Conceptual and methodologic foundations to integrate the sustainability' paradigm in High Education: case study of the NOVA/USP's Advanced Education and Research on Sustainability Network

• Grant number: 24/16533-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Environmental Sanitation
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Montaño
• Grantee: Marcelo Montaño
• Host Investigator: Tomas Augusto Barros Ramos
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract

The sustainability paradigm implies recognizing the need for profound changes in the mindset of individuals and societies, so that the challenges related to the announced global environmental crisis might be plenty recognized and internalized in their diverse dimensions. Considering the role played by universities in promoting an education for sustainability, it is important to structure education programs focused on the integration of state-of-the-art knowledge and oriented towards promoting critical thinking and the consequent assimilation of values and change in attitudes. However, despite the efforts of universities to integrate this theme into their curricula, changes have been small and slow, which reinforces doubts about the adopted approaches to sustainability and teaching methodologies. Thus, this project is aimed at structuring an advanced training program in sustainability, to be developed and implemented jointly by the University of São Paulo and Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Based on the establishment of conceptual and methodological framework that complement the technical-scientific paradigm that guides sustainability's teaching as currently observed in the field of Environmental Sciences, the development of the project will be guided by action research approaches with the adoption of collaborative/participatory methods for data collection, action planning and the establishment of mechanisms for monitoring the intended changes. It is expected to offer a contribution to the adaptation/reformulation of teaching and learning practices for sustainability in the field of Environmental Sciences, in addition to offering subsidies to the institutions involved for the structuring of a collaborative network of advanced training and research in sustainability.