Franklin University Switzerland
AC-1: Sustainability Course Offerings
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Rachel
Simpkin Registrar Office of the Registrar |
1.1 Percentage of academic departments with sustainability course offerings
Number of academic departments with at least one sustainability course offering:
Annotated list or inventory of the institution’s sustainability course offerings by department:
Description of the process used to identify the institution’s sustainability course offerings by department:
A list of all the undergraduate and graduate courses offered during the last academic year, 2024-2025, was obtained via the online course catalog. This list contained the course name, code, course description and academic department offering the course.
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following two figures:
Points earned for indicator AC 1.1:
1.2 Published sustainability course listings
Online location where the institution’s sustainability course listings are maintained:
Publication where the institution’s sustainability course listings are maintained:
Description of the process used to create and maintain the institution’s sustainability course listings:
A list of all the undergraduate and graduate courses offered during the last academic year, 2024-2025, was obtained via the online course catalog. This list contained the course name, code, course description and academic department offering the course. A combination of keyword searches and reviews of each course description, both on the course inventory provided and on the FUS website, were applied to determine whether the course featured any discussion of sustainability-related topics. From there, each course was individually evaluated. To count as a sustainability course, we looked at course titles and course descriptions to determine if the primary and explicit focus of the course was on sustainability. We identified courses as sustainability-inclusive if the course title and description did not unequivocally indicate a sustainability focus, but did demonstrate that the course incorporated sustainability challenges, issues and concepts in a prominent way. The STARS course inventory template was used to document sustainability course offerings and track linkages to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each course description was examined to determine which SDGs were addressed in the course's teaching. Apart from specific mentions of improved literacy outcomes, SDG 4: Quality Education was exempted from this analysis, given its relevance to education and sustainability education. The final course inventory includes all courses that touched on at least one SDG. For this credit, the STARS and SDG Alignment document was additionally consulted.
We continue to update our list of sustainability course offerings as new courses are added.
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
1.3 Support for academic staff to integrate sustainability into the curriculum
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the incentives provided for individual academic staff to integrate sustainability into the curriculum:
https://www.fus.edu/campus-life/fus-green-office/what-we-do
The Green Office Sustainability Programs launched the FUS GO Grant Program: Orienting Curriculum around Sustainability (the "OCS Grant Program") in Fall 2023.
The OCS Grant Program is open to FUS faculty who would like to expand their teaching and research around sustainability. Faculty who teach an existing course that does not currently include a sustainability lens are especially invited to participate. Each OCS Grant totals 1,000 CHF and is awarded in two parts: 500 CHF for the development of a syllabus and 500 CHF for a course offering.
The OCS Grant Program builds on pioneering curriculum change initiatives that have been used by a diverse range of universities across North America. The program is based on the Piedmont/Ponderosa Model and is designed to engage, inspire and support faculty. The program consists of three parts:
- A Faculty Curriculum Building Workshop. Led by Rebecca Mills, Jean Wu and the Green Office Scholars, the workshop will provide faculty with the resources needed to incorporate sustainability themes into existing courses and to aid in the creation of new courses. The workshop will cover course design tools, pedagogical approaches, interdisciplinary insights, adaptive strategies and reflection + discussion sessions.
- Syllabus. Following the workshop, faculty will have time to develop a proposed syllabus that incorporates sustainability topics, using the resources and course design tools introduced in the curriculum building workshop. Participants will be awarded the first part of their OCS Grant upon submission of a proposed syllabus meeting the goals set out in the workshop.
- Course offering. The program's ultimate goal is to increase the number of courses at FUS that include consideration of the sustainable development goals in their curriculum and to broaden the range of courses that address the sustainability challenges facing our planet and the people on it. Participants will be awarded the second part of their OCS Grant when their course is officially offered in the FUS Academic Catalog.
The OCS Grant program was highly successful in the 2023-2024 academic year. The Green Office is hosting another Faculty Curriculum Building Workshop in April of 2025.
Does the institution host an ongoing multidisciplinary community of practice, sustainability across the curriculum training program, or equivalent support program for academic staff who are working to integrate sustainability into the curriculum?:
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview the institution’s sustainability-focused community of practice, sustainability across the curriculum training program, or equivalent support program:
The OSC Grant Program includes community training and ways for professors to integrate sustainability into their curriculum across all disciplines.
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
Optional documentation
Additional documentation for this credit:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.