Professional work in the field of sustainability is urgent and necessary, but deeply challenging. There are no ready-made maps: you have to navigate complex realities, influence resistant systems, articulate multiple interests, and maintain emotional self-regulation in the midst of institutional and personal tensions. In this scenario, education for sustainability cannot be limited to the application of technical tools. It requires a broadening of consciousness, courage and sensitivity. It requires the ability to observe, actively listen and take a stand. Based on the complexity of this reality and the integral vision of the human being, we understand that learning occurs not only through what comes from the outside in, but also through what is perceived internally and in relation, from the perspectives of the subject (me), relationships (me-other) and the environment (me-other-world). The field requires the cultivation of an integrated way of being, relating, thinking and acting. Thus, Integrated Training is structured around two axes:
- Self-Project (PSM): Consisting of reflective, sensory, artistic and bodily activities, PSM proposes a dive into the field of self-awareness, listening to oneself and making personal sense of the challenges of the world. It encourages self-formation and the full presence of the subject in their learning process.
- Reference Project (PR): Developed in groups over two semesters, the PR connects theory and practice through a real sustainability challenge. It provides a concrete experience of listening, articulation between actors and the collective creation of solutions.
In the first semester of the course - Integrated Training I - the focus is on developing self-knowledge and systemic thinking skills, with a greater emphasis on complexity theory and a transdisciplinary approach. The central objective of the semester is to broaden the perception of self and reality. For the Reference Project, the groups work on a global vision of the chosen challenge, carrying out systemic mapping of the problem situation identified, and arriving at different theories of change and their respective possibilities for intervention.
Mario Prestes Monzoni Neto