We are Future Focused
Sustainability is one of the four mindsets within Humber’s Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs). Work is well underway to embed the mindsets into all academic program curricula to prepare every Humber graduate to be career-ready citizens. Graduating students will be able to demonstrate a sustainability mindset and its interconnectedness with Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI), Systems Thinking, and Indigenous Knowledge, which will support their future career journeys and their ability to be agents of social good in an increasingly complex world.
Teaching and Learning
In order to integrate sustainability into all Humber programs, we must equip our faculty and staff with the tools they need, including professional development, resources, and peer to peer learning in sustainability. Humber’s ILO framework team, in collaboration with all areas of the institution, are developing integration assessment metrics to ensure sustainability lives meaningfully within each program curriculum. These actions support a culture of teaching, learning, and applied research at Humber that produces citizens ready for the world of tomorrow.
Humber Learning Outcomes (HLOs)
As a leader in polytechnic education, Humber is committed to preparing students for an increasingly challenging and complex world. The Humber Learning Outcomes (HLOs) framework is designed to help students articulate the skills and mindsets they acquire through the polytechnic model to succeed in the rapidly changing future of work.
Developed by our faculty, staff and students in collaboration with industry and community partners, the HLO framework aligns with the top employability skills and mindsets recognized globally as critical to graduates' success. The three HLO mindsets are:
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- Systems Thinking
- Sustainability
- Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Doing (IWBKD)
A Sustainability Mindset enables us to think and act with our collective future in mind. As sustainably-mnided individuals, Humber graduates lead by example. They promote sustainable practices in their professional and personal lives. They act responsibly in environmental, economic and social ways that protect our planet and contribute positively to the well-being of our communities.
The Sustainable Development Goals are used as foundational tools for integrating sustainaiblity into the curriculum.To learn more about the ILOs, including the other three closely linked mindsets, please visit the HLOs website.
Sustainability Courses and Programs
Humber teaches sustainability across many of its academic programs. When completed the Institutional Learning Outcomes project will ensure we are teaching it in every program we offer.
Sustainability is a means to teach future generations how to resolve the social, economic and environmental issues that impact the world today, and in the future. By teaching tomorrow’s leaders these concepts we can truly change the world.
Programs
Humber offers several programs closely connected to sustainability:
- Sustainable Energy Building Technology Program
- Bachelor of Applied Technology - Industrial Design
- Bachelor of Interior Design
- International Development Certificate
- Horticulture Technician Apprenticeship
- Diploma Landscape Technician
- Advanced Diploma Architectural Technology
Courses
Humber offers over 4381 courses that address one or more of the Environmental, Social and Economic aspects of sustainability. See a complete list of Sustainability-focused and sustainablity-inclusive courses.
Sustainability-focused course: the course title or description must indicate a primary and explicit focus on sustainability.
Sustainability-inclusive course: A course that is not explicitly focused on sustainability but incorporates a unit or module on sustainability or a sustainability challenge, includes one or more sustainability-focused activities, or integrates sustainability challenges, issues, and concepts throughout the course.
Sustainability Faculty Champions
The Sustainability Faculty Champions (SFC) group is an open space for all (staff or faculty) to join gatherings throughout the year. These gatherings provide space for peer-to-peer learning, sharing and support in order to bring sustainability concepts and deeper learning into the student experience. Some people come looking to learn from others, some come to share what they have tried, what has worked and find ways to do it better. All are welcome: those who have limited knowledge to those who teach high level sustainability courses.
This group evolved out of a Community of Practice hosted by the Innovative Learning Team and the Office of Sustainability in 2016. Since then, the group has developed two teaching resources and continuously adds content to a Microsoft Teams group for all to use.
The SFC group is closely connected to the ILOs project, making sure the work done aligns with institutional priorities. To find out more, attend a meeting or get access to the Microsoft Teams Hub, email us!
Applied Research and Innovation
Humber's Applied Research & Innovation (ARI) strives to be a leader among Canadian Polytechnics in sustainability-related applied research. We approach this in three ways: how we seek out projects, which projects we choose and how the projects are executed.
We are pushing boundaries
Applied Research & Innovation (ARI) supports collaboration, applied research, and innovation at Humber and in the community. ARI strives to be a leader among Canadian Polytechnics in sustainability-related applied research. We will look at this in three ways: how we seek out projects, which projects we choose and how the projects are executed.
Several research projects related to sustainability are being conducted, or have been completed in topic areas including health & wellness, accessibility, ecosystems, sustainable building re-design, building energy use, nature and early childhood education. Take a look at some featured projects on ARI's Research Areas webpage.