With research by Melissa Felder, Carla Weinberg, Hilary Best, and Melissa Shin

Canadian universities are turning out students who know how to build, defend, and even challenge society. But are they learning the skills and concepts necessary to understand our ever-changing world?

Each year, Corporate Knights evaluates Canadian MBA programs to see how business schools stack up in integrating sustainability into their curriculum. We’ve since expanded. Two years ago, Engineering and Law programs were similarly investigated. This year marks our most ambitious Knights School survey to date.

Along with Business, Law, and Engineering, this year we widened our scope to see how Architecture, Urban Planning, Public Policy, and Journalism schools incorporate sustainability into their programs.

We chose to define sustainability as broadly as possible. To most, sustainable practices are those that ensure the longevity of the planet: the environment is conserved indefinitely for future generations to enjoy. In judging the schools, we not only looked at courses, institutes, and clubs that introduce students to environmental matters, but social concerns as well.

Under the umbrella term of sustainability, issues such as human rights, social justice, gender equity, and freedom of expression can be deemed “sustainable” because they promote an inclusive society that could continue indefinitely.

This year also marks the first year we interviewed students for their ideas about sustainability in schools. As the people most affected by these programs and initiatives, they can offer a unique perspective.

Fad or Fact?

All this green talk has a lot of people seeing red. Environmental issues are referred to so often in the media, that more than a few people are already showing symptoms of sustainability burnout.

Although university students are quick to question whether green campus measures are a passing interest or part of a broader cultural shift, many are just as eager to define why sustainability is important to their program.

Ebrahim Kohandel, Student President of Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary, understands why engineers should keep sustainability in mind.

“As future engineers, we are the people that are going to be building communities…It’s important that we understand what we do and how it affects our environment. And a really good place to start is your education, so you can see as you learn how these concepts are affecting the environment,” he says.

From those who build communities, to those who engage the people within the community, students are turning a critical eye towards their programs. Garrett Zehr, a Journalism student at Carleton University, sees sustainability in a societal scope.

“If journalism is to serve a fundamental democratic function, then journalism education should reflect the needs of a sustainable democracy,” he says.

What students learn inside and outside of the classroom during their university years can set the groundwork for a society in which sustainability is a chief value.

MBA 2008 Highlights

MBA programs know how to market their unique features. Universities that highlight their sustainability specialties have the ability to attract out of town students.

Maureen Johnson is currently half-way through her Schulich MBA at York University. Originally from Chicago, Johnson was looking for a business program that reflected her values.

“I only looked at schools with superior sustainability programs,” she says.

Though many of the interviewed students conceded that they chose to study at their particular school out of convenience, many are willing to change countries or cities for a sustainability-specific program.

Mark Blackwell is an MBA at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary and founder and president of The Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment, and Economy Student’s Association.

“Initially, when I was coming out of school, I had no intention of coming to Calgary at all,” he says. “I know you look at the prestige and the Maclean’s rating. And that’s kind of baloney. A lot of students have that kind of problem where they have to go for the prestige.”

“But UofC has tons more to offer because it specializes in those kinds of [sustainability] areas for students.”

Although a number of universities do provide students with sustainability options in business programs, one wonders whether students who are not focusing on sustainability streams are being exposed to these issues.

Blackwell admits that sustainability is more of a specialized interest.

“Like if you’re in the accounting program, you’re not necessarily getting involved in the classroom,” he says. “But again, there are tons of opportunities via extracurricular activities that students can get involved in.

Law 2008 Highights

A similar sentiment was shared by the law students. From Refugee Law to Civil Liberties, to Green Legal Theory and Sexual Health Law, law schools offered a wide variety of possible electives. But is sustainability just a niche interest when it comes to studying law?

At the University of Ottawa, one of the Environmental Law Students Association’s incoming presidents, Ali Clarkson, believes sustainability pervades the law program in less discernable ways.

“At Ottawa, we have professors who teach Tort Law, Property Law, and Public Law whose backgrounds are Environmental Law.  This infuses sustainability perspectives into all aspects of study,” he says.

Tim Theilmann, co-chair of the Environmental Law Club at the University of Victoria, explains why dubbing sustainability a separate interest is short-sighted.

“It’d be difficult to deny there’s still a distinction between things like black letter law classes and sustainability classes that are more special interest,” he says.

“But I really don’t think that tells the whole story. Victoria really does quite a good job in integrating issues of social justice, environmental protection, conservation, First Nations issues, and a gamut of broadly sustainable issues into the curriculum at all the levels.”

The University of Victoria’s ranking has jumped significantly higher in the last year. One of the reasons for their improved score is the introduction of a new intensive stream in Environmental Law, newly minted in the 2007-2008 school year.

The creation of such programs suggests that there is increasing interest in the sustainable side of law.

Engineering 2008 Highlights

There’s something about Waterloo. The southwestern Ontario school scored in the top five in Engineering, Architecture, and Urban Planning.

Mathieu Poirier is entering into his fourth year in Waterloo’s Mechanical Engineering program and is not surprised his school scored so well.

“Waterloo was one of the first schools to commit itself to becoming a sustainable campus. In 1990, WATGreen was formed to allow for the various faculties to collaborate in creating a greener campus. We were the envy of many universities back then when it came to environmental sustainability,” he says.

But Waterloo’s sustainability successes do not necessarily translate to a change in nation-wide practices. Nor does it give the school a reason to rest on its laurels.

“Another reason that I’m not really surprised is that the majority of post secondary education institutes still have a long road to travel before they can call themselves sustainable,” Poirier adds, “Ranking in the top 5 does not mean that we should be content with how we handle sustainability issues.”

Other engineering schools are also pushing forward new initiatives. Ebrahim Kohandel of the University of Calgary notices the changes.

“We just introduced an Environmental minor within the Engineering program that actually just took off this year. So the implementation is taking place. It’s slowly on its way,” he says.

Architecture and Urban Planning Highlights 2008

Ariel Shepherd, an architecture student at the University of Toronto, thinks architecture needs to change its perspective.

“Architecture needs to challenge the bigger problems,” she says. “For example, the density of the suburbs is completely unsustainable, economically and environmentally.

“We need to change how we live, and architecture can help with this.”

At York University, Sari Mecklinger sees the role of the urban planner in light of larger obligations, echoing some of Shepherd’s opinions.

“I think they’re carrying a lot of the responsibility to the future in terms of what the city’s going to look like,” she says.

Architecture and planning students look at their profession critically when it comes to the world at large. But this hard look at the role of the architect and planner in society is not without optimism.

“Although implementations are beginning to take effect now, I honestly believe that it is this coming generation of students that has it in their power to make the necessary changes to the industry - to lay down a new standard,” Andrea Lam, a fourth year Architecture student at Waterloo says.

Architecture and planning students help build our day-to-day world. Ideally, university could give them a chance to construct a new position in society.

Public Policy Highlights 2008

Although they may not be building society in as concrete a manner as architects or engineers, public policy specialists are just as important when it comes to designing and implementing the structures that hold our society together.

Master of Public Policy or Public Administration programs have unique sustainability offerings. For example, Simon Fraser is home to the Adaptation to Climate Change Team, a group responsible for developing policy recommendations regarding climate change in Canada.

The group looks at how policy-makers can protect the environment and foster economic activity as well.

To Derek Andrew, of the MPP Student Association at Simon Fraser, sustainability is spread throughout the program.

“We studied everything from fishing quotas to rates of return, to learning about various treaties with First Nations, to learning the basics of how a bill becomes a law, to other environmental issues,” he says.

For Andrew, it’s all about exposure.

“And when things are brought up or presented to you for maybe the first time, you become interested in them,” he says.

Journalism Highlights 2008

It’s a different story for those who plan to make a living investigating and challenging society.

Canice Leung, the Summer 2008 editor-in-chief of The Ryerson Review of Journalism, and co-editor of McClung’s, doesn’t see campus sustainability promotion as something that would attract new converts.

“I think if students take an interest in it, it’s because they already have an interest in it. Not because the school promotes it,” she says.

A large portion of the points awarded to schools in the Journalism survey were due to student publications in a school organ, or student groups such as Journalists for Human Rights. Students covered a broad range of topics including fair trade, censorship, climate change, and energy issues. Students organized protests, invited guest speakers, and produced radio programs dedicated to human rights issues.

The connection between Journalism programs and sustainability may appear to be weak. Understandably, most schools focus their curriculum on technical skills such as editing and reporting. And universities that do provide concentrations often offer specializations in specific kinds of media such as Print, Broadcast, or Internet journalism.

One of the main areas where sustainability topics are addressed is through electives. Many of the interviewed students recounted environmental, social justice, and Third World politics courses they took as electives.

“Many of the classes I have taken have allowed for at least some self-direction in choosing the topics we cover,” says Mona Harb, a recent graduate of Carleton University.

“So in that sense, the program has done well to leave the door open, but perhaps increased institutional support would encourage more people to walk through it.”

Journalism schools may face increasing pressure to step up their sustainability offerings alongside the mainstreaming of environmental issues.

Carl Gouldson of Ryerson states: “And whether they like it or not, they’re going to have to start teaching it.”

The Kids are All Right

Institutional support of sustainability issues may vary from faculty to faculty, and school to school. But one thing that impressed us was the degree of student engagement.

Department-orientated student organizations represented a broad range of programs: Engineers Without Borders, Architects Without Borders, and MBAs Without Borders are active all across Canada.

Our interviewees have described student participation as “vital,” “invaluable,” “essential,” and “instrumental” in getting sustainability issues off the ground.

Faculty is not standing in their way, but most students see sustainability on campus as a bottom-up endeavor.

“The Faculty is willing to implement things, but often it has to come from students in the first place,” says Kristen Courtney, co-chair of the Environmental Law Club at the University of Toronto.

Students and Faculty are often on the same page when it comes to sustainability, realizing that education is the medium for broad social and environmental change. It’s clear that their collaboration can create further innovation and move us closer to a sustainable world.

For more Knight School coverage, click here.