Integrating sustainability into the design program curriculum : a case study of University of Washington in the USA and Linköping University in Sweden
(2020) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20202LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
- Abstract
- Design, as a principal function for innovation in business, governments, and other social units, can play a critical role in creating sustainable solutions. While current debates acknowledge expanding design scope and continuing competencies that distinctively qualify design professionals for undertaking sustainability challenges, design schools in higher education institutions are struggling to maintain currency with ever-expanding agenda. Design programs that are pioneering new processes and ways of working are still in the minority, and the fundamental principles of design stemming from the industry economy still remain central to curricula. It is now clear that design practices and contexts have shifted greatly, which implies that... (More)
- Design, as a principal function for innovation in business, governments, and other social units, can play a critical role in creating sustainable solutions. While current debates acknowledge expanding design scope and continuing competencies that distinctively qualify design professionals for undertaking sustainability challenges, design schools in higher education institutions are struggling to maintain currency with ever-expanding agenda. Design programs that are pioneering new processes and ways of working are still in the minority, and the fundamental principles of design stemming from the industry economy still remain central to curricula. It is now clear that design practices and contexts have shifted greatly, which implies that designers will need to bring in skills, knowledge, and mindsets that have not been part of traditional design education. Hence, design education must reflect these new professional capacities and structural changes in industry and society. Scholars have suggested that improving the integration of sustainability into the curriculum depends primarily on a better understanding of existing gaps, commonalities, and differences across institutions globally; however, the issue remains mostly at the edge of sustainability science and understudied.
This study aims to contribute to this discussion by exploring how two design programs in different universities–University of Washington in the USA and Linköping University in Sweden–are integrating sustainability into their curriculum. The main research question is: What are the drivers and barriers for integrating sustainability into the design program curriculum? Beginning with a document analysis of the syllabi to understand the current status of integration, this is followed by conducting semi-structured interviews with the faculty members. The barriers and drivers from the faculty perspective were then analyzed using the Burke-Litwin Causal Model of Organizational Performance and Change. The findings revealed that the societal pressure and systems on a national level play a critical role in supporting sustainability integration, whereas lack thereof hinders them. Other main barriers include lack of clearly defined learning goals and strategy, lack of leadership, culture of academic freedom, disciplinary silos, lack of incentives and reward system, and lack of expertise. Key opportunities lie with individual faculty initiatives, research university settings, and cross-disciplinary networks. Finally, key leverage points that tackle barriers and enhance opportunities are identified to advance the sustainability integration into the design program curriculum. This study adds to the knowledge base on how to instigate faculty motivation and increase the ability to further promote design education into the greater solution space for sustainable transition of our society. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9031709
- author
- Chun, Bomi LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MESM02 20202
- year
- 2020
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- sustainability science, design for sustainability, design schools, design education, organizational change
- publication/series
- Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
- report number
- 2020:056
- language
- English
- id
- 9031709
- date added to LUP
- 2020-11-09 13:06:36
- date last changed
- 2020-11-09 13:06:36
@misc{9031709,
abstract = {{Design, as a principal function for innovation in business, governments, and other social units, can play a critical role in creating sustainable solutions. While current debates acknowledge expanding design scope and continuing competencies that distinctively qualify design professionals for undertaking sustainability challenges, design schools in higher education institutions are struggling to maintain currency with ever-expanding agenda. Design programs that are pioneering new processes and ways of working are still in the minority, and the fundamental principles of design stemming from the industry economy still remain central to curricula. It is now clear that design practices and contexts have shifted greatly, which implies that designers will need to bring in skills, knowledge, and mindsets that have not been part of traditional design education. Hence, design education must reflect these new professional capacities and structural changes in industry and society. Scholars have suggested that improving the integration of sustainability into the curriculum depends primarily on a better understanding of existing gaps, commonalities, and differences across institutions globally; however, the issue remains mostly at the edge of sustainability science and understudied.
This study aims to contribute to this discussion by exploring how two design programs in different universities–University of Washington in the USA and Linköping University in Sweden–are integrating sustainability into their curriculum. The main research question is: What are the drivers and barriers for integrating sustainability into the design program curriculum? Beginning with a document analysis of the syllabi to understand the current status of integration, this is followed by conducting semi-structured interviews with the faculty members. The barriers and drivers from the faculty perspective were then analyzed using the Burke-Litwin Causal Model of Organizational Performance and Change. The findings revealed that the societal pressure and systems on a national level play a critical role in supporting sustainability integration, whereas lack thereof hinders them. Other main barriers include lack of clearly defined learning goals and strategy, lack of leadership, culture of academic freedom, disciplinary silos, lack of incentives and reward system, and lack of expertise. Key opportunities lie with individual faculty initiatives, research university settings, and cross-disciplinary networks. Finally, key leverage points that tackle barriers and enhance opportunities are identified to advance the sustainability integration into the design program curriculum. This study adds to the knowledge base on how to instigate faculty motivation and increase the ability to further promote design education into the greater solution space for sustainable transition of our society.}},
author = {{Chun, Bomi}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
title = {{Integrating sustainability into the design program curriculum : a case study of University of Washington in the USA and Linköping University in Sweden}},
year = {{2020}},
}