How Academic Professors Can Teach Sustainability to Students That are Based in the Middle East

There has been a variety of conversations happening about sustainability and what people can do to take action. Further at Curated Today, we value different opinions and viewpoints from changemakers that are part of the sustainability industry. Which leads us to wonder: can we start learning about sustainability at an earlier age?

In this special feature, Saja Elmishri interviews Dr. Bryna Chrismas, a professor in Sports Science at Qatar University, who is passionate about people and the planet and Noorin khamisani, a fashion educator based in Dubai Design District for their two cents.

1. How do you think sustainability classes should be taught to creative students (e.g.  fashion or design students) but also to students that study business, management, marketing or accounting? 

Sustainability would benefit from being taught in an inter- and multidisciplinary way. In order for us to create positive change to the planet, and create a lifestyle that promotes sustainable practices, this involves a collaborative effort from everyone across different fields (e.g. business, health and sciences, education, arts and humanities etc.) working together to solve this problem. 

Sustainability education should be fun, interactive, engaging, and positive. Also hands-on problem solving activities, where lessons are  taught within the workplace, out in nature, and not inside a classroom or online. Sustainability should be embedded across all subjects, and not taught separately. In order to truly create a vision and world where sustainability is a key priority, it should be integrated into all learning areas, and taught as a way of life, not a subject limited to the walls of a classroom. 

2. How would you advise professors to teach sustainability? What is the basic structure or knowledge that students should receive from their academic peers about sustainability? 

Sustainability can be used to rethink our pedagogical approaches utilized in universities. The old style chalk and talk method is outdated. Cooperative learning and problem solving models are examples of more modern pedagogical practices, which are more engaging, and more valuable paradigms of teaching and learning. Important questions should be proposed. And students should be the ones leading the conversation. A student led approach should be adopted. Where future-orientated projects are at the core, with relevant sustainability solutions provided for the present. The social, environmental, and economic impacts of sustainability should be addressed. With both project and place based pedagogical approaches adopted. Students would greatly benefit from internships, field trips, and workplace based opportunities. Group discussion, peer support and open dialogue and essential throughout this process. The UN Sustainable Development Goals should be integrated and discussed.

3. What are your tips for anyone that is wanting to learn about sustainability but isn’t something that they come across in their learning?

There are many incredible resources online. Documentaries, books, podcasts, social media groups, and communities. Additionally, there are numerous workshops, webinars and courses that people can find online. I would recommend following individuals/organizations who are advocating for change on social media (eg intersectional environmentalism). Additionally, there are many community groups and initiatives (eg two minute beach cleans, plogging), that people can get involved with in their local communities.

4. How can students get involved or start sustainability projects around campus?

I would suggest creating a club or community group at school or university. Contact the students union or student activities and ask what are the requirements to starting a club. And then just go for it. A student could even start their own personal or individual Instagram, tik tok, or Facebook account. Where they encourage others to learn about sustainability, and try to make small positive changes to their day to day life. It’s not about doing everything perfectly. Or indeed having all the answers or tools available. Each person can take one small step, and try to encourage and motivate those around them to also make a change. It is about planting a seed, or starting a ripple effect. 

Indeed that is what I am doing with Ran by Nature, which is an ethical and sustainable athleisure brand creating positive change to people and the planet through an inclusive community. The sustainable athleisure clothing will be launching soon, and will offer functional and multipurpose clothing for everyone to workout in. We are using sport and physical activity as a vehicle for change, and to encourage diversity and inclusivity in the outdoors. We provide Instagram lives, and a podcast to encourage people to take a small step and make a positive impact on people and the planet.

You can join the community at www.ranbynature.com. Listen to the podcast (series 2 is launching on 2nd February) on any podcast platform, and connect with us on Instagram and Facebook @ranbynature. You can also email me at hello@ranbynature.com.

1. How do you think sustainability classes should be taught to creative students (like fashion or design students) but also to students that study business, management, marketing or accounting? 

For fashion design, both theoretical and practical skills need to be taught through the lens of sustainability, which ultimately means we need to put the earth first in all creative designs, this draws on Kate Fletcher and Mathida Tham’s 2019 Earth Logic Fashion Action Research Plan.

Another important thing is to ensure students connect the challenges posed by sustainability with their own values.  For some they begin with environmental issues, others it may be social or cultural.  All the aspects join together at some point but it can feel overwhelming to start, so starting is key.  In my experience, when students connect with an issue personally, they develop their response through design in the most creative and unexpected ways.

All students need to understand that we need to be prepared for moving towards different systems for fashion as well as  different economic models.  For example Kate Raworth’s Doughnut economics gives us an alternative model with a social foundation and an ecological ceiling.  Amy Twigger Holroyd’s Fashion Fictions has served as a fantastic addition to our lecture course at DIDI and is open for academics to join and interact with in a variety of ways, through her project you can help students to imagine these alternatives and then we can make them a reality.

2. How would you advise professors to teach sustainability? What is the basic structure or knowledge that students should receive from their academic peers about sustainability? 

Future fashion designers need to understand how their choices have an impact throughout the lifecycle of a product, this relates to students needing to understand where they can make changes throughout the design process and how to design for specific users, lifecycles and systems.  This is really now raising a big question about the future of fashion education; are the traditional skills currently taught still relevant?  What new digital skills offer us opportunities to adopt more sustainable practices?  For example, utilizing 3D digital software as part of the design process can cut down on toiles and samples as well as lead to digital fashion shows and presentations. 

I always begin my studio classes by referring to the Danish Fashion Institute which found that an estimated 80% of a garment’s environmental footprint is determined in the design process, this is both a responsibility and an opportunity.  Therefore sustainability must be taught as an essential, rather than a choice. There is no reason why it should diminish creativity or quality, in fact it adds value and can fuel innovation and experimentation as you need to research further and try new ways of working. 

It’s important to ensure consideration of sustainability is included within the learning outcomes of all courses, rather than have a one off sustainability project.  An active critique of the fashion system needs to be a part of the design process, as well as designing for unknown futures.  There are many universities leading the way in terms of best practice, for examples Parsons, Design School Kolding, London College of Fashion and of course DIDI. 

3. What are your tips for anyone that is wanting to learn about sustainability but isn’t something that they come across in their learning?

There are some great online courses you could do to start, for example Fashion Revolution’s Fashion’s Future: The Sustainable Development Goals and LCF’s Fashion and Sustainability: Understanding Luxury Fashion in a Changing World both available on Future Learn.  The Redress competition also offers a free online course in January every year to support potential applicants to the competition. There are some key books that are worth exploring too for example, Shaping Sustainable Fashion by Alison Gwilt and Fashion & Sustainability: Design for Change by Kate Fletcher and Lynda Grose. 

4. How can students get involved or start sustainability projects around campus? 

Explore the Fashion Revolution website, organize an event for Fashion Revolution week in April, this could be a clothing swap or a mending workshop to encourage long lasting interactions with garments, where they are valued and kept for a long time.  There is an inspiring initiative from a group of students at AMFI called Dirty Laundry.

As always if you would like some images of our student work to support, just let me know. I also have my own MA project which I use as a starting point for one of my courses to encourage students to design for multiple lives and users. Find images here of the work on this online exhibition.