Partnerships for Sustainable Futures

Environmental sustainability issues are often complex, controversial and associated with uncertain conditions. Multiple individuals and organisations may have an interest or stake in the problem, may have relevant expertise or resources, or may contribute to decision-making and management. Developing, implementing and evaluating pathways for sustainable futures thus often requires cooperation across institutions, sectors, and communities. Private, public and not-for-profit sectors; local, national, regional and global jurisdictions; disciplinary, practitioner, local, and Indigenous knowledges: these all have different commitments, priorities, and ways of working. How do we successfully translate and collaborate across these areas, and how does this support transformational change for sustainable futures? As highlighted by Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Partnerships), the collaborative capacity of individuals and organisations cannot be taken for granted, and instead requires the careful and critical development of a specific set of professional competencies. In this subject, students apply critical and reflexive thinking to professional practices that are crucial to leading effective partnerships for environmental sustainability, and which are highly valued in environmental sectors. Incorporating perspectives and practices from a range of environmental professions and disciplines, the subject develops students’ capacity for building, maintaining and evaluating partnerships in applying environmental expertise to decision-making and action for sustainable futures. The subject focuses on the following questions: • What kinds of partnerships are important in integrating environmental expertise and applying it to decision-making and action for sustainable futures, and why? • What are the challenges for environmental professionals in developing such partnerships and collaborating effectively across organisations, sectors, forms of expertise, and communities? • What skills and strategies can assist environmental professionals in developing, leading and maintaining effective partnerships with positive outcomes? • How can we evaluate and learn from the collaborative processes and outcomes of partnerships?