This is how educators view sustainability

At Haaga-Helia, we use student-centred learning methods, tools and techniques. To kick off our ENRICHER project trainings, we engage participants with thought-provoking questions. For instance, before the first session, we asked tourism educators to explore their perspectives on sustainability.

This article is based on the first Training of the Trainers week of the Erasmus Plus ENRICHER hubs project, which was held in October 2024 in Kutaisi, an ancient city by the river Rioni in Georgia. The participants – including educators from Georgia, Moldova, Austria, Finland and Italy – were asked to explain what sustainability means to them.

Their views included all three levels of sustainability: people, planet and prosperity – the social, environmental and economic aspects. They also discussed how it affected both their professional and private lives as well as how they handle the topic with their students.

Sustainability in professional life and business

Many educators approached sustainability from the perspective of their work as they mentioned that sustainability meant something for them professionally. They wanted their universities to embark on sustainable cooperation with its partners and other stakeholders, thinking and investing for the long-term, enhancing the competitiveness of rural tourism as well as responsible and economically viable business models. They also noted that the work they do with students will have a long-term effect as it contributs to the professional development and eventually changes the thinking of the organizations where the students will be working in the future.

Educators often discuss the importance of taking care of the planet with their students, i.e., ecosystems, natural resources, climate and biodiversity, to meet the needs of future generations. The discussions focus on finding solutions to balance the often-conflicting needs of the three pillars of sustainability: people, planet and prosperity. This involves creating strategies that harmonise social, environmental and economic needs, aiming for long-term benefits for communities, ecosystems and businesses. In other words, combining responsibility, rationality and development.

Sustainability in personal choices and practical actions

Some educators approached the question from a more personal level, where sustainability meant making choices for the planet, taking care of people, respecting everybody and being inclusive. They considered these important values for them personally.

They also mentioned concrete actions and practical ways of being environmentally friendly, such as recycling and saving energy. They described their sustainability efforts as striving to minimise negative impacts while maximising positive ooutcomes. In this perspective sustainability was seen more as a way of thinking, acting and consuming, where sustainability is a way of life.

When lecturers incorporate a personal perspective on sustainability, they can think and act more holistically and profoundly, adding greater substance and emphasis to their teaching.

Future skills and student-centered methods for sustainable tourism

Looking from all angles, these sustainability approaches align seamlessly with the goals of the ENRICHER hubs project. The project aims to bridge the gap between the needs of the job market and the competences of future graduates, focusing on sustainability in general and sustainable tourism in particular, as well as the skills required for designing green tourism service concepts.

This is where Haaga-Helia has contributed most to the project, with its student-centered approaches like applying trend canvases and other service design methods in the trainings. The response has been positive, and the project participants have embraced the novel tools with enthusiasm. As a result, there are more educators in Eastern Europe incorporating experiential learning methods into their sustainability teaching.

During the training in Kutaisi, the hosts made a video where some of the participants from each country discuss what sustainability and the ENRICHER hubs project mean for them.

We look forward to exploring sustainability further with our project partners in the upcoming trainings.

Picture: Shutterstock