Overall Rating Platinum - expired
Overall Score 85.48
Liaison Emmanuelle Jodoin
Submission Date Dec. 6, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Université de Sherbrooke
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.53 / 8.00 Véronique Bisaillon
Sustainable Development Education Advisor
Office of the Vice-President, Administration and Sustainable Development
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total number of graduates from degree programs (i.e. majors, minors, concentrations, certificates, and other academic designations):
7,397

Number of students that graduate from programs that have adopted at least one sustainability learning outcome:
5,114

Percentage of students who graduate from programs that have adopted at least one sustainability learning outcome:
69.14

Do the figures reported above cover one, two, or three academic years?:
One

Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the institution level (e.g. covering all students)?:
Yes

Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the division level (e.g. covering particular schools or colleges within the institution)?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the institution level or division level sustainability learning outcomes:

Institution Level
At the institutional level, and related to all academic programs of usual designations, the University’s academic regulations refer to six learning outcomes, including the following related to sustainability:

The intellectual development learning outcome’s goal relates to "critical thinking", meaning acquire "a critical reflection on issues related to one’s field, including social issues" as well as "reflexivity".

An ethical learning outcome by which the “approach" dimension consists to "Lead the reflection as to adopt choices and to justify them, while considering one’s own values, societal values and the resulting impacts on people, society and the environment».

An autonomy and responsibilities learning outcome by which the "social responsibility" dimension is to "Use and maintain one’s skills as to contribute to society’s development and evolution."

More broadly, and as stated in the 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, the vision of the Université de Sherbrooke, along with its communities, is to be committed to train and prepare responsible citizens that can change the world for the better.

Division Level
The Environment and Sustainable Development University Training Center (Centre universitaire de formation en environnement et développement durable (CUFE)) is meant to be an interdisciplinary space where training, reflection and actions on environmental issues lead to a more responsible society. All academic programs offered by the CUFE fall within this mission.

The Faculty of Engineering’s academic programs meet the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) requirements, which set out twelve attributes required by graduates. Among these, the following relate more directly to sustainability:

Impact of Engineering on Society and the Environment: An ability to analyze social and environmental aspects of engineering activities, including an understanding of the interactions that engineering has with the economic, social, health, safety, legal and cultural aspects of society; the uncertainties in the prediction of such interactions; and the concepts of sustainable design and development and environmental stewardship.

Ethics and Equity: An ability to apply professional ethics, accountability, and equity.

Design: An ability to design solutions for complex, open-ended engineering problems and to design systems, components or processes that meet specified needs with appropriate attention to health and safety risks, applicable standards, and economic, environmental, cultural and societal considerations.

Professionalism: An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the professional engineer in society, especially the primary role of protection of the public and the public interest.


Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the program level (i.e. majors, minors, concentrations, degrees, diplomas, certificates, and other academic designations)?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the program level sustainability learning outcomes (or a list of sustainability-focused programs):

Several programs offered by the Université de Sherbrooke have or include sustainability learning outcomes. By definition, all sustainability academic programs include sustainability learning outcomes
(as an integrated concept having social, economic, and environmental dimensions).
Several more programs, that may represent other academic designations and for which adhering to the University’s academic regulations (inclusion of the six specific institution level learning outcomes) is not mandatory, will include sustainability learning outcomes. They are easily identifiable through their program descriptions, or by examining the courses that have to be completed as part of the program curriculum. On the latter, such an evaluation was undertaken, using the same methodology as the one used to identify AC1 “Courses that include sustainability” (i.e. using tools such as proven sustainability documentation as a source, use of keywords, training targets).

As an example, here is a list of three programs that are not particularly specified as sustainability programs but do refer to different dimensions of sustainability, and include sustainability learning outcomes:

Certificate in Visual Arts: It includes courses that lead students to reflect on the phenomenon of art and its relationship with life, society and culture, both as an individual and as a member of a community.

Organizational Health Graduate Level Microprogram: It addresses the strategic issues inherent to organizational health challenges. Students learn to recognize the determinants and levers in organizational health in order to establish an accurate diagnosis in this regard.

Advanced Graduate Studies Diploma in Applied Geomatics: The objective of this program is to develop broad skills in geomatics and Earth observation by remote sensing as well as developing an expertise in the fields of application of geomatics linked to sustainable development. To acquire this diploma, it is mandatory that students choose between one to three courses directly related to sustainable development.


Do course level sustainability learning outcomes contribute to the figure reported above (i.e. in the absence of program, division, or institution level learning outcomes)?:
No

A list or brief description of the course level sustainability learning outcomes and the programs for which the courses are required:
---

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
---

Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

University’s Academic Regulations (2575-009):
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/registraire/droits-et-responsabilites/reglement-des-etudes/
From this page, left menu, the formalized six learning outcomes are described under item “12. Annexes” (specifically under “ANNEXE 1 : FINALITÉS DE FORMATION”). The sustainability related ones are outlined as “2. Développement intellectuel” (namely 2.3 and 2.4), as “5. Éthique” (namely 5.3) and as “6. Autonomie et responsabilités” (namely 6.3).

2018-2022 Strategic Plan's vision:
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/planification-strategique/valeurs-et-vision/vision/


University’s Academic Regulations (2575-009):
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/registraire/droits-et-responsabilites/reglement-des-etudes/
From this page, left menu, the formalized six learning outcomes are described under item “12. Annexes” (specifically under “ANNEXE 1 : FINALITÉS DE FORMATION”). The sustainability related ones are outlined as “2. Développement intellectuel” (namely 2.3 and 2.4), as “5. Éthique” (namely 5.3) and as “6. Autonomie et responsabilités” (namely 6.3).

2018-2022 Strategic Plan's vision:
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/planification-strategique/valeurs-et-vision/vision/

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.