17.4.4 Canadian University Dubai — Assessment of Student Sustainability Literacy
Institutional Commitment
Canadian University Dubai (CUD) recognises the importance of assessing students' understanding of sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sustainability literacy includes knowledge of environmental, social and economic sustainability challenges, the ability to evaluate relevant issues, and the capacity to apply sustainability principles to real-world decisions.
The University integrates sustainability-related learning outcomes into its undergraduate general education curriculum and uses course assessments to evaluate students' achievement of those outcomes.
CUD has also organised educational activities incorporating interactive knowledge checks on sustainability-related topics.
These documented practices provide evidence of sustainability learning assessment within specific courses and educational activities.
They do not, by themselves, establish that the University has administered a single standardised sustainability literacy assessment to its entire student population.
1. Sustainability Literacy and Assessment
CUD considers sustainability literacy an important component of education for responsible citizenship, professional practice and sustainable development.
Relevant areas of knowledge and competence include:
- Understanding environmental, social and economic sustainability.
- Awareness of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- Recognition of climate-change challenges and responses.
- Consideration of sustainability in innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Understanding the societal effects of technological and economic development.
- Applying sustainability principles to practical problems.
The University uses documented course learning outcomes and related academic assessments to evaluate relevant knowledge and skills within its undergraduate curriculum.
A historical sustainability training workshop also included a direct interactive knowledge-checking activity.
2. Assessment Through Mandatory Undergraduate Coursework
University-Wide General Education Framework
CUD's published sustainability education framework confirms that all undergraduate students, irrespective of their degree programme, are required to complete:
- ENT 141 — Fundamentals of Innovation and Entrepreneurship 1
- ENT 142 — Fundamentals of Innovation and Entrepreneurship 2
Students also select at least one identified general education course addressing environmental, social, scientific or ethical themes.
The required entrepreneurship courses contain learning outcomes explicitly relating to sustainability.
Their published 2024–25 syllabi identify assessment activities used to evaluate achievement of the relevant course learning outcomes.
Assessment Framework
| Course | Sustainability Learning Focus | Assessment Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| ENT 141 | Sustainability foundations and the environmental, social and economic dimensions of innovation | Course projects, presentations, written reports and classroom activities mapped to learning outcomes |
| ENT 142 | Application of sustainability and the UN SDGs to social innovation and real-world problem-solving | Course projects explicitly mapped to sustainability-related learning outcomes |
This approach embeds assessment of relevant sustainability knowledge and competencies within required undergraduate coursework.
The course-level structure should be distinguished from a separate institution-wide sustainability literacy test.
3. Sustainability Learning Assessment in ENT 141
Fundamentals of Innovation and Entrepreneurship 1
Course Code: ENT 141
Academic Evidence: Course Syllabus 2024–25, Version 1.1
Status: Mandatory undergraduate university requirement
Relevant SDGs: SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 9 and SDG 12.
Sustainability-Related Learning Outcomes
ENT 141 introduces the principal concepts of innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
The course examines sustainability through the relationship between:
- Economic considerations.
- Social considerations.
- Environmental considerations.
Its documented sustainability learning outcomes include:
| Learning Outcome | Assessed Competency |
|---|---|
| CLO1 | Explain the basic concepts of innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability, and their value to society and the economy |
| CLO4 | Identify key elements of the sustainability framework in innovative opportunities |
These outcomes provide identifiable educational objectives against which student achievement can be assessed.
Documented Assessment Structure
The 2024–25 syllabus specifies the following course assessment structure.
| Assessment | Weight | Sustainability-Related CLO Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Project 1 — Poster | 30% | CLO1, alongside other course outcomes |
| Project 1 — Presentation | 10% | CLO4 |
| Project 2 — Idea Validation Report | 40% | CLO1 and CLO4, alongside other outcomes |
| In-Class Activity 1 | 10% | CLO4 |
| In-Class Activity 2 | 10% | CLO1 |
| Total | 100% |
These assessment activities are linked to published course learning outcomes, allowing students to demonstrate relevant understanding and application of sustainability concepts.
Contribution to Sustainability Literacy Assessment
ENT 141 demonstrates that sustainability-related learning is subject to formal academic assessment.
Students are expected to explain sustainability concepts and identify sustainability considerations when evaluating innovative opportunities.
The syllabus establishes the assessment design but does not disclose aggregated student performance, sustainability-specific attainment percentages or longitudinal changes in literacy.
Official Evidence — ENT 141 Course Syllabus 2024–25:
https://www.cud.ac.ae/modules/custom/cud_sustainability/assets/pdfs/course-syllabus/ent-141--2024-25.pdf
4. Sustainability Learning Assessment in ENT 142
Fundamentals of Innovation and Entrepreneurship 2
Course Code: ENT 142
Academic Evidence: Course Syllabus 2024–25, Version 1.1
Status: Mandatory undergraduate university requirement
Prerequisite: ENT 141
Relevant SDGs: SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 9 and SDG 17.
Course Overview
ENT 142 builds on students' foundational understanding of innovation and sustainability.
The course explicitly uses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a context for design thinking and social innovation.
Students consider real-life social challenges and develop ideas for responding to them through sustainable and innovative approaches.
Documented Learning Outcomes
| Learning Outcome | Assessed Competency |
|---|---|
| CLO1 | Explain the process of innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability |
| CLO2 | Apply teamwork and presentation skills while emphasising sustainable approaches to real-life social issues |
| CLO3 | Analyse the impact of innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability on society and the economy |
| CLO4 | Articulate the value of innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability for career development and lifelong learning |
Assessment Alignment
The 2024–25 syllabus maps course learning outcomes to three projects.
| Learning Outcome | Project 1 | Project 2 | Project 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLO1 | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| CLO2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO3 | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| CLO4 | — | ✓ | ✓ |
This assessment alignment shows that sustainability-related learning outcomes are incorporated into formal coursework.
Sustainability Topics
The published teaching schedule includes:
- Triple bottom-line sustainability.
- United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- Sustainable entrepreneurship.
- Sustainability in the UAE.
- Design thinking for sustainable innovation.
- Application of innovation to social challenges.
Relevance to Student Learning Assessment
ENT 142 provides a curriculum-based mechanism for assessing students' ability to explain and apply sustainability concepts.
The course's projects address sustainability-related outcomes within a broader innovation and entrepreneurship framework.
The published syllabus demonstrates the planned assessment of these competencies.
It does not establish the number of students who achieved each learning outcome or provide results from a dedicated sustainability literacy instrument.
Official Evidence — ENT 142 Course Syllabus 2024–25:
https://www.cud.ac.ae/modules/custom/cud_sustainability/assets/pdfs/course-syllabus/ent-142--2024-25.pdf
5. Interactive Sustainability Knowledge Assessment — Deloitte Green Skills Workshop
Green Skills for a Green Economy
Date: 25 April 2024
Organising Partners: Canadian University Dubai, Deloitte Middle East and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA)
Venue: CUD HUB Incubator
Participants: More than 80 students and faculty members
Relevant SDGs: SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 12, SDG 13 and SDG 17.
Workshop Overview
In April 2024, CUD hosted the Green Skills for a Green Economy training programme in collaboration with Deloitte Middle East and IEMA.
The workshop introduced participants to environmental sustainability concepts and the knowledge and skills associated with emerging opportunities in the green economy.
The programme connected sustainability education with career development, climate action and responsible professional practices.
Educational Content
The workshop addressed:
| Topic | Sustainability Literacy Relevance |
|---|---|
| Net-zero emissions | Understanding approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions |
| Climate-change impacts | Recognising environmental risks and challenges |
| Sustainable Development Goals | Understanding global sustainability objectives |
| Planetary boundaries | Exploring environmental limits and interconnected systems |
| Green skills | Recognising skills relevant to sustainable economic activity |
| Sustainable professional practices | Applying sustainability concepts to careers and workplaces |
Interactive Assessment Activity
The workshop included interactive videos and a live quiz completed using participants' mobile phones.
The quiz engaged participants with topics related to net-zero emissions and climate-change challenges.
This provides a documented example of sustainability knowledge checking through an interactive educational activity.
Participation and Feedback
CUD's official report records participation by more than 80 students and faculty members.
The report also describes participant engagement and feedback concerning the relevance of green skills and sustainability-related careers.
Interpretation of Assessment Evidence
The live quiz establishes that the educational programme included a knowledge-checking component.
However, the published report does not provide:
- The quiz questions or assessment instrument.
- The number of students, separately from faculty, who completed the quiz.
- Individual or aggregated quiz scores.
- Pre-training and post-training knowledge comparisons.
- Results showing retention of sustainability concepts over time.
The activity is therefore presented as a documented historical example of formative sustainability knowledge assessment, rather than as proof of a comprehensive institutional literacy assessment.
Official Evidence:
https://www.cud.ac.ae/news/cud-and-deloitte-spearhead-sustainability-training-greener-future
6. Institutional Surveys and Student Feedback
CUD maintains institutional research and student feedback arrangements to evaluate educational quality and student experiences.
Such mechanisms may include course evaluations, programme feedback and institutional survey activities.
These arrangements support wider academic quality assurance.
However, general satisfaction surveys or course evaluations should not automatically be considered sustainability literacy assessments.
A sustainability literacy assessment requires questions or tasks specifically designed to measure understanding, retention or application of sustainability concepts.
Distinction Between Assessment Types
| Assessment Type | What It Measures | Relevance to Sustainability Literacy |
|---|---|---|
| Course learning outcome assessment | Achievement of specific course outcomes | Directly relevant where outcomes and tasks assess sustainability |
| Sustainability knowledge quiz | Understanding of sustainability-related concepts | Direct evidence of a knowledge check |
| Course satisfaction survey | Students' perceptions of teaching and learning | Indirect evidence only |
| Graduate exit survey | Student experiences and self-reported preparedness | Relevant only if specific sustainability competencies are assessed |
| Curriculum review | Where sustainability is included in programme content | Demonstrates provision, not necessarily student literacy |
| THE Sustainability Impact Ratings | Institutional contributions to SDGs | Does not directly measure individual student literacy |
| PRME SIP reporting | Institutional responsible management education activities | Does not automatically measure individual student literacy |
This distinction helps ensure that CUD's reporting accurately reflects the purpose of each educational quality-assurance mechanism.
7. Sustainability Reporting and Institutional Improvement
PRME Participation
Canadian University Dubai participates in the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), an international initiative promoting sustainability and responsible management education.
CUD's official PRME profile lists Sharing Information on Progress reports in 2023, 2025 and 2026.
The 2025 report demonstrates the University's participation in international reporting concerning responsible management education.
PRME reporting provides a framework for documenting institutional education, research, partnerships and practices.
It should be distinguished from direct measurement of student sustainability knowledge.
Curriculum Review and Assessment
CUD's published course syllabi provide formal learning outcomes and assessment structures against which students' academic performance can be evaluated.
These arrangements support the University's ability to examine how sustainability-related competencies are taught and assessed.
The available public records do not establish that CUD conducted a separate, comprehensive sustainability literacy survey of all students during 2025 or that it used literacy results to implement particular curriculum changes.
8. Summary of Verified Assessment Mechanisms
| Activity | Year | Participants | Assessment Mechanism | Evidence Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENT 141 Course Assessment | 2024–25 | Undergraduate students enrolled in the compulsory course | Projects, presentation, report and classroom activities mapped to sustainability-related learning outcomes | Published syllabus and assessment structure |
| ENT 142 Course Assessment | 2024–25 | Undergraduate students enrolled in the compulsory course | Three projects mapped to sustainability-related learning outcomes | Published syllabus and assessment structure |
| Deloitte Green Skills Workshop | 2024 | More than 80 students and faculty members attended | Interactive sustainability knowledge quiz | Completed activity; scores not publicly reported |
| PRME SIP Reporting | 2025 | Institutional reporting | Reporting of responsible management education activities | Confirmed reporting; not a direct student literacy test |
| THE Sustainability Assessment | Institutional | University | Institutional SDG performance assessment | Not a direct student literacy test |
The available documentation demonstrates that CUD assesses sustainability-related knowledge and application within specified undergraduate courses and has conducted interactive sustainability knowledge checking in an educational workshop.
A university-wide sustainability literacy instrument, participation rate and aggregated student results have not been established from the records reviewed.
9. Development Priorities for Sustainability Literacy Measurement
To strengthen the evaluation of students' understanding and retention of sustainability concepts, CUD can consider building upon its existing course assessment practices.
Potential future measures include:
- A common sustainability literacy assessment covering key SDG concepts.
- Baseline assessment of sustainability knowledge among participating students.
- Follow-up assessment to examine changes in understanding.
- Aggregation of relevant course learning outcome results across programmes.
- Comparison of literacy outcomes between academic disciplines or student cohorts.
- Use of assessment findings to inform curriculum review and teaching improvement.
These are opportunities for future development, rather than claims that the University implemented all the measures during 2025.
Any future assessment should document its instrument, participants, coverage, results and methodology.
10. Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 4 — Quality Education
Assessment of sustainability-related learning outcomes contributes to understanding how students acquire relevant knowledge and skills.
It supports the aims of SDG Target 4.7 concerning education for sustainable development.
SDG 12 — Responsible Consumption and Production
Sustainability education and related assessments help students consider resource use and responsible production and consumption.
SDG 13 — Climate Action
Educational assessments on climate change, net-zero emissions and related concepts support the development of climate awareness.
SDG 17 — Partnerships for the Goals
CUD's collaboration with Deloitte Middle East and IEMA demonstrates partnership-based sustainability education, while PRME provides an international framework for sharing responsible management education practices.
Institutional Commitment
Canadian University Dubai is committed to developing students' understanding of sustainability and assessing relevant learning outcomes within its academic programmes.
The University's 2024–25 syllabi for ENT 141 and ENT 142 establish formal assessment arrangements linked to sustainability concepts, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the application of sustainable innovation.
CUD has also incorporated interactive knowledge checking into sustainability education activities, including the April 2024 Deloitte Green Skills for a Green Economy workshop.
These activities provide documented examples of sustainability-related assessment within the curriculum and co-curricular learning environment.
The University recognises the importance of building upon such assessment practices to measure student sustainability knowledge and retention more systematically.
Primary 2025 Evidence: ENT 141 and ENT 142 Course Syllabi, Academic Year 2024–25.
Historical Supplementary Evidence: Green Skills for a Green Economy Workshop, April 2024.
Institutional Sustainability Reporting: PRME SIP Report 2025.
Reporting Year: 2025.
Sustainability Contact: sustainability@cud.ac.ae.