-8
T3 - World Sustainability Series
SP - 579
EP - 593
BT - The Contribution of Universities Towards Education for Sustainable Development
A2 - Leal Filho, Walter
A2 - Dibbern, Thais
A2 - Ruiz de Maya, Salvador
A2 - Alarcón-del-Amo, María-del-Carmen
A2 - Marin Rives, Longinos
PB - Springer
CY - Springer Cham
ER -