Ecosystem services in postsecondary and professional education: an overview of programs and courses

Postsecondary and informal professional educational opportunities have increasingly become an important mode of supporting the understanding, dissemination, and application of ecosystem services (ES). The development of professional activities and group characteristics (e.g. a shared vocabulary, common objectives, dedication of time) together with teaching and education are instrumental for the institutionalization of new ideas, concepts, and disciplines in society. Integrating ES into postsecondary and professional education can help us to understand complex human-environment interactions and shape policy towards greater socio-ecological sustainability. This study analyzes the current status of ES-related programs and courses offered at the postsecondary and professional levels around the world. We collected data in English on these opportunities in mid-2020 using Internet searches, crowdsourcing techniques, and personal knowledge and discovered 20 degree-granting programs and 112 courses focused on or related to ES. Our analyses suggest that most ES education is uncoordinated and aimed at graduate students (master's or doctorate level), but is also interdisciplinary with an emphasis on ES as a plural concept. We argue that the continued evolution and application of ES depends on the concept's integration into postsecondary and professional education and that more attention should be paid to these modes of knowledge sharing and building. Our analysis adds to the current understanding of the available formal and informal opportunities for learning about ES and provides a lens by which we can envision new pathways for increasing the reach and effectiveness of ES education and training.

Automated summary

Postsecondary and professional educational opportunities are crucial for supporting the understanding and application of ecosystem services. Integrating ecosystem services into education helps us understand human-environment interactions and shape policy for sustainable development.