New Delhi. : Indira Gandhi National Open Universitylaunches Master of Arts in Sustainability Science (MASS). Sustainability Science is an emerging discipline across the world. It is well acknowledged as one of the tools to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and also to promote sustainability in every sphere of life to all sectors of the society. IGNOU’s initiative by offering MASS is the first of its kind in India specially in higher education with an aim to reach sustainability education across all sections of the society. Programme was developed under the visionary leadership of Prof. Nageshwar Rao, VC, IGNOU with the renowned educationists and practitioners in the field of Sustainability. The programme development team include, Prof. V K Jain, Vice Chancellor (Tezpur University, Assam), Dr. Eklabya Sharma (Former VC, TERISAS), Prof. D B Sahoo (Director, Centre for Himalayan Studies, University of Delhi), Prof. Prof. Akhilesh S. Raghubanshi (Director, Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University), Prof. K G Saxena (SES, JNU), Prof. K S Rao (Department of Botany, University of Delhi) and other academics from across the country.
The programme is on offer from January 2022 admission cycle in ODL at School of Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies. In line with the principles of National Education Policy 2020, the programme focuses on holistic and multidisciplinary education and adopts lateral entry and multiple exit options. After successful completion of first year courses, the programme will be provided with Post Graduate Diploma in Sustainability Science.The major objective of this programme to provide opportunities to the learners to deepen their knowledge and understanding about sustainable development and the principles of sustainability science.
The Programme mainly focuses on the genesis and principles of sustainable development, its tools, and implementation and assessment strategies in a holistic way.The basics of natural resource management, ecological economics, global and local efforts for sustainable development through good governance, law and policy are integrated in the programme structure to enable the learners to undertake sustainable development projects. In fact, there is an exclusive course on Sustainable Development Goals. The program adopts an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach to educate the learners in the areas of India’s major ecosystems and challenges to sustainable development such as population, health, climate change, globalization and social ecology.
The eligibility criterion is Graduation in any discipline.
Programme details are available at https://sites.google.com/ignou.ac.in/weas/mass?authuser=0
Students can enroll in MASS at https://ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in/
The Programme coordinators of the programme are Dr. Y.S.C. Khuman, Assistant professor, SOITS and Dr. Deeksha Dave, Assistant professor, SOITS.
For more information you can write to pgdss@ignou.ac.in or director.soits@ignou.ac.in
With the launching of this programme, IGNOU has strengthened the diffusion models of sustainability education and capacity building in this emerging area specially SDGs education. It will also promote inclusive SDGs awareness and education in the country by reaching to the unreached in any form.
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