Gaurav Chawla & Parikshat Singh Manhas
Abstract:
This paper aims to investigate students’ perceptions about sustainability curricula in hospitality management degree programmes. Sustainability, a prime business concern, is now a prominent agenda in higher education, and also in hotel management courses. The study is located in India and adopts a positivist epistemological position. Quantitative data was collected through structured questionnaires from 250 undergraduate students undergoing hospitality degree programmes in the states of Jammu and Kashmir. Data analysis was done through descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS. The findings establish that students are engaged in environmental literacy and view this as an important concern for their future. Respondents who demonstrate greater awareness and concerns in everyday life attach greater importance to such issues in a business context also. Lastly, the mode of delivery of sustainability-related modules deeply impacts students’ attitudes toward this all-important agenda. Sustainability education is most effective when it is embedded into all aspects of the course or forms the overall context within which hospitality management courses are delivered.
Keywords: Sustainability, student perceptions, education for sustainable development, India, curriculum