Indiana University Indianapolis
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification

Our IUPUI Academic Sustainability Committee accepts the Brundtland Report definition from the 1987 World Commission on Environment and Development: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” We enrich this definition with elements of the AASHE definition which incorporates economic, social and environmental elements of sustainability into its definition. At IUPUI, courses designated by this committee as sustainability-focused share the following characteristics: 1. They integrate knowledge in an interdisciplinary framework to include social and natural environmental interactions; 2. They offer alternative strategies for the use of natural resources, highlighting trade-offs and unintended consequences; 3. They are forward looking with respect to the impacts of technology, policy, and physical constraints on the ecosystem; 4. They promote critical thinking skills related to the challenges of sustainability 5. They enhance sustainability communication skills across disciplines Courses designated by this committee as sustainability-related may share some of the following characteristics but do not explicitly include sustainability related outcomes in their learning outcomes (#4, #5). 1. They may integrate knowledge in an interdisciplinary framework to include social and natural environmental interactions; 2. They may offer alternative strategies for the use of natural resources, highlighting trade-offs and unintended consequences; 3. They may be forward looking with respect to the impacts of technology, policy, and physical constraints on the ecosystem;