Concerns have been voiced by eminent scholars from Pakistan, Russia, the USA, and the UK regarding the diminishing natural resources, escalating consumption of resources like natural gas and water, and the expanding population. Addressing a session on "Embedding Sustainability in Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities from Academicians' Perspective" at Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU), they stressed the imperative need for sustainability across all developmental levels.
The scholars proposed that individuals, both independently and collectively, should actively contribute to sustainability in their respective fields. They emphasized the integration of sustainability into higher education curricula. Dr. Muhammad Aslam Uqaili, former Vice Chancellor and current Pro-Vice Chancellor of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, highlighted the unsustainable nature of current resource usage, emphasizing the importance of considering the cost of development on future generations.
Dr. Uqaili noted the need for a shift toward reusing and recycling waste materials, citing Germany's progress in achieving zero waste. He underscored the role of universities as agents of change, advocating for capacity-building training among youth for sustainability. Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomro, from the ECO Science Foundation, emphasized the importance of educating people about sustainability, identifying environmental factors, and acquiring the necessary skills and technologies without solely relying on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets.
Dr. Soomro highlighted the broad scope of education across society and stressed the transformation of societal thinking and grooming. He proposed collaboration involving the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to bring together school children, university students, faculty, industry, media, and all stakeholders to collectively address sustainability challenges. Dr. Soomro emphasized the crucial role of science education in fostering resilience and addressing these issues.
