Teaching plan for the course unit

 

 
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General information

 

Course unit name: Global Sustainability

Course unit code: 365848

Academic year: 2025-2026

Coordinator: Mōnica Serrano Gutiérrez

Department: Department of Economics

Credits: 6

Single program: S

 

 

Estimated learning time

Total number of hours 150

 

Face-to-face and/or online activities

60
 

-  Lecture with practical component

Face-to-face

  

30
 

-  Group tutorial

Face-to-face

  

15
 

-  Problem-solving class

Face-to-face

  

15

Supervised project

40

Independent learning

50

 

 

Competences / Learning outcomes to be gained during study

 

   -

CB3 - Ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within the field of study) to inform judgements that include reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues.
   -

CG9 - Capacity to interpret the evolution of the business environment and adaptations to change.
   -

CG8 - Capacity to communicate in English and/or other foreign languages orally and in writing, comprehension skills, and mastery of specialized language.
   -

CG1 - Commitment to ethical practice (critical and self-critical skills and attitudes that comply with ethical and deontological principles).
   -

CE2 - Comprehensive understanding of the international economic, legal and socio-political framework, and ability to use this knowledge to oversee international business decisions.

Learning objectives

 

Referring to knowledge

  • Expand the vision of the economy by incorporating relations with the environment.
  • Learn the interrelations between economic growth, technology and the environment.
  • Learn the interdependencies that exist between fragmentation of production processes, international commerce and the environment.
  • Learn the relationship that exists between income inequality, consumption patterns and the environment.
  • Assess economic instruments and environmental policies in an environment of increasing internationalisation.
  • Expand the vision of the economy to incorporate activities undertaken in homes as part of economic activity.
  • Analyse the main macroeconomic data and assess the limitations to incorporating domestic production.
  • Learn the main criteria of national accounting and the alternatives, to include domestic production in the official framework.
  • Learn methods to assess domestic work and domestic production.
  • Analyse the situation of men and women in the labour market, using various databases.
  • Compare the situation of men and women in relation to work, using the most suitable statistical information.
  • Develop the abilities required to analyse public policies and employment from a gender perspective.
  • Understand the meaning of a gender-sensitive public budget.
  • Identify the effects on women of the process of globalisation and economic recessions.

 

Referring to abilities, skills

  • Develop the abilities required to work with various international databases on economic, environmental and social areas.
  • Develop the abilities required to integrate various aspects of global sustainability into the sustainable business environment.
  • Develop the abilities required to work in a collaborative environment in a group.

 

Referring to attitudes, values and norms

  • Develop the ability to take responsibility in collaborative work in a group.
  • Develop the ability to analyse the global consequences of local actions.
  • Develop a critical view of business decisions that are not committed to global sustainability.

 

 

Teaching blocks

 

1. Global sustainability: concepts, limits and challenges

2. Economic growth and technology

3. Globalisation and fragmentation of production processes

4. Population and inequalities

5. Economic instruments and national and international policies

 

 

Teaching methods and general organization

 

The methodology of this subject is based on collaborative learning and is highly varied: lectures; open discussion of concepts and examples; watching films on which students work individually and/or in groups, reflecting on the content and how it is linked to the subject; attending conferences on the subject area; visits to institutions or companies;drawing up group projects that promote interaction between students and pluralistic reflection in groups.

Above all, students are encouraged to participate in course contents and activities.

 

 

Official assessment of learning outcomes

 

To pass the subject, students must obtain a final grade of 5 or higher.


Continuous assessment

Continuous assessment consists of the following activities:

  • Continuous assessment exercises (CAE): during the course, students may be asked to carry out various compulsory learning activities. The number and type of these tests will be decided according to the characteristics of the group. The continuous assessment exercises will be specified in the course programme and will be worth a maximum of 30% of the final grade for the subject.
  • Continuous assessment tests (CAT): during the course, various compulsory tests could be held. The number and type of these tests will be decided according to the characteristics of the group. The continuous assessment tests will be specified in the course programme and will be worth at least 40% of the final grade for the subject. 
  • Final examination (FE): at the end of the course, a final examination can be taken. The characteristics of the final examination will be specified in the course programme and will be worth a maximum of 60% of the final grade for the subject.


If a student does not pass the subject in the ordinary examination sitting, they have the right to repeat assessment, which will be carried out on the date indicated by the Academic Council and will consist of an examination that has the same characteristics as the final examination in the single assessment.

If methodological changes are introduced that affect the assessment system of some groups and/or parts of the subject, the aspects described above could be modified. Specific details on this examination will be published on the Virtual Campus at the beginning of the course.

 

Examination-based assessment

Single assessment consists of a final examination on all subject contents. The characteristics of this final examination will be specified in the subject programme; this examination will be worth 100% of the final grade for the subject.

If a student does not pass the subject in the ordinary examination sitting, they have the right to repeat assessment, which will be carried out on the date indicated by the Academic Council and will consist of an examination that has the same characteristics as the final examination in the single assessment.

 

 

Reading and study resources

Check availability in Cercabib

Book

Crowther, David; Seifi, Shahla; Moyeen, Abdul (ed). The goals of sustainable development. Responsibility and Governance. Singapore: Springer, 2018.

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

Dietz, Rob; O’Neill, Dan. Enough is enough. Building a sustainable economy in a world of finite resources. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2013.

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

Leal Filho, Walter (ed). Handbook of sustainability science and research. Cham: Springer, 2018.

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

Marçal, Katrine. Who cooked Adam Smith’s dinner? A story about women and economics. New York: Pegasus Books LLC, 2016.

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

Ormerod, Paul. Positive linking: how networks are revolutionising your world? London: Faber and Faber, 2012.

Catāleg UB  Enllaç