Integrating Green Citizenship in Higher Education Curricula: The Case of a Transversal and Interdisciplinary Course on Environmental Communication and Sustainability
Integrating Green Citizenship in Higher Education Curricula: The Case of a Transversal and Interdisciplinary Course on Environmental Communication and Sustainability

Summary/Abstract: The increasing urgency of addressing environmental challenges and the vital role of highereducation in cultivating active green citizenship represent two key arguments supporting thenecessity of innovative curriculum approaches with broad student accessibility. Across the globe,leading international organizations have emphasized the critical importance of environmentaleducation as a fundamental driver for achieving sustainable development, going beyond specializedcourses to become a transversal component of university curricula. However, many higher educationinstitutions still lack accessible and interdisciplinary course offerings that address green citizenshipin a competence-based and practice-oriented approach, especially for students from variededucational backgrounds. Our paper presents a case study of the design, implementation, andevaluation of a transversal university course that responds directly to this gap, aimed at cultivatinggreen citizenship among students across all faculties from the West University of Timișoara,Romania. The course is aligned with international commitments such as the UN’s 2030 Agenda,aiming to develop environmentally conscious graduates prepared to engage critically in ecologicaland civic challenges. Drawing on an interdisciplinary pedagogical framework that combinescommunication science—particularly media literacy and media content production—withenvironmental science, the course integrates theoretical knowledge with practical applications.Social media platforms are employed as a key pedagogical tool, enabling experiential learningthrough content creation, public engagement, and critical reflection on digital environmentalcommunication. The course aims to empower students to better understand the urgent challengescurrently facing the environment, as well as to equip them with the necessary skills to becomeproactive in addressing them.

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