Introduction to curriculum and teaching development: international perspectives on civil society and social responsibility in higher education

There has been growing concern among international agencies and the corporate world regarding the question of sustainability and how long we can preserve our planet and ensure just and balanced development for all. Non-governmental organizations, labor leaders, faith-based organizations, religious leaders, and other civil society representatives play a crucial and diverse set of roles in societal development. At the same time, institutions imparting higher education are engaging in debates and quality research work to gauge the need of our current generation with a vision to meet the need of the future generation. Such lofty dreams can only be achieved if we respect the natural systems and the international standards designed to protect the core social and environmental values. Sustainability education is becoming crucial, mainly for students so that they are aware of concepts such as economic prosperity, resource equity, energy uses, and environmental health and concerns (Sengupta, Blessinger, & Yamin, 2019). In this context, the role of higher education along with civil society is critical. Being a part of society, they need to contribute by addressing the common problems so that they make our younger generations aware of the issues and help them create and flourish in an environment and ecosystem which is healthy. There has been a growing appetite among the educational institutions to receive information, examples, and case studies mainly from the environmental and economic perspective which could help the faculty to impart knowledge to the students. The purpose of this book is to explore different angles from sustainability corporate social responsibility and the role of civil society in the context of education. The chapters in this book gives us an insight into the prevalent literature as well talk about interventions and case studies that have contributed toward the growth of this genre. This book will help in reorienting curriculum, develop programs and modules, implement innovative teaching methods, and integrate such topics in their educational programs.