MINAYEV, Alexander & PRISEDSKY, Vadim
58 Artema, Donetsk 340000, Ukraine, Donetsk State Technical University, prisedsky@kot.dgtu.donetsk.ua, www.dgtu.donetsk.ua
Abstract: Courses in the theory of sustainable development have been introduced in recent five years for engineering students at Donetsk State Technical University (DonSTU). Principles of sustainable development (as those of any ideology, for instance, religion) constitute an ideal model that most probably will never be realised in full volume. Nevertheless, the extensive introduction of this ideology into engineering education is extremely important. Technical universities can and should become not only the centres of broad environmental and sustainability education but also, acting together with business companies, industrial enterprises, public and governmental organisations, the centres of dissemination and practical implementation of sustainability principles. The aims, structure and curriculum of the course in sustainable development, as it is provided now for the majority of engineering students at DonSTU, are discussed. Following is a description of activities of DonSTU faculty on practical implementation of actual projects aiming to increase sustainability in Donetsk industrial region and eastern Ukraine.
Keywords: sustainability, development, curriculum, projects, implementation
A course in sustainable development is now a compulsory part of training provided for many engineering students at Donetsk State Technical University (DonSTU). Such courses were introduced in 1993-1995, after the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro.
The Ukraine took part in the Conference and signed the documents accepted in Rio. By this act, the Ukraine confirmed that the country considers the principle of sustainable development as the most important condition on which the fate and the very possibility to survive for a nation and the whole humankind depends.
Sustainable development may be defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. [1] It strives for three key objectives: a socially and environmentally innovative, resource-efficient economy in the developed world; an improvement of economic welfare and quality of life in the developing countries; a healthy natural environment with resources used and conserved wisely - worldwide.
Sustainability is of vital importance for the Ukraine surviving now through tremendous but wavering political and economic transition. As other countries of the former Soviet Union, the Ukraine has inherited a badly damaged environment, energy- and material-intensive economic production, obsolete and polluting technologies. The aim of economic transition is to improve economic performance on a sustainable basis.
The concepts and approaches accepted in Rio imply an essential change in common views on progress, development and growth in human society. In introducing these new concepts and ideas, the role of education and universities is extremely important. Universities are natural centres able not only to provide extensive education and dissemination of the ideology of sustainable development but also, due to their qualified, highly professional and dedicated faculty members, to accomplish practical implementation of sustainability principles in many actual projects. To carry out these projects, universities should multiply their links and co-operation with large and small enterprises as well as governmental organisations.
This paper describes the design of a typical course in sustainable development, as it is provided at DonSTU, and also activities of the faculty on dissemination and practical implementation of the principles and strategy of sustainable development in some real projects.
The Conference in Rio set a lasting and sustainable development as a priority goal for the international community. The ideal model of sustainability demands to consider as a whole and harmonise three main aspects of development: economic, environmental and social. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has coined the term "the 3 Es", meaning environment, economy and everyone as a shorthand way of explaining what needs to be balanced to achieve sustainable development [1].
In short, economic aspects of sustainability are related to the problem of an effective distribution of limited resources, goods and services to satisfy the needs of all people living now both in developed and less developed countries as well as of all people of future generations. Environmental aspects of sustainability mean recognition of the necessity to use environmentally friendly production processes and services, co-ordination of produced wastes with the carrying capacity of the ecosphere to preserve our planet suitable for life.
In social and political terms, sustainable development demands a large scale of social justice and safety, the possibility for all people to realise their rights to freedom, equal opportunities and political independence.
The sharp collisions of interests involved with the ideal model of sustainability are obvious [2-4]. Would the third world ever cease uncontrolled growth of population? Would the developed world ever refuse from their welfare based on an unproportionally large share in consuming the planet resources?
Even inside a given country the disparity of income and consumption in many cases is immense. In contrast to luxury-oriented life style of the rich elite, for the poor development means satisfying the basic human needs: jobs, food, housing, health services, education. The lack of access to such services gives rise to hopelessness and despair that lead to political unrest, terrorism, revolution, emigration to high-income countries in search of a better future.
In this way, the ideology of sustainable development encounters the eternal human contradictions between right and wrong, good and evil, forbearance and violence, the rich and poor. The whole history of mankind teaches that these contradictions could not be cancelled. Does that mean that the ideals of sustainability cannot be effective?
Here comparison with world religions seems helpful. Never in the ages the Ten Commandments were strictly followed by everybody. (In fact, the same relates to any ideology in human society). But who can deny the role of Christian morality in formation of the modern world?
General acceptance of the concepts, morality and ethics of the ideal model of sustainability seems to be the only way to survive in our imperfect but developing world. Perhaps, we should not be worse disciples of Sustainability than those that Jesus Christ had at His time.
An important aim is, therefore, to provide ideology, concepts and approaches of sustainable development to our students, those who will perform engineering tasks and create material basis of development in the near future. They must be taught to overcome many crucial threats to sustainability.
The objectives of the course in sustainable development provided at DonSTU have been formulated in the following way:
The course in sustainable development at DonSTU comprises lecture sessions and seminars. It consists of three major parts described in the following.
The course starts with introduction to the main concepts and the history of sustainable development. This includes the origin of the very notion "sustainability" which can be followed back at least to the XVIII century when it was first introduced in forestry. Another important event was introduction of sustainability to fishery at the start of the XX century [2].
Scientific basis of sustainability was laid down in biology. Life in ecological communities shows what neat and accurate adjustments are necessary for sustainable development in nature. But it is only in the late sixties that the attention to the problem was brought to a wide public.
The first report of the Club of Rome titled "The Limits to Growth" was published in 1972 by D. and D. Meadows and draw attention, in particular, to the problem of limited resources of raw materials.
"Our Common Future" was the title of Brundtland Report of the World Commission for Environment and Development that came out in 1987 and pointed out main problems related to sustainability. It contributed much to preparation the 1992 UN Conference in Rio that brought the problem of sustainability to its current high level of attention and discussion.
The conflicting interests related with realisation of sustainable development must constantly be taken into consideration.
After an introducing lecture, students discuss at seminars the problems associated with three major constituents which should be harmonised under the ideal model of sustainability:
Here attention of the students is drawn to the problem of appropriate indicator for prosperity and welfare of a society. The Gross National Product (GNP) or Gross Domestic Product (GDP) can no longer be considered as universal measurements for prosperity. The Conference in Rio put forward the necessity to develop more suitable indicators for the ideal model of sustainability. As possible examples, Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW) and the Human Development Index (HDI) are considered. The HDI includes longevity (measured by life expectancy), knowledge (adult literacy and mean years at school) and standard of living (measured by purchasing power) [4]. Using statistical data, students calculate HDI and find out its correlation with other indicators of country development.
Then the threats to sustainability are discussed at seminars. These threats are usually classified in the following way [2]:
First-year students often chose the threats to sustainability as a subject for writing their essays.
The next part of the course aims to give understanding on what should and can be done on the way to more sustainable development. The humankind is standing before a trilemma: how to unite and harmonise lasting and reasonable economic development, limited resources (energy, minerals, food, water, air) and preservation of the environment.
Possible ways to the ideal model of sustainability include broad range of measures in science and technology, education, politics and economics.
Wide environmental education for manifold categories of population is needed to crystallise an understanding of inevitable changes in social values, lifestyle, behaviour, consumer orientation.
Scientific progress and new technological developments is believed by many people to be the main source of optimism and the main means to achieve the ideals of sustainable development.
Improvements in the efficiency of energy use after the oil crisis of 1970s, wide application of glass fibres in communication technologies instead of running out copper supplies, research in the use of renewable energy sources give good examples of what science can input to sustainability.
However, we cannot count on science and technology as a miracle stick always at hand. For several decades physicists are expecting the approaching in near future use of thermonuclear energy but even now the perspectives of this technical accomplishment are not clear.
Promoting the use of renewable sources of energy (solar, wind, tide, biomass) can greatly contribute to sustainability, but, unfortunately, the feasibility of large-scale introduction of renewables in near future, although highly desirable, is doubtful because of lack of competitiveness with conventional energy sources.
The problems of sustainable development challenge all scientific disciplines and demand solution of many interdisciplinary tasks. The new technology should be made environmentally friendly and socially sustainable. The very assessment of new engineering solutions should change [2,4]. Traditionally, engineers evaluated new technological achievements from three measurements: functional effectiveness, safety and economic viability. Modern technological assessment must include the issues of environmental compatibility and quality of life.
Political and economical measures must include a pointed governmental and companies' policy in certification and licensing, priority subsidising of sustainable technologies, tax reform with lowering taxes on labour and production factors and increasing them for resource consumption.
Think globally, act locally. This slogan is often mentioned by students at DonSTU when they carry out their environmentally oriented projects for enterprises in Donetsk industrial region. "Proficient engineers must also be ready to take responsibility for global decisions", their teachers may answer them.
Students are also invited to study and discuss at seminars the role of different parties in promoting the cause of sustainable development: individuals (the best way to start is often at home); voluntary and nongovernmental public organisations (social, ethical, greenpeace); local authorities; small and medium sized enterprises; large businesses and multinational companies; national governments.
The principles of sustainability are not only taught by DonSTU faculty. They are also used as a guide in their practical activities. The faculty is taking an active part in developing the strategy for Donbass economic and social development, solving its environmental problems in the process of economic transition. Donetsk industrial region (Donbass) has inherited many serious problems of economic development and environment protection. Economic transition aims to improve economic performance on a sustainable basis. That requires significant improvement in environmental management and the integration of environmental policy with other policies dealing with economic development, market reform, privatisation, legal reform, and total democratisation of society.
Together with State administration in Donetsk region and other organisations, DonSTU faculty took an active part in developing "Complex programme for social and economic development in Donetsk industrial region (Donbass)". Sustainable development was a basic idea put into the basis of these documents. The development and practical realisation of this programme confirmed the role of Donetsk Technical University as a recognised scientific and engineering centre in Ukraine. The range of DonSTU tasks oriented to the needs of regional sustainability includes:
A special programme was developed for environmental education: "Concepts and system of measures for rebuilding environmental education". Under this programme, not only teaching, but also research is oriented to the needs of Donetsk region. Scientific staff, teachers and graduate students at DonSTU concentrate their research activities on the following major problems:
Several concrete projects were performed by DonSTU faculty in the frames of bilateral Program to Promote Sustainable Development in Ukraine sponsored by the US Agency for International Development.
Now academics at DonSTU are involved into diverse activities related to development the strategy and realisation of the projects in the frames of Special (Free) Economic Zone. In 1998 the Law was adopted by Ukrainian government according to which the status of special economic zone was given to specified territories in Donetsk region.
For practical realisation of new possibilities opening by that Law, Council on Special Economic Zone was organised at DonSTU. Its functions include:
Important contribution into sustainable development of New Independent States is their integration into international community and, at the same time, development of their traditional relations. In this respect, foundation by DonSTU and Taganrog Radiotechnical University of a joint educational institution called Russian-Ukrainian University provides a good example. The main aims of the Joint University are:
More than a year time period that passed after formation of the Joint University has already proved its effectiveness.
Sustainable development is a common priority goal for international community. Technical universities are natural centres for wide dissemination of the principles and ideology of sustainability and broad environmental education. Courses in sustainable development are provided at Donetsk State Technical University for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as a form of continuing education for representatives of industrial enterprises and businesses. The courses comprise three major parts: the history and main principles of sustainable development, conflicts and threats to sustainability, the ways to promoting sustainability. Sustainability is a guiding principle in practical activities of DonSTU faculty, in performing actual projects aiming to increase sustainability in Donetsk industrial region and throughout Ukraine.
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