APRU global sustainability course tackles urban challenges

The Global Sustainability Course enables students to engage in exchanges with participants from diverse backgrounds and cultural contexts.

A group of seven students in CUHK’s MSc in Sustainable Global Business Programme participated in the ‘Global Sustainability Course: Waste and the City’ offered by Nanyang Technological University under the auspices of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU). CUHK students engaged with a class of 75 students from eight APRU member universities across seven countries and regions during 11 September – 20 November 2024 for this insightful and stimulating teaching experience.

With a focus on the SDGs and the Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) concepts, the online course engaged speakers from academia, industry, NGOs, and government to allow graduate students to learn about the SDGs, specifically those that pertain to waste and urbanisation, through talks and group discussions of case studies with international peers. Prof. Victoria Wang from the Department of Management served as a facilitator in the group discussions.

CUHK students found that the insights gained from the course broadened their horizons. Mr. Jerry Pang remarked, ‘Participating in the APRU course has deepened my understanding of global sustainability challenges, such as climate change, resource depletion, and social equity. By exploring trends and limitations in ESG scoring systems and analysing successful sustainability initiatives, I’ve gained valuable insights that will enhance future sustainability frameworks.’

Ms. Yuchen Chang added, ‘The APRU course provided an excellent platform for interacting with experts and students from diverse backgrounds to discuss cutting-edge research and challenging ESG practices. This enriching experience has laid the foundation for my professional development in sustainability management.’

Separately, the APRU Pacific Rim Biodiversity and Sustainability Programme co-led by CUHK and the APRU Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Programme jointly organised a 3-webinar series to explore cross-disciplinary collaborations. The series allowed academics, practitioners, students, and other stakeholders to share insights into ecosystem protection for urban sustainability. The last webinar took place on 16 October, engaging speakers from Oregon State University, University of Connecticut and the Urban Biodiversity Hub. The series attracted some 220 participants from around the world.