Chemistry-related aspects of sustainability in higher education: students’ perspectives and perceptions

Abstract Sustainability is a widely discussed topic and a current challenge for industry, politics and education. UNESCO proposed to embed Education for Sustainable Development at all levels and in all sectors, and human resource forecasts are predicting an increasing demand of sustainability-related jobs. The chemical sector has significant potential and responsibility for promoting sustainability. Furthermore, chemical research offers a variety of approaches and concepts that support this goal. However, we have noticed a lack of Green Chemistry and/or Sustainable Chemistry (GSC) topics in undergraduate chemistry degree programmes and chemistry teacher trainings in Germany. In the context of developing a new, sustainability-related bachelors’ programme in chemistry at the University of Kassel we conducted a mapping study of respective study programmes in Germany as well as a survey concerning students’ views on the incorporation of sustainability and GSC in higher chemical education. Our case study involved students of the existing chemistry-related programmes nanoscience, and chemistry teacher training and used predominantly qualitative methodology. The results indicated a lack of knowledge about sustainable development and its relation with chemistry. According to the students’ responses, most of the GSC topics queried had not been discussed in their studies yet, despite being rated as quite relevant.