[PDF] "Teaching Business and Human Rights Workshop Discussion Summary", 15-16 May 2014

The fourth annual Columbia University Teaching Business and Human Rights Workshop (May 15-16, 2014) brought together 28 individuals teaching the subject at 22 universities – including schools of law, business, and international affairs – in six countries. As demand for business and human rights education grows worldwide, individuals teaching business and human rights face a number of challenges. It can be difficult to find the right place in the traditional university curriculum for a relatively new, multi-disciplinary subject. A dynamic and evolving field makes identifying materials and structuring the course an ongoing task. Instructors experiment with the best ways to teach specific topics. This year’s Workshop provided an opportunity for teachers to engage with corporate responsibility executives and advocates, to discuss key themes in their courses, and to share what works (and doesn’t) in the classroom.The global network of individuals teaching business and human rights is expanding. The online Columbia Teaching Business and Human Rights Forum, launched after the first Workshop in 2011, now connects more than 190 individuals teaching business and human rights at 119 institutions in 27 countries around the world. The Forum has become a unique platform for collaboration.Through the Workshop, the Forum and ongoing collaboration, we strive to promote and strengthen business and human rights education and practice worldwide.