Content uploaded by Tatiana Salimova
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Tatiana Salimova on Jul 20, 2021
Content may be subject to copyright.
42
Bringing PBL to Education for Sustainable Development:
University to Business (U2B) approach
Tatiana Salimova1, Elena Soldatova1
1 Economics Department, National Research Mordovia State University, Saransk, Russian Federation
Email: tasalimova@yandex.ru, elensold@mail.ru
Abstract
Higher Education has to play a crucial and key driving part in providing Sustainable Development of society being a catalyst
for it for the next generation. Its importance has significantly increased especially after adopting the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development by the United Nations; it is being recognized by increasing numbers of international community
representatives. Higher Education plays a dual role in achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. One aspect is
integration of Sustainable Development issues in academic and research programs and projects. The other one is ability of
Higher Education to promote them and empower their implementation in business and community. Higher Education has
made a lot of progress in terms of embedding sustainable development at all levels in institutions, in sustainable
development-based research, in curricula for sustainability, and boosting more collaboration between stakeholders in
society. The aim of this paper is to share experience in applying Project-Based Learning in Sustainable Development
curricula in Higher Education and identify the outcomes for different groups of stakeholders (teachers, students, businesses
and society). This paper presents a case of National Research Mordovia State University in implementing University-to-
Business approach (U2B) at the level of curricula that affect business community through engaging students in solving real
problems in Sustainable Development. The study is based on content analysis of results of students’ projects in Sustainable
Development of enterprises and organizations, developing a maturity grid of organizational sustainability according to the
Russian Federation Standard GOST R 54598.1 – 2015 “Management of sustainable development. Part 1. Guide”. The results
obtained show that providing good understanding of Sustainable Development for students Universities produce
graduates that can take up leadership roles in taking decisions and translate the knowledge and skills to real-world
applications.
Keywords: Higher Education; PBL; Sustainable development; University; Students; Business.
1 Introduction
Higher Education plays a dual role in achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals. On the one hand, it is
reflected in integrating Sustainable Development issues in academic and research programs and projects. On
the other hand, Higher Education promotes Sustainable Development philosophy and empowers its
implementation in business and community boosting more collaboration between stakeholders in society.
One of the best ways to develop students’ skills and solve real problems in Sustainable Development is Project-
Based Learning. Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a widespread active learning strategy applied by Higher
Education Institutions. According to assessment of the Active Learning Strategies Maturity levels Russian
Universities are at the level of enlightenment in applying PBL – «while going through teaching and training
learn more about the method benefits» (Mesquita et al, 2019).
The new Federal State Educational Standards of Higher Education in the Russian Federation that contain
requirements for Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree programs include competences on development and
implementation of projects. These universal competences are obligatory to students regardless of their majors
within Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree programs. For instance, graduates of Bachelor’s Degree programs
should be «able to define tasks following the aims set and choose the optimal ways to solve them taking into
account the law, resources and limitations» and graduates of Master’s Degree programs should be «able to
manage a project at all stages of its lifetime».
“Project-based learning is a student-centred instructional approach, in which learning is organized around
projects. These projects involve complex, challenging and authentic tasks, on which students work relatively
43
autonomously (with a teacher playing the role of a facilitator) and over extended periods of time. The students
collaborate in various design, problem-solving, decision making and investigative activities, the final goal being
a realistic product or presentation” (Popescu, 2012).
Although there are many different views on PBL a list of its common characteristics can be identified:
(1) Projects are central, not peripheral to the curriculum; students learn the main concepts of the curriculum
via the project (Popescu, 2012).
(2) It implies a problem or a question to organise and steer activities and the activities results in a final project
that address the question (Lima et al, 2012).
(3) It also entails involvement of student groups, or teams (Powell and Weenk, 2003).
(4) PBL requires taking into account limitations of resources; particularly time (Yevstratova et al, 2018).
(5) It is distinguished mostly by its interdisciplinary as projects are based on an open-ended problem and
therefore they are not limited to one specific disciplinary area (Lima et al, 2012).
(6) It does not only involve students in their own learning, as any other active methodology, it also involves
teachers on improving their own practices (Alves et al, 2016).
And besides, PBL allows to implement a University-to-Business approach (U2B) at the level of curricula that
affect business community through engaging students in solving real problems in Sustainable Development.
Universities play a pivotal role in providing high‐level skills, a world‐class research base and a culture of inquiry
and innovation. The landscape of University-Business collaboration consists of a large number of highly diverse
domains – for example, research projects, technology transfer, enterprise education, entrepreneurial support
for staff and students, etc. (Wilson, 2012)
Findings of the project ‘The State of University-Business Cooperation in Europe’ in which over 17K
representatives from within HEIs and business were involved show that more than half respondents of both
HEIs and business initiate their cooperation and almost all of them plan to maintain or increase their
cooperation. Both groups of the survey participants mention mutual commitment, mutual trust, shared goals,
and prior relationships among relationships that facilitate University-Business cooperation (Davey et al, 2018).
Existence and expansion of good practice is to implement the U2B approach in degree programme design and
delivery. Learning through projects enhances graduates’ skills levels and ensures a smooth transition between
university and business environments increasing opportunities for students to gain relevant work experience
during their studies.
Taking in consideration these important remarks the paper provides a case of National Research Mordovia
State University in implementing the U2B approach at the level of curricula that influences business through
initiating students’ projects to solve real problems in Sustainable Development. Therefore, the purpose of the
paper is to share experience in applying Project-Based Learning in Sustainable Development curricula in Higher
Education and identify the outcomes for different groups of stakeholders (teachers, students, businesses and
society).
2 Methodology and Application of PBL to Education for Sustainable
Development
The study is based on the content analysis of students’ projects results in Sustainable Development for
enterprises and organizations in 2016-2021 academic years, developing a maturity grid of organizational
sustainability according to the National Standard GOST R 54598.1 – 2015 “Management of sustainable
development. Part 1. Guide”. It should be noted that the projects is a part of the course “Sustainable
Development Management” studied by students enrolled in two Master’s Degree programs: “Entrepreneurship
for Sustainable Development” and “Integrated Management Systems” at National Research Mordovia State
University. PBL in the course is based on a multi-level approach aiming at moving students from global and
44
national issues of Sustainable Development to organizational and individual levels. At the level of global issues
the students study global initiatives in Sustainable Development, for instance UN Global Agenda 2030. At the
national level, they investigate Sustainable Development strategies by countries focusing on strategic initiatives
and national projects of the Russian Federation. At the organisational level students are supposed to study
organization's sustainable development strategies, assessment of the maturity level of its sustainability,
management solutions and best practices in promoting Sustainable Development values and achieving
Sustainable Developments goals (SDGs). At the individual level students develop projects “My contribution to
sustainable development: past, present, future” to specify the SDGs that they consider to be priority and the
most important for development of mankind’s future and make a critical reflection about their contribution to
achieve each of 17 SDGs (Salimova et al, 2020). The projects developed differ by their nature depending on the
projects’ aims and tasks (Table 1).
Table 1. Projects by their nature in the Management of Sustainable Development course.
Projects
by their nature
Research
University2Business
Student2Community
National strategies for sustainable development
Organization's sustainable development strategies
Assessment of the maturity level of the organization's
sustainable development
My contribution to sustainable development:
past, present, future
The study presents a case of developing a U2B project “Assessment of the maturity level of the organization's
Sustainable Development” as an example of applying PBL in promoting Sustainable Development philosophy.
The aim of the project is to determine the level of organizational maturity in relation to the implementation of
Sustainable Development principles. Students develop the project in the context of the organization being
studied as a case of their Master's thesis. It assumes close cooperation with an organisation / enterprise team
and provides a dual effect: enhancing students’ skills levels and increasing their opportunities to gain relevant
work experience during their study and engaging the enterprise in solving Sustainable Development problems
(Table 2). The main stages of the projects carried out throughout the course are presented in Table 2.
Table 2 – Project Stages and Activities.
Phase
Classroom Activity
Activity in the Business setting
1
Identifying and setting aims and tasks of the project.
Teacher’s instructions on the final report, competence
evaluation, and project evaluation
None
2
Review on methodology of evaluation of
organizational sustainability maturity level (GOST R
54598.1 – 2015 “Management of sustainable
development. Part 1. Guide”)
None
3
Project follow-up meetings
Business visits and meetings. Teambuilding at the
organization / enterprise
4
Mentoring by a teacher (on request)
Developing maturity grid for evaluation of
organizational sustainability maturity level (case of
enterprise)
5
Mentoring by a teacher (on request)
Assessment of the maturity level of the
organization's sustainable development by the
project team
6
Mentoring by a teacher (on request)
Developing a profile of organizational sustainability
7
Final presentation of the project and delivery of solutions. Competence and project evaluation
45
At the firsts two stages a teacher describes a project concept including setting its aims and tasks, methodology
that can be applied, timeline, resources needed and results, explains how the competences acquired and the
project developed will be assessed. These stages are carried out in classroom. The third and fourth stages are
preliminary steps to the project implementation. Follow-up meetings in the third stage are assumed by the
teacher to clarify the progress in planning students’ projects. At the same stage students start active
communications with an organisation / enterprise. Students deliver aims and tasks of the project at the
organisation / enterprise that is a case for their Master’ theses and build a team incorporating the staff of the
enterprise. Further stages are implemented on the site of the enterprise but teacher’s mentoring is not
excluded. At the fourth stage, the project team develop a maturity grid to evaluate an organizational
sustainability maturity level on the methodology of the GOST R 54598.1 – 2015 “Management of sustainable
development. Part 1. Guide”. Key project activities are carried out at the fifth and sixth stages that include
specifically assessment of the Sustainable Development maturity level of the organization and development of
the organizational sustainability profile by the project team. At the final stage, students present their projects
and deliver their solutions for the enterprises.
3 Results
The project “Assessment of the maturity level of the organization's Sustainable Development” is integrated in
the Management of Sustainable Development course in two Master’s programs – Integrated Management
System and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development at National Research Mordovia State University
since 2016. In 2016-2021 academic years over 100 students’ projects have been developed for different
industries (Table 3).
Table 3. Projects by Industry / Sector.
Low number of students’ projects in 2021 can be explained by incompleteness of project activities in one out
of two Master programs (students are at the fifth stage of the project at the time of preparing the paper for
submission). The highest number of the projects – 1/3 of them for six years are carried out for industries that
Projects by Industry / Sector
Years
Total
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
2
7
4
2
1
16
Manufacturing
4
4
8
12
4
5
37
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
1
1
4
3
1
10
Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation
activities
1
1
Construction
1
1
1
3
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and
motorcycles
1
1
1
3
Transportation and storage
1
1
Information and communication
1
1
1
3
6
Financial and insurance activities
2
2
1
1
6
Professional, scientific and technical activities
1
1
1
2
5
Education
1
2
1
2
2
1
9
Human health and social work activities
1
1
1
3
Total
9
20
21
23
19
8
100
46
are typical for the Mordovia region – Light engineering, Device engineering, Cable industry, etc. Almost 1/5
projects are developed for Agriculture and Forestry.
Methodology of the standard used implies applying a four-level scale to assess maturity of organizational
sustainability from minimum to full maturity. Assessment criteria are practice of applying four principles of
Sustainable Development: compliance with ethical standards, inclusion, responsible management,
transparency. An excerpt of the students’ project results is shown in Tables 4 and 5. The matrix for assessment
of organizational sustainability maturity is developed by the same way for other three principles and practices
respectively. The levels of maturity achieved by the company are marked in grey.
Table 4. Excerpt of matrix for assessment of organizational sustainability maturity (case of Forestry industry,
Compliance with ethical standards principle).
Principles
Practice
Stages of achieving sustainable development by the organization
Minimum maturity Full maturity
Compliance
with ethical
standards
Traditions of
sustainable
development
Lack of
knowledge and
traditions in the
sustainable
development
Compliance with
the main
mandatory
requirements of
the Forest Code
The correlation of
sustainable
development with the
benefits of business,
its impact on society.
Sustainable
development is
recognized as a critical
element of
professional practices,
policies and
procedures
Sustainable
development is
included at all levels
of the organization,
taking into account
values and an ethical
approach.
Sustainable
development is a part
of strategic and
operational planning
and decision-making.
Leadership
The leaders of
the
organization
are not familiar
with the
principles and
goals of
sustainable
development
Evidence of the
organization's
commitment to
sustainable
development,
although it is not
always consistent
across all aspects
of the
organization
(participation in
the regional
project "Forest
conservation»)
Management's
commitment to
consistent sustainable
development;
published statements,
policies, and
sustainable
development goals.
Requirements of
stakeholders in
development and
implementation of a
sustainable
development strategy
are taken into account
Deployment of a
sustainable
development strategy
in the organization.
The organizational
culture is based on
the principles of SD.
The organization
implements them in
its daily activities.
Leaders by personal
examples confirm
their commitment to
the principles and
goals of sustainable
development.
The materials presented in tables 4 and 5 and figure 1 are an excerpt of a student’ project. Despite a general
methodology used by students, each student project is unique since it is developed on the case of a single
company taking into account management approaches and approaches to Sustainable Development used.
Presentation of student projects’ results allows to demonstrate a variety of approaches applied and compares
the organisational maturity levels of Sustainable Development between organizations in the same industry.
47
Table 5. Assessment results of the maturity level of the organization's sustainable development by the project
team (case of Forestry industry).
Principles of
sustainable
development
Practice of implementing SD principles
Average indicator by
project team
members
Average indicator
of maturity level
Compliance with
ethical standards
Traditions of sustainable development
1,75
1,88
Leadership
2
Inclusion
Identification of tasks and inclusion of
stakeholders
1,75
1,75
Responsible
management
Creating an atmosphere of trust and
opportunities for sustainable development
2
2,25
Key management tasks, e.g. supply chain
1,75
Assessment of environmental factors
3
Transparency
Analysis
1,75
1,75
Sustainable Development Reporting and
transparency to stakeholders
1,75
Overall maturity
level
1,9
Summarized assessment results of the maturity level of the organization's sustainable development are
presented in a spider graph (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Spider graph of the maturity level for a Forestry Industry case.
4 Conclusion
The results demonstrate that, Project Based Learning in the Management of Sustainable Development course
as a case of the Higher Educational Institution provides outcomes for different groups of stakeholders
(students, teachers, university, and business community).
1,88
1,75
2,25
1,75 0
1
2
3
4
Compliance with ethical
standards
Inclusion
Responsible management
Transparency
Full maturity
Level of
organization
48
Master's Degree students can master their competencies required by the educational standards and enhance
methods of conducting research based on the business cases. Their close interaction with an organization and
a project team provides good understanding of Sustainable Development philosophy and their engagement
in solving real problems in this field. It helps them to take up leadership roles in taking decisions and translate
the knowledge and skills to real-world applications. One of the benefits of the approach is also the possibility
of embedding the results obtained by students in their research and master's thesis.
It also changes the role of teaches and involves them in improving their own practices. On the one hand, they
provide mentoring support to students with theory and methodology; on the other hand, they closely
collaborate with industry and identify its needs and open-end problems that give ideas for further joint
academic and research projects.
Universities can greatly benefit from expanding the U2B approach and increase the level of involvement of
students and graduates in research, the attractiveness of PBL, deploy the Sustainable Development philosophy
in the educational process. They produce graduates that promote Sustainable Development values and
methodology in business community.
The University-to-Business approach based on applying PBL in curricula allows to develop the maturity profile
of the organization’s sustainable development, identify its strengths and areas for improvement, collect data
for possible adjustments to strategic approaches and management practices in Sustainable Development.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the European Union Erasmus+ programme that provided funding through the
Capacity Building Higher Education project on Excellence in Engineering Education through Teacher Training
and New Pedagogic Approaches in Russia and Tajikistan, registered under the reference number 586060-EPP-
1-2017-1-RO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP.
5 References
Alves A., Sousa R., Moreira F., Carvalho M. A., Cardoso E., Pimenta P., Malheiro M. T., Brito I., Fernandes S., Mesquita D. (2016). Managing
PBL Difficulties in an Industrial Engineering and Management Program. Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management JIEM,
9(3), 586-611.
Davey, T., Meerman, A., Muros, V. G., Orazbayeva, B. & Baaken, Th. (2018). The state of university-business cooperation in Europe.
Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
Federal State Educational Standard of Higher Education – Bachelor Degree in 27.03.02 Quality Management (FGOS VO). e-Portal of Federal
State Educational Standards of Higher Education.
Federal State Educational Standard of Higher Education – Master Degree in 27.04.02 Quality Management (FGOS VO). e-Portal of Federal
State Educational Standards of Higher Education.
Lima, R. M., Silva, J. M., Janssen, N., Monteiro, S. B., & Souza, J. C. F. (2012). Project-based learning course design: a service design approach.
International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 11(3), 293-313.
Mesquita, D., Salimova, T., Soldatova, E., Atoev, S., Lima, R. M. (2019). What can be recommended to engineering teachers from the
analysis of 16 European teaching and learning best practices? 47 th SEFI Annual Conference 2019 - Varietas delectat… Complexity
is the new normality. 770-779.
Popescu E. (2012). Project-Based Learning with eMUSE. In: Popescu E., Li Q., Klamma R., Leung H., Specht M. (eds) Advances in Web-Based
Learning - ICWL 2012. ICWL 2012. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 7558. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33642-3_5
Powell, P.C. and Weenk, W. (2003). Project-Led Engineering Education, Lemma, Utrecht.
National standard of Russian Federation (2016). GOST R 54598.1-2015 Management of sustainable development. Part 1. Guide. Moscow,
Standartinform Publ.
Salimova, T., Soldatova E. How to Create Sustainable Future through Curriculum in Higher Education. International Symposium on Project
Approaches in Engineering Education, 10, 199-205.
Yevstratova, L., Isaeva, N., Leshukov, O. (Eds.). (2018). Project-Based Learning: implementation practices in universities: Moscow: National
Research University Higher School of Economics.
Wilson, T. (2012). A Review of Business–University Collaboration. BIS/12/610. Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, London.
