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Sustainability leadership programs in higher education: alumni outcomes and impacts

Author

Listed:
  • Lindsey MacDonald

    (North Cascades Institute)

  • Mike Shriberg

    (University of Michigan
    University of Michigan
    National Wildlife Federation)

Abstract

The diverse set of college and university sustainability leadership programs, which represent a growing trend in higher education, share a common goal: building skills and knowledge for aspiring environmental and sustainability professionals. However, there is little empirical research available to shape program design and implementation. To address this gap, this study builds on sustainability leadership and core competency research as well as previous analysis from the perspective of sustainability leadership program directors with the first evaluation of these programs from the perspective of alumni. The results reveal high expectations for knowledge development and skill building, which are largely being met by programs. Alumni display strong affinity for their programs and report high levels of basic sustainability knowledge and skills upon completion of the program. However, there are significant gaps between program outcomes and perceived needs in the workplace in practice and theory. Despite the realization of program directors that communication skills are the most important outcome of their programs, sustainability leadership programs tend to overemphasize self-reflection/assessment when compared to needs in the workplace. Conversely, these programs tend to underemphasize negotiation, public speaking, facilitation, and coalition-building skills from the perspective of alumni. These gaps likely result from mismatches between faculty competencies and preferences compared to the multiple audiences that these programs serve. Moreover, the literature on core competencies does not provide distinctions between competencies at this scale nor from the perspective of practitioners. Future research on the effectiveness of sustainability leadership programs from the perspective of employers and change-related outcomes would help fill these gaps and improve program design and implementation in addition to better informing the theoretical literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Lindsey MacDonald & Mike Shriberg, 2016. "Sustainability leadership programs in higher education: alumni outcomes and impacts," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 6(2), pages 360-370, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:6:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s13412-015-0344-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s13412-015-0344-7
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jennifer R. Pollard & Jessica Ostrow Michel & Adam C. Simon & Mike Shriberg, 2023. "Team-Teaching as a Promising Pathway toward Interdisciplinary Sustainability Competency Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-19, July.
    2. Ronald Venn & Paquita Perez & Valerie Vandenbussche, 2022. "Competencies of Sustainability Professionals: An Empirical Study on Key Competencies for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-22, April.
    3. Alexander K. Killion & Jessica Ostrow Michel & Jason K. Hawes, 2022. "Toward Identifying Sustainability Leadership Competencies: Insights from Mapping a Graduate Sustainability Education Curriculum," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, May.
    4. Nicole Motzer & Aleta Rudeen Weller & K Curran & Simon Donner & Ronald J. Heustis & Cathy Jordan & Margaret Krebs & Lydia Olandar & Kirsten Rowell & Linda Silka & Diana H. Wall & Abigail York, 2021. "Integrating Programmatic Expertise from across the US and Canada to Model and Guide Leadership Training for Graduate Students in Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-20, August.
    5. Jana Dlouhá & Raquel Heras & Ingrid Mulà & Francisca Perez Salgado & Laura Henderson, 2019. "Competences to Address SDGs in Higher Education—A Reflection on the Equilibrium between Systemic and Personal Approaches to Achieve Transformative Action," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-23, July.

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