Global collaboration for sustainable biology education: Enhancing curriculum design in Canada
Session Type
Presentation
Room
Physics and Astronomy, room 148
Start Date
16-7-2025 2:00 PM
End Date
16-7-2025 2:30 PM
Keywords
Program Learning Outcomes, Global Best Practices, Curriculum Resources, Continuous Improvement, Educational Design, Bioscience Industry Sustainability, Nationwide Collaboration
Primary Threads
Curriculum
Abstract
According to the New York Times Higher Education report, in 2024, approximately 40% of Canadian universities declined in their academic rankings for teaching biological sciences on a global scale. Regional differences in higher education significantly impact student success, lifelong learning, and sustainability of the bioscience industry worldwide. Our ranking decline is of grave concern to multiple stakeholders involved with education: students, instructors, and employers, and underscores the urgency for improvements in biology teaching and learning. This research analyzes global undergraduate biology education by examining Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and program structures in top-ranked Bachelor of Science (BSc.) biology programs. By identifying key trends and best practices in science education, this presentation offers insights to enhance Canadian curricula and bridge educational gaps. Attendees will explore international strategies, engage in discussions with fellow educators, and leave with actionable implementation plans. Preliminary analysis reveals that Canadian institutions emphasize skill development but exhibit gaps in knowledge expansion and societal initiatives, limiting graduates’ ability to contribute as significantly to sustainable scientific communities after graduation. To address these gaps, this presentation will help attendees incorporate global best practices in the revision of their own programs, building off a Curriculum Update Checklist. This session will help promote sustainability through continuous global collaboration beyond this presentation. This work will demonstrate how globally informed strategies can be integrated into Canadian academia, equipping faculty with actionable ideas and tangible resources to enhance their teaching practices while ensuring the sustainability of higher biology education in professional settings. The approaches discussed in this presentation also apply across non-biology disciplines that value innovation, adaptability, and global collaboration. Students and educators can adopt these strategies by promoting interdisciplinary learning, global initiatives, exchange programs, and collaborating on community-based sustainability projects. Participants are encouraged to bring their own device (smartphone, laptop, or tablet) to engage with interactive tools and activities during this presentation!
The Curriculum Update Checklist is in collaboration with MSc student Sidney Evans.
Elements of Engagement
Attendees will engage with a live Menti poll to assess familiarity with international best practices in biology education, collaborate in small groups to apply global strategies using the Curriculum Update Checklist, and contribute key takeaways to a live word cloud summarizing future steps in higher education. A QR code linking to the Curriculum Update Checklist will be provided, and a PDF version will also be available for download to support ongoing curriculum improvements. These tools will support interactive engagement, reflection, and the development of actionable strategies for curriculum improvement.
Menti Poll– Attendees will participate in a live poll to assess their familiarity with international best practices in biology education.
Educator Collaboration – Participants will be asked to share, in small groups, how they could implement global best practices within their own programs and reference the Curriculum Update Checklist to guide revisions.
Summary Word Cloud – Attendees will contribute one actionable takeaway to a live word cloud, visually summarizing key commitments from the presentation.
QR Code – A QR code will be provided, linking to the Curriculum Update Checklist, allowing instructors to adapt and build upon it for their own curriculum improvements.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Global collaboration for sustainable biology education: Enhancing curriculum design in Canada
Physics and Astronomy, room 148
According to the New York Times Higher Education report, in 2024, approximately 40% of Canadian universities declined in their academic rankings for teaching biological sciences on a global scale. Regional differences in higher education significantly impact student success, lifelong learning, and sustainability of the bioscience industry worldwide. Our ranking decline is of grave concern to multiple stakeholders involved with education: students, instructors, and employers, and underscores the urgency for improvements in biology teaching and learning. This research analyzes global undergraduate biology education by examining Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and program structures in top-ranked Bachelor of Science (BSc.) biology programs. By identifying key trends and best practices in science education, this presentation offers insights to enhance Canadian curricula and bridge educational gaps. Attendees will explore international strategies, engage in discussions with fellow educators, and leave with actionable implementation plans. Preliminary analysis reveals that Canadian institutions emphasize skill development but exhibit gaps in knowledge expansion and societal initiatives, limiting graduates’ ability to contribute as significantly to sustainable scientific communities after graduation. To address these gaps, this presentation will help attendees incorporate global best practices in the revision of their own programs, building off a Curriculum Update Checklist. This session will help promote sustainability through continuous global collaboration beyond this presentation. This work will demonstrate how globally informed strategies can be integrated into Canadian academia, equipping faculty with actionable ideas and tangible resources to enhance their teaching practices while ensuring the sustainability of higher biology education in professional settings. The approaches discussed in this presentation also apply across non-biology disciplines that value innovation, adaptability, and global collaboration. Students and educators can adopt these strategies by promoting interdisciplinary learning, global initiatives, exchange programs, and collaborating on community-based sustainability projects. Participants are encouraged to bring their own device (smartphone, laptop, or tablet) to engage with interactive tools and activities during this presentation!
The Curriculum Update Checklist is in collaboration with MSc student Sidney Evans.