Educação para a sustentabilidade: Uma abordagem exploratória entre alunos do curso de Administração da UFC

Abstract

Since the 1980s, sustainability has become an increasingly recurrent theme in discussions at the international level, taking into account the various environmental and social problems that plague countries. Despite the importance of debating this issue to foster ideas, there is not the same commitment in the context of actions. The multiple concepts of Sustainability, which may vary according to the area of study, cause a lack of consensus on such conceptualization, making it difficult to carry out practices that are really sustainable. Within this context, education for sustainability emerges as a driver, allowing discourses to leave the field of ideas and become practices. The application of this research in the Administration undergraduate course comes from the relevance of the impact of the decisions made by future administrators, who may occupy positions of strong influence in the job market. Therefore, the objective of this work is to investigate the conception of sustainability among students of the Administration course at the Universidade Federal do Ceará. In methodological terms, this research is classified as qualitative, as to its approach, a case study, as to the strategy of the qualitative approach, and descriptive, as to its objectives. To reach the objectives, a bibliographical survey was carried out to support the study and, subsequently, twelve semistructured interviews were conducted with students from the Administration course at the Universidade Federal do Ceará, from the 6th semester on. The results obtained showed that the interviewed students consider sustainability as an important subject to become a future administrator who provides a better organizational climate, reduces costs, makes the best decisions, differentiates himself/herself, reduces the impact on the environment and on society and promotes social actions. However, it was found that the theme is not dealt with in depth in the Administration course, being perceived in a superficial way in some subjects and lectures promoted within the university. The research contributes to the elucidation of how much progress has been made in the approach of Education for Sustainability at the Universidade Federal do Ceará, regarding the Administration course. Considering the need to develop the theme in the curricular structure, in an interdisciplinary and practical way, which promotes a change in the students' behavior, attitudes and values.