From Policy to Pedagogy: The Implications of Sustainability Policy for Sustainability Pedagogy in Higher Education

Abstract

In response to the growing number of sustainability policies being enacted at higher education institutions, this article examines the relationship between policy and pedagogy, asking how policy texts can both enable and impede the implementation of sustainability pedagogy in higher education. To explore this question, we have undertaken a case study at the University of British Columbia, analyzing two campus-wide visionary policies that call for sustainability education: Trek 2010: A Global Journey and Inspirations and Aspirations: The Sustainability Strategy. We analyze these documents to show how the goals and strategies within them have the potential to affect the teaching and learning of sustainability across the university, directly and indirectly. Our analysis is coupled with a series of suggestions on how the policy process might be better executed in the future for more pedagogically effective sustainability policy.