INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABILITY IN AVIATION - 2026/7

Module Overview

The growth of air travel tourism in the recent past has made global travel accessible to unprecedented numbers of people; however, this progress has come at a high cost to the societies and the environments of the places visited, as well as having direct contributions to the climate crisis. All stakeholders have a responsibility to contribute to sustainable forms of development, including aviation. This module will explore the relationship between the aviation sector and the three pillars of sustainability. Throughout this module students will gain a deeper understanding of the role of aviation in supporting sustainable tourism development, and the barriers to more sustainable aviation pathways.

Module provider

Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

COCOLAS Nicole (Hosp & Tour)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

No prerequisites are required for this module.

Module content

Indicative module content:
Three pillars of sustainability and their application to aviation
Aviation, planetary boundaries and the climate crisis
Aviation, sustainability and the policy landscape
The role of behaviour change in achieving sustainable aviation
Sustainable messaging and air travel
Reconciling growth and sustainability within the aviation sector
Technology and sustainable aviation

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the concepts and current practices of the aviation industry's sustainability efforts, and the extent to which the industry has been able to address the issues.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of: 

An individual report in which students will need to analyse what they see as the biggest barrier to the future of sustainable aviation.

Formative assessment

During the first seminar, the assessment and the feedback process is explained. Feedback is also provided during and after in-class discussions. During class sessions, students will work in groups on a task which reflects the requirements of each assignment and receive feedback on their work. Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism are totally unacceptable at the University of Surrey and will be penalised accordingly. Inappropriate use of AI in generating assessment content is considered academic misconduct. All sources of information must be fully referenced using the Harvard system; please run your assignments through Turnitin before the final submission date and update your references as necessary. For full details on academic misconduct definitions and guidance please see the link below: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/office-student-complaints-appeals-and-regulation/academic-misconduct

Module aims

• Develop an understanding of sustainability in the context of aviation
• Gain a greater understanding of the relationship between aviation and the environment
• Analyse the societal challenges of sustainability and the socio-cultural implications for aviation
• Explore mechanisms available to various stakeholders in aviation to identify potential future pathways for a more sustainable aviation industry

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to provide students with key concepts and theories about the (un)sustainable use of resources by the aviation sector, and the capacity to contribute towards sustainable development. The module will mainly focus on global phenomena and the ability of the private sector to be accountable and take responsibility towards making a positive net contribution to society.

The teaching and learning methods include:

Lectures to provide a framework of knowledge

Seminars to provide opportunities for case study analyses and class discussions

Guided learning tasks to facilitate individual study, critical thinking and the creation of in-depth knowledge on current sustainable tourism practices

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN1162

Other information

This module adopts the University's curriculum framework which aims to develop learners with strong capabilities in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module contributes to the development of the following capabilities: 

Global and Cultural Capabilities: The module revolves around understanding, measuring and managing negative impacts of the global aviation system. Students will develop an understanding of the impacts caused by aviation operations and the sector's growth paradigm. Since students are from different countries with diverse cultural backgrounds, and the impacts of aviation are affecting different geographies and societies differently, class discussions and seminar exercises will be used to reinforce students' global and cultural capabilities.

Digital Capabilities: Teaching and learning materials are provided in several formats, and students are encouraged to use discussion boards for communication. Students will be provided instruction on digital literature review searches that support their development of independent learning and successful assessment preparation. Students will use the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), SurreyLearn, video conferencing platforms such as Microsoft Teams, to facilitate learning. These include accessing teaching and learning materials and engaging with their instructors and peers. 

Employability: Guest lecturers will present up-to-date insight from the aviation sector on relevant topics and provide an opportunity for students to directly learn from industry stakeholders. Students will gain knowledge on current developments in aviation and be taught to critically evaluate these developments, considering, in particular, unintended negative consequences and management options to address them. They will also learn how to develop strategies to manage these developments. All these skills can be transferred to various situations at the workplace, including problem-solving tasks.

Sustainability: Sustainability is core to this module, as evident in the module's title. This module motivates students to critically evaluate the impacts of the aviation sector on society, environment and economy through a case study analysis and class discussion. Students will be guided in developing recommendations for minimising negative impacts of aviation for society, environment and/or economy based on their knowledge of sustainable management and sustainable development.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: The assessment strategy comprises two stages, one formative and one summative assessment in which students will need to demonstrate their analytical skills. Through this strategy, this module helps students achieve a first milestone and receive feedback on their work, which will help them improve their performance on the final part of the assessment. The structured schedule of the assessment will also support students in developing effective time management skills. Also, students are motivated to make informed decisions from a range of options as to which aspect of their work they would like to request feedback. The critical nature of the in-class discussions will help foster openness by encouraging students to understand and discuss contrasting perspectives.

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2026/7 academic year.