Sustainability in education: An evaluation of a new teaching and learning strategy in chartered accountancy studies – A student perspective

Sustainability has been described as the primary moral and economic imperative of the twenty-first century and one of the most important sources of both opportunities and risks for businesses. From an educational perspective, sustainability could be related to enhancing accurate, reliable and relevant teaching and learning in an ever-changing and evolving educational, economic and social landscape. The objective of the paper is twofold: it aims, firstly, to provide a brief overview of the higher education landscape and drivers for change in accounting education and the need for sustainable teaching and learning; and, secondly, it aims to provide evidence of the implementation of a new teaching and learning strategy in accountancy education programmes at a large SAICA-accredited residential higher education institution. This was done through a literature review and supported by empirical evidence obtained from questionnaires completed by the honours student group in chartered accountancy of the stated institution. The study found that, although initially new to students, the teaching and learning approach was well accepted and eventually created an environment conducive to teaching and learning. It was also found that students marks improved, which resulted in higher throughput rates.