Dubai Medical University · Quality Assurance & Institutional Effectiveness

Across the Goals

Sustainability Education and Literacy 2024

Sustainability Education

Introduction

DMU is committed to integrating sustainability into higher education through structured academic offerings that equip students with the skills and awareness needed to address complex global challenges. DMU provides dedicated courses that specifically focus on sustainability and its applications within the healthcare and life sciences sectors. These courses are general education requirements, or specialized courses designed to embed sustainability within professional disciplines.

Course 1: Green and Sustainable Pharmacy (GE707)

• College: College of Pharmacy

• Course Code: GE707

• Credit Hours: 2 (2+0)

• Program Level: Bachelor of Pharmacy

Course Overview:Green and Sustainable Pharmacy (GE707) is designed to introduce pharmacy students to the importance of environmentally responsible pharmaceutical practices. The course equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attributes necessary to safeguard environmental wellbeing while preparing for professional roles in pharmacy.

Key Topics Covered:

• Principles of ecology, global warming, and environmental toxicology

• The environmental impact of pharmaceuticals and biomedical waste

• Green healthcare systems and life cycle thinking

• UAE strategies for regulatory sustainability and waste management

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify key environmental challenges and sustainability principles

• Explain the pharmacist’s evolving role in promoting environmental responsibility

• Assess the impact of pharmaceutical companies on environmental protection

• Propose sustainable strategies and evaluate their applicability in the UAE

This course directly supports SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) while reinforcing DMU's commitment to SDG 13 (Climate Action) through educational awareness.

Course 2: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability (GER05)

• College: All undergraduate programs (General Education Requirement)

• Course Code: GER05

• Credit Hours: 3

• Program Level: University-wide elective (Health sciences emphasis)

Course Overview:This interdisciplinary course explores how entrepreneurial thinking, innovation, and sustainability converge to address global and regional challenges. Students are guided through a structured process, from mindset building to business model development, to craft practical, socially responsible solutions.

Key Topics Covered:

• Sustainability principles and stakeholder impact

• Systems thinking and sustainable business models

• Innovation strategy, feasibility analysis, and product-market fit

• Social entrepreneurship in the UAE context

Learning Outcomes:

• Describe entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability concepts

• Evaluate sustainability-driven strategies and business frameworks

• Apply systems thinking to real-world challenges

• Design and present sustainable business proposals

This course strengthens students' competencies to work across sectors and lead sustainability-driven ventures in healthcare, supporting SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).

Course 3: Public Health and Health Promotion (PUB201)

• College: College of Medicine

• Course Code: PUB201

• Credit Hours: 2

• Program Level: Year 3 – Semester 1 (MD Program)

Course Overview:This course prepares medical students to address complex public health challenges through an equity-focused and systems-based approach. Students explore the functioning of health systems, healthcare financing, and global health disparities using real-world case studies from various national contexts (e.g., NHS in the UK, Brazil’s Family Health Strategy, Rwanda’s community health programs).

Key Topics Covered:

• Health promotion, disease prevention, and protection

• Principles of disease screening, primary healthcare, and epidemiology

• Health economics: cost-effectiveness, DALYs/QALYs, and financing models

• Global health equity, challenges, and the role of NGOs and WHO

• UAE healthcare systems and policy

Learning Outcomes:

• Analyze health systems and their components in promoting equity

• Evaluate public health financing and economic models

• Design strategies for efficient healthcare resource management

• Propose ethical, equitable solutions to global health challenges

Conclusion

By offering these two dedicated courses, GE707 and GER05, DMU demonstrates a firm institutional commitment to sustainability education. These offerings ensure that students across disciplines receive targeted, skill-based learning aligned with real-world applications of the SDGs. As a result, DMU is building a future-ready workforce equipped to lead sustainable transformation in healthcare and beyond.

Annual Student Sustainability Literacy Report

Prepared by: Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability Officer and the QAIE Department

1. Executive Summary

The Sustainability Literacy Survey was administered across the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing at DMU to assess student understanding, attitudes, and behaviors toward sustainability in health and education.

Results indicate strong literacy and ethical awareness regarding sustainability’s role in healthcare, yet identify opportunities for enhanced behavioral engagement and peer leadership in sustainable actions.

2. Objectives

• To evaluate students’ sustainability knowledge across health disciplines.

• To measure attitudes toward sustainability education and ethical responsibility.

• To assess daily sustainable practices within the DMU community.

• To provide recommendations for institutional integration of sustainability across curricula and campus life.

3. Methodology

• Instrument: Jotform survey titled “Sustainability Knowledge/Literacy”.

• Format: Multiple choice and Likert-scale questions (1–5).

• Population: Undergraduate and graduate students in Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing.

4. Respondent Profile

5. Knowledge Findings

Students demonstrated exceptionally high sustainability literacy:

🟩 Interpretation: Students clearly understand core sustainability concepts and can relate them to healthcare practice and institutional responsibility.

6. Attitudes Toward Sustainability

🟩 Interpretation:There is overwhelming support for embedding sustainability within professional ethics and curricula. Students view sustainability as both a moral obligation and a practical necessity in healthcare education.

7. Sustainable Practices

🟨 Interpretation: While individual responsibility is strong, peer influence and campus-wide participation require more structured engagement initiatives.

8. Overall Assessment

Students at DMU exhibit a solid foundation of sustainability literacy with commendable attitudes and moderately strong sustainable behaviors.

9. Key Strengths

✅ Broad understanding of sustainability in health and education.

✅ Strong ethical alignment with environmental and societal well-being.

✅ Consistent individual responsibility in energy and waste management.

10. Areas for Improvement

⚠️ Lower engagement in community or peer-led sustainability initiatives.

⚠️ Moderate usage of reusable containers and participation in campaigns.

⚠️ Need for greater cross-program collaboration in sustainability efforts.

11. Recommendations

Curriculum Integration

• Introduce a “Sustainability in Health Professions” module across all colleges.

• Embed sustainability principles into clinical ethics and case-based learning.

Campus Initiatives

• Launch DMU Green Ambassadors student program.

• Improve waste sorting facilities on campus.

Community Engagement

• Organize Sustainability Week with workshops, clean-ups, and recycling drives.

• Partner with local hospitals and NGOs for green health campaigns.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Repeat the literacy survey annually to track progress.

• Include sustainability literacy KPIs in DMU’s institutional performance metrics.