Implementing the sustainable development policy at the University of British Columbia: An analysis of the implications for organisational learning

Rethinking our organisational learning processes is critical to society's transition to sustainability – a transition toward living respectfully with one another on a planet with finite resources. Presents the concept of sustainability as a central organising focus for higher education and draws on theories of organisational learning to help inform the transition. Specifically, the central case study focuses on the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada's first university to adopt a sustainable development policy, and explores how well the policy is implemented in practice. Explores some of the barriers to effective implementation, and provides insights into why the University operates as a “knowledge institution” rather than a “learning institution”. An embedded case study examines the learning experience of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at UBC based on the recent transformation of its core curriculum to incorporate sustainability principles.