BSc Biomedical Sciences

The Interdisciplinary Sustainable Development unit follows a problem-based learning approach where students engage in student-led, research-based projects. Working in collaborative teams, students act as a professional sustainability consultancy, addressing the complex challenges of driving change towards sustainable development and social responsibility across multiple disciplines.

The unit focuses on developing effective teamwork, project management, and innovative strategies that balance social, economic, and environmental considerations. Students work on structured projects that encourage creativity in overcoming barriers to change, while reflecting on how their knowledge of sustainable development evolves. Group discussions facilitate the analysis of team dynamics and individual learning experiences.

Note: this unit is an open elective unit which aims to provide an introduction to sustainable development. 

The unit aims to enhance students' intellectual skills and understanding of the concepts and barriers related to creating change for sustainable development in a complex world. Students will explore the challenges and opportunities of sustainable development, focusing on social responsibility and environmental sustainability from an enterprise perspective, including both for-profit and not-for-profit organisations.

Working as teams of "sustainability consultants," students will develop innovative strategies that balance conflicting needs, consider broader implications beyond their discipline, and apply creativity to overcome barriers to change. The unit provides a practical, holistic approach to problem-solving, incorporating principles of sustainable development, while fostering teamwork, research skills, and critical analysis.

·     Introduction to sustainable development from an organisation perspective

·     Introduction to a Circular Economy

·     Introduction to basic tools for environmental, social and economic sustainability assessment

·     Tensions and trade-offs in sustainable development

·      Introduction to barriers and pathways for sustainable development

·      Developing creativity and innovative ‘solutions’ for sustainable development

This is a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and most of the learning will be student-led. Therefore, much of the student learning will occur through student involvement in short research-based projects. In this unit, students work in active, collaborative teams on short structured projects, acting as a professional sustainable-development consultancy company.

Projects familiarise students with different aspects (beyond own discipline) of the challenges of enabling change towards sustainable development and social responsibility in a professional context. In addition to the scheduled weekly contact time in class, a significant amount of the weekly allocated ‘private study time’ is required to work on team projects/challenges.

There is a strong emphasis on participants developing effective co-operative team-working and practical project management practices, through developing innovative strategies that balance conflicting needs and consequences, recognising wider considerations and using creativity to overcome barriers to change.

Projects encompass the social, economic and environmental aspects of specific scenarios and are not simply about devising solutions to environmental problems. The scenarios may tackle any theme (discipline) related to sustainable development. Group discussions are used to help students analyse their learning from each project. Students should reflect on the development of their team-working practices and how their individual learning about sustainable development and the management of change has developed through studying the different projects.

The unit is fully supported via Blackboard and copies of all lecture material and additional supporting information is available within this virtual learning environment. 

Students should be able to:

A1 Demonstrate critical understanding of the challenges associated with implementing changes for sustainable development:

A2 Demonstrate knowledge of the role of different mechanisms for change and means of overcoming barriers to change. 

Students should be able to:

B1     Apply a holistic and systemic approach to investigating complex, “messy” open-ended problems.

B2     Work across traditional disciplinary boundaries in order to develop innovative strategies and proposals.

B3      Apply a framework to employ problem solving skills in examining complex, multi-criteria, issues that        

          incorporate uncertainty and conflicts of interest.

Students should be able to:

C1 Apply and develop information literacy skills

C2 Apply problem solving skills within the context of a team activity/project

C3 Research and critically analyse information from published literature and internet sources to produce written reports

C4 Create and deliver a team presentation

C5 Reflecting and analysing what has been learned through the experience 

Students should be able to:

D1 Apply reflective practice to engage in continuing self-improvement in a professional context.

D2 Work collaboratively as a member of a diverse team, contributing to the development of effective team dynamics and project management processes.

D3 Develop strategies to work more effectively with those from different disciplinary, national or cultural backgrounds.

D4 Demonstrate skills in debating, structuring and communicating ideas and proposals in writing, verbally in meetings, and also in presentation format.

Formative assignments:

- Blackboard (BB) Quiz: Sustainable Development: the basics: 10-15 minutes.

Summative assignments:

Team Project: - 10 minute Presentation, 40%

Individual Project: - 1500 word written report, 60%

1. You will receive immediate feedback regarding your understanding of basic principles of sustainable development upon completing a blackboard multiple choice quiz. The quiz can be taken unlimited number of times.
2. Your lecturer is available to give feedback to the whole team or individuals during scheduled contact time. 
3. Your lecturer may provide brief replies to your e-mailed enquiry within their scheduled working hours if time permits, or may arrange to meet immediately before, following or during a scheduled class session.
4. Your lecturer may feedback messages to the whole class via Blackboard if the point that you have raised could be of benefit to the whole class. It is your responsibility to check blackboard regularly.
5. After each project, your lecturer will provide written feedback.

Laasch, O. (2021). Principles of Management: Practicing Ethics, Responsibility, Sustainability. 2nd Edition. London: Sage.

Kopnina, H. and Blewitt, J. (2018). Sustainable business: Key issues. 2nd Edition. Routledge.

Rogers P.P., Jalal K.F., Boyd J.A. (2012) An Introduction to Sustainable Development Routledge (ASIN: B0081YWAQ4)

Young T. S., K. K. Dhanda (2013). Sustainability for Business, Sage

Stark, R., Seliger, G. and Bonvoisin, J. (2017). Sustainable Manufacturing: Challenges, Solutions and Implementation Perspectives. Springer.

Aagaard, A. (Ed.). (2018). Sustainable Business Models: Innovation, Implementation and Success. Springer.

Allenby B.R.  (2012). The Theory and Practice of Sustainable Engineering Pearson (Prentice Hall) (ISBN10: 0 273 75216 2)

Azapagic A., Perdan S.  (2011).  Sustainable Development in Practice: Case Studies for Engineers and Scientists 2nd Edition  Wiley (ASIN: B005FMLIMM)

Mulder, K. ed. (2006). Sustainable Development for Engineers: A Handbook and Resource Guide Greenleaf Publishing (ISBN-10: 1874719195)

Nicholas Ashford and Ralph Hall (2011).   Technology, Globalization, and Sustainable Development: Transforming the Industrial State,  Yale University Press  (ISBN-10: 0300169728)

For Academic Year 2024/25

Updated: March 2024

Approved by:  UG Committee