The Science and Practice of Sustainable Development

This course is part of the Leadership in Global Development MicroMasters program. In order to get the most out of this course, we recommend that you have experience working in the development sector or a strong interest in this area. We also recommend that you complete the other three courses that make up the Leadership in Global Development MicroMasters program: Leaders in Global Development, Adaptive Leadership in Development, and Critical Development Perspectives.This course introduces the origin and key concepts of sustainability and how to apply those to sustainable development practice. Sustainable development will be explored through theories and case studies from a range of Disciplines. You also will learn about planetary boundaries, urbanisation and growing inequality, to show how integral sustainable development is to our everyday existence. This course will attempt to provide key content knowledge to bridge the science and the practice of the application and enhancement of sustainable development. The course draws on contemporary examples from both The University of Queensland (UQ) and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) to address the world’s most urgent challenges, with emphasis on the linkages between science and policy.