University ranked among top global institutions for its focus on circular economy
A UNIVERSITY of Chichester module has achieved global recognition for its focus on sustainability in business and the circular economy.
International charity the Ellen MacArthur Foundation listed the West Sussex institution as one of just 136 worldwide to incorporate the circular economy concept into its curriculum. The undergraduate module examines sustainable business management and, specifically, the circular economy: an industrial framework grounded on the principles of living ecosystems that rely on renewable energy while eliminating toxic chemicals and eradicating waste.
Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management Dr Jorge Gutic, pictured below, from the University of Chichester’s Business School, developed the Sustainable Business and the Circular Economy course.
He said: “The module familiarises students with the principles and practices of sustainable business management and, in particular, the circular economy. It provides a coherent and functional understanding of the concept within a range of business and operational environments, and enables students to apply it in a practical way to a business of their choice.”
Teaching on the innovative University module is directed to critically exploring the concept of sustainable business management by applying it to various case studies such as tourism and events at national and international levels.
The circular economy, as studied by the students, draws on sharp distinctions between the consumption and use of material, advocating the need for a “functional service” model, according to Dr Gutic, in which manufacturers or retailers increasingly retain the ownership of their products and, where possible, act as service providers, selling the use of products, not their one-way consumption.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which raises awareness of the circular economy framework across higher education, also revealed the University module was one of only 51 worldwide to mention the concept in its title. News that Chichester has been placed on a select list of worldwide institutions is recognition of the University’s ongoing commitment to sustainable business education, according to Dr Andy Clegg, who also teaches at its Business School.
The Principle Lecturer in Learning and Teaching said the module supports the BSc Tourism Management and BSc Environmental Management for Sustainability degrees at the University. He added: “It is representative of our wider commitment to education for sustainability and reflects our expertise in sustainability and sustainable business management.”
To find out more about business degrees provided by the University of Chichester, including the Sustainable Business and the Circular Economy module, go to www.chi.ac.uk/business. For more about the University’s Centre for Research in Sustainable Business visit https://www.chi.ac.uk/research/centres/centre-for-sustainable-business.
To read the recent research publication by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which lists the University of Chichester in the top 136 institutions for its focus on the circular economy, go to www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org.
