It is our objective to promote the sustainable development (SD) issues in education of Laurea University of Applied Sciences. Sustainable development is usually planned to be combined into the whole curriculum as a red line, integrated in other studies (Virtanen 2008; Virtanen & Rohweder 2008; Ministry of Education 2006). By planning ‘the red line’ of SD and making it clearly visible in the study units we make it in Laurea easier to be managed and evaluated. The purpose of this paper is to focus on understanding the principles of SD, especially social sustainability and global competence as a part of health care studies. Our aim is to define what social sustainability actually means and how it is understood among students. Learning is based on shared experiences in work shops, participatory group work and team interaction. Target group: The second year nursing students (50) in a learning process from autumn 2008 to spring 2009. Research questions: 1) How students describe their learning environment in relationship with values of SD? 2) How students evaluate their development and understanding of SD in their second year nursing studies? Theoretical background: As health care professionals we have responsibility to promote social sustainability which means wellness, equality, openness, cooperation, social responsibility, possibilities to participate, the safety atmosphere and preventing discrimination and physical and emotional violence (Laininen, Manninen & Tenhunen, 2006). The individual learners should have skills and competence of SD relevant to their future professions and roles (Lindroos, 2008). It is also question about personal growth to global responsibility, to respect of human rights and responsibilities (Rohweder 2008). According to Kallioinen (2007) socially responsible action creates and maintains social cohesion, therefore each Laurea student should be able to form a personal vision of the meaning of social responsibility. This learning process is a part of competence based, Learning by Developing (LbD) -model in Laurea. The idea of this model is that the developing needs arise from real life needs which students take part during their studies (see Raij, 2007). The own organisation can also be the target of the development process. Social sustainability in Laurea – project is supported by Baltic 21E network and Finnish network of SD, co-coordinated by Novia, University of Applied Sciences, funded by Finnish National Board of Education. Both of this networks concentrate on development of education of SD in higher education.

Action research is a method which aims at both taking action and creating knowledge about that action. It means the process where identifying the problem, planning, acting and evaluation are done in cycles. (Goghlan & Brannick, 2001.) In the beginning of this process the data collection methods are participative and qualitative (the first research question). In the end of the process the data is gathered by a an inquiry (the second research question).

We are going to describe students’ knowledge, understanding and attitudes concerning SD. We will know how students evaluate their learning environment in relationship with values of SD, how they have understood the concept of social sustainability and how they describe their actions in the student group according principles of social responsibility. Finally our objective is to produce deeper understanding of social sustainability in a collaborative process. We will further develop teaching SD issues. Kowledge is easy to share, but how we facilitate real understanding. Social responsibility is the crucial part of nursing profession and the successful career. Knowledge we prodjuce is also valuable to be shared in other fields of studies and other institutions in Finland as well as in the Baltic 21E network and other European countries.