Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership for Sustainable Development
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Introduction
The UWI Open Campus in association with the UWI Institute for Sustainable Development and CERMES and Empire State College (ESC), SUNY is offering a Post Graduate Certificate in Leadership for Sustainable Development. The courses of the Programme have been developed by ESC and The UWI and will be available to students on online.
About the Programme
This Certificate in Leadership for Sustainable Development is designed to build human capacity within Caribbean Islands and New York State to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The University of the West Indies (UWI) and SUNY Empire State College (ESC) will cooperate, sharing expertise and teaching to educate students on sustainable development. The concept of sustainable development being taught in this program goes beyond the traditional ways of measuring growth and looks to improving well-being and the quality of life for all. This would involve engagement with all segments of society in planning and implementing development initiatives with a view to leaving a better world for subsequent generations.
The Programme consists of five courses. There courses are as follows:
- Advanced Concepts for Sustainable Development - UWI Course
- Principles of Community and Economic Development – SUNY Course
- Leadership in Public and Non-profit Organizations – SUNY Course
- Stakeholder-Sensitive Business Models – SUNY Course
- Policy Formulation, Governance and Ethics - UWI Course
Who is this programme for?
The Programme targets graduates of either Open Campus or SUNY with an interest in Sustainable Development; staff of diplomatic missions and ministries of Foreign Affairs at in the region and in New York; private sector managers interested in leadership within the sector; persons engaged in work with environmental and community-related NGOs; leaders and middle managers in civil service, public sector entities, including regulatory agencies and in the private sector; and other individuals interested in career advancement within the public or private sector.
Duration of programme
The 15 credit Certificate programme will be offered initially on a part-time basis over 12 months (two semesters and one summer).
Delivery modes
All courses will be delivered fully online.
Entry requirements
Applicants must possess an undergraduate degree at the lower second level or higher. Beyond this requirement, applicants will be selected on the basis of their ability to undertake the available specialisations
The proposed fees (in USD) for the SUNY ESC-UWI Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership for Sustainable Development are as follows.
| SUNY-ESC | UWI Open Campus | |
|---|---|---|
SUNY-ESC Courses | ||
| Tuition per credit (in NY state) | 476.00 | |
| Tuition per credit (out of state) | 570.00 | |
| Orientation fee | 50.00 | |
| Technology fee – per term | 185.00 | |
| Health enrolment – per term | ||
| Activity fee - For 1 course OR - For 2 or more courses | 26.25 35.00 | |
| College fee – per credit | 5.10 | |
UWI Courses | ||
| Tuition per credit (in Caribbean region) | 476.00 | |
| Tuition per credit (outside of region/international | 570.00 | |
| ID card once only | 5.00 | |
| Guild fees - annually | 20.00 | |
| Technology fee - per term | 185.00 | |
| Administration fee - per academic year | 50.00 |
Award of degree
In order to be awarded the Post Graduate Certificate in Leadership for Sustainable Development, students must successfully complete the five courses (15 credits).
Course Descriptions
Advanced Concepts for Sustainable Development
The course will investigate the various dimensions of sustainable development. In addition, it will examine the factors that hinder sustainable development in developing countries such as being landlocked, small landmass, population size, low capacity, remoteness, vulnerability, small narrowly-based economy, and high dependence on imported goods, including interalia food and non-renewable energy resources. Particular attention will be paid to the role of natural hazards, as well as the increasing threat from climate change. The contribution of natural resources and ecology, both terrestrial and marine will be examined with a focus on the blue economy, vulnerability of water supplies and marine resources.
The course will also examine aspects of human well-being such as food security, health, education, gender equity and crime. This is important since high levels of poverty and social inequalities remain present in many developing countries. Many SIDS are highly indebted with some having debt to GDP ratios well in excess of 100%. Ways of measuring human development will be discussed as well as ways in which sustainability can be measured and projects evaluated.
Overall, the course is a multi-disciplinary introduction to the concepts and issues underlying sustainable development. It will therefore examine: (i) The theoretical and practical bases of sustainability and sustainable development. (ii) Important characteristics of islands and special development situations that influence sustainable development. (iii) The challenges faced by LDCS and SIDS in pursuing sustainable development. (iv)Potential and actual approaches to resolve sustainable development challenges in SIDS and LDCs.
Policy Formulation, Governance and Ethics
This course comprises three modules: policy formulation, governance and ethics.
Module one introduces environmental policy formation to sustainability practitioners and environmental managers in island states. To this end, this module covers the inter-relationships of policy, planning and management and includes a detailed description of the policy design process, implementation and evaluation practices as well as common challenges to achieving environmental policy objectives in small island states.
Module two focuses your attention on the principles and characteristics of good governance. Core characteristics of good governance (participation, rule of law, transparency, responsiveness, consensus orientation, equity, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability, strategic vision) will be discussed. Examples from fisheries management, protected areas management and disaster management will be the basis of the discussions.
Module three provides you with a foundation in ethical principles. The module explains the importance of ethics in relation to public policy and good governance; and also enables you to recognise the contrasting ethical perspectives in sustainable development and form opinions on and manage the possible outcomes of these different approaches. You will be exposed to the steps and elements necessary in designing an ethical framework and a comprehensive ethics programme, inclusive of the processes for implementing, monitoring and evaluating such programmes in an organisation.
Principles of Community and Economic Development
This study will incorporate the subjects of two distinct, yet related bodies of literature. One addresses community development and, the other, economic development. The study will highlight the importance of linking these two concepts in a model that integrates the economic development of a community with the development of social capital and community capacity and functioning. Students will examine theoretical concepts in these two domains as well as real-world economic development models that attempt to move beyond the traditional factors of production and examine ways in which real communities have tried to produce positive economic outcomes through community development.
Leadership in Public and Non-profit Organizations
In this course, students will explore leadership in public and nonprofit organizations. The course begins with a consideration of the nature of leadership, the tasks of leaders, and the traits of effective leadership. Next, students examine leadership theories, their particular application to the public and non-profit sectors and the challenges facing these sectors. Finally, students will complete an independent research project dealing with leadership in public and nonprofit organizations.
Stakeholder-Sensitive Business Models
A critical step in strategic management involves scanning the economic environment which, in turn, requires an assessment of an organization’s relationships with various stakeholders. Effective decision makers understand the importance of balancing and protecting the interests of various stakeholders, including investors, employees, the community, and local and state governments, suppliers, funding sources, various interest groups and, of course, the client or customer. This course will examine the role that stakeholder analysis plays in all aspects of the management process including the use of resources, capabilities and operations to establish competitive advantage and sustainability. Topics will include the connections between organizations and the natural, social, and financial environments, illustrating how all three must be maintained in balance to sustain current and future generations. The course will also look at the role of leadership in creating value for each stakeholder through strategic alignment and ethical decision making.
