Global Sustainable Development (Dumfries campus) MA
Innovation and Enterprise for Sustainability DUMF3093
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Social and Environmental Sustainability
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 3 (SCQF level 9)
- Typically Offered: Semester 1
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This course examines the opportunities for enterprise and innovation in the sustainable development agenda, introducing students to principles of enterprise and innovation and examining how these principles can be used to build sustainable strategies for the private, public and third sectors. The course will focus specifically on the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) framework and Agile strategies for business and project management.
Timetable
Two hour lecture and one hour seminar for 11 weeks.
Excluded Courses
None
Co-requisites
None
Assessment
Set Exercise: Group Task - Business Model Analysis and Presentation: Work in a team to create a business model canvas analysing a single innovation strategy and its appropriate uses in the context of sustainable development. Business model canvas should be presented orally by the team. (ILO1, ILO3, ILO5) 30% with weightings for individual and group performance (weightings to be collectively agreed at the start of the course).
Written Assignment: 70% Enterprise Strategy: A 3,000 word enterprise strategy to deliver an innovative solution to a specified sustainability challenge. (ILOs 1 - 5)
Course Aims
The aims of this course are to:
1. Introduce students to the key principles of innovation, project management and the Agile enterprise to support the development of sustainable enterprise strategies;
2. Explain and assess the foundational principles of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks, using relevant challenge-led case studies;
3. Examine the application of specific innovation, Agile and ESG strategies in the context of sustainable development;
4. Provide students with theoretical frameworks for leading small teams, focussing on innovation and agility;
5. Develop students' skills in effective communication, in both oral and written forms.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Synthesise and evaluate the primary principles of innovation, project management and the Agile enterprise in the context of sustainable development;
2. Analyse the primary principles of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks and apply them to a specified sustainability challenge;
3. Apply theories of primary leadership styles and teamworking;
4. Distinguish the features and attributes of high-performance teams and evaluate tools and techniques for managing small and medium sized teams;
5. Effectively communicate information from a variety of sources in both oral and written forms.