Teaching Sustainability in Business Schools: A Case Study on the Alignment of the Accounting and Business Administration Curricula at UNIR with the National Education Council Guidelines
Sustainability. Interdisciplinarity. Higher Education. Accounting. Business Administration.
This research investigates the adequacy of the curricula of the Accounting Sciences and Business Administration programs at the Federal University of Rondonia (UNIR) in relation to the National Curriculum Guidelines established by CNE/CES Resolution No. 1/2024 and CNE/CES Resolution No. 5/2021, with emphasis on interdisciplinarity, systemic perspective, and the integration of sustainability. The general objective is to assess the extent to which the analyzed curricula incorporate the principles of the ESG agenda (environmental, social, and governance), broken down into four specific objectives: mapping normative requirements; analyzing the inclusion of sustainability themes in the pedagogical projects; comparing curricular content with the national guidelines; and identifying the perceptions of faculty, students, and alumni regarding their preparation for the labor market. Methodologically, the study adopts a single case study design of an exploratory and descriptive nature, with a mixed-methods approach. Data collection involves document analysis of course structures and syllabi, literature review in national and international databases, and the application of questionnaires to faculty, students, and alumni. Data analysis combines qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics, integrated through methodological triangulation. The expected results include identifying progress, gaps, and institutional barriers to the implementation of sustainability in curricula, as well as highlighting opportunities for pedagogical enhancement. Contributions encompass providing an empirical diagnosis of the practice of sustainability education in the Amazon, supporting curriculum management at UNIR, and generating replicable inputs for other higher education institutions. The study concludes that this research contributes to the debate on the quality of training in business schools and to the consolidation of educational practices more closely aligned with sustainable development.