Environmental matters are at the center of socio-economic ventures of the human race and at the top of the developmental agenda of every country in the world. This stems from the wide recognition that current development trends of most countries are at the expense of environmental integrity. In last few centuries, the world has witnessed a rapid but uneven economic development. This unsustainable economic development has resulted in disastrous environmental crises such as environmental pollution, climate change, human ill-health, depletion of resources and loss of biodiversity. In order to cope
with the challenges of burgeoning population, environmental degradation and unsustainable economic development, a harmonious collaboration between development efforts and environment conservation are urgently needed to achieve the ultimate goal of sustainable development. The target of sustainable development can only be achieved through an integrated, comprehensive approach involving social and technological changes in all sectors of human life and its environment. The content of this programme is designed in such a way as to train students to re-orientate their conception of environmental problems in order to appreciate the key role of science, economics, ethics, politics, human ecology and sociology in environmental conservation. The graduates of this programme will emerge ready to confront the current environmental challenge facing developing countries.
1.2 The Aim
The principal aim of Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management programme is to train and develop, well equipped and highly skilled cadres to tackle the growing environmental and developmental problems and changes arising from the transition to a sustainable society.
1.3 The Scope
Being an interdisciplinary field of knowledge, Environmental Management includes courses with multidisciplinary scope in which the graduates will learn to address the challenges of maintenance of environmental integrity for sustainable development in relation to human activities.
2.0 Programme Objectives
2.1 Teaching Objectives
The teaching objectives of the degree program in Environmental Management are to equip its graduates with the following key skills:
1. Learn how to identify, analyze and develop innovative solutions to environmental problems
2. Carry out independent scientific and technical research on environmental management challenges
3. Propose appropriate methods of disseminating findings of the scientific research
2.2 Programme Objectives
The Degree program is expected to equip the graduates with an ability to understand the linkages between various bio-physical and socio-economic components of environment and with an expertise to:
1. Apply theoretical understanding and acquired skills in mitigating environmental management challenges
2. Comprehend the intricate linkages within and between biophysical and socioeconomic systems, and appreciate the principles and requirements that would facilitate the transition to sustainability within these systems
3. Formulate and implement innovative solutions to problems of sustainable environmental management
4. Make meaningful contributions to improving community attitude towards the environment
3.0 Rationale
The growing global human population coupled with increased demand for agricultural land, energy, water and other natural resource as made environmental degradation inevitable. This has necessitated the development of educational programs that aim at promoting a balance between human development and environmental conservation through sustainable use of resources. The development of interdisciplinary curriculum in Environmental Management is one way of developing capacity for the achievement of ultimate goals of sustainable development.
Keeping in view the above objectives in the local, regional and global contexts, we have developed a Bachelor of Environmental Management programme that will equip the students with an ability to understand the linkages between various bio-physical and socio-economic components of environment in order to solve the current environmental management challenges. The programme is intended to be multidisciplinary so as to train cadres with the ability to translate knowledge into actions that will ensure sustainable utilization of environmental resources.
4.0 Outcomes of the Programme
The graduates of this program will be able to:
1. Plan, implement, monitor and evaluate activities for sustainable utilization of the environmental resources.
2. Conduct scientific research to generate information required to solve environmental management issues.
3. Promote environmental conservation activities using multidisciplinary approaches that aim at integrating science and non-scientific knowledge and skills.
4. Undertake graduate studies to broaden their understanding of current environmental challenges and design more innovative approaches to mitigate them.