The 2030 agenda identifies 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are the roadmap for global development for the coming years. The SDGs aim to “ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality in a healthy environment.” In this unit, students will define sustainable development through the examination of the concepts of sustainability and social and economic development. The relationship between health, health determinants and sustainable development will be explored including the areas of health governance, healthy environments and health literacy. Students will examine frameworks and local and global efforts in relation to sustainable development focusing on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how health can be promoted through all 17 SDGs. Through engaging the whole of society in the health development process this unit examines the opportunities and challenges of using health as a platform to engage multiple stakeholders across different sectors to achieve the SDGs.
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Selected readings will be made available via the unit VU Collaborate site.
This unit is not compulsory for any specific course. Depending on the course you study, this unit may be taken as an elective.