Contextual Studies form one of the most important and unique distinguishing features of the University of St.Gallen. They convey insights and competences that make a difference in the economy, the society and the politics of the twenty-first century.

Since fall 2018, so-called “areas of concentration” structure the teaching program in Humanities and Social Sciences. Thomas Beschorner and Rolf Wüstenhagen are coordinating the area of concentration „Responsibility.“ What is it about?

Area of Concentration „Responsibility“

When we think about the future of society, this cannot be done in a meaningful manner without reflecting upon issues of social responsibility and corporate sustainability. The focus area "Responsibility" focuses on Responsible Leadership, Corporate Social Responsibility, and managing social issues and natural resources. In our courses, students acquire competences that extend beyond the tools of traditional economics and management and enable responsible action for sustainable development.

The portfolio of courses in the focus area "Responsibility" ranges from introductory and theoretically oriented courses to a variety of specialist seminars, for example on topics such as corporate and consumer responsibility, work and ethics, human rights, climate change, the future of energy systems and post-growth economics. A special feature of our courses is the integration of in-depth conceptual and ethical considerations with a strong relationship to practice. The action focus is reflected, in particular, in a variety of teaching formats (case studies, role plays, excursions, etc.) and guest lectures by practitioners.

Overall, the focus area aims at enabling 1) reflection and action competencies for 2) social and ecological issues that 3) affect various stakeholders - from the micro level of the individual through the meso level of organizations to the macro level of political framework conditions, as the following cube illustrates:

Overarching learning objectives of the focus area "Responsibility":

• The students recognize questions of responsibility, they can apply them at different levels (for example, state, company, individual) and with regard to different problems. As future decision-makers in business and society, they reflect on the antecedents and consequences of acting responsibly.
• They explore disruptive changes in the global environment as well as their social and environmental implications, and learn to develop successful strategies for solution-oriented entrepreneurial action.