***Says isolated policies risk undermining long-term progress

***Seeks curriculum overhaul, collaboration for post-2030 sustainability

An expert in sustainable development has called for a multidisciplinary approach to addressing increasingly complex global challenges, warning that isolated policies and single-discipline interventions could undermine long-term development outcomes.

The expert argued that sustainable development requires governments, academic institutions, researchers, policymakers, communities and the private sector to work collaboratively across disciplines if societies are to deliver lasting solutions to social, economic and environmental problems. He maintained that fragmented approaches to policy making risk overlooking the interconnected nature of development challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He also called for far-reaching reforms in higher education, including a curriculum overhaul that promotes multidisciplinary learning, stronger institutional collaboration, innovation hubs and sustainability reporting to prepare professionals for a post-2030 development agenda.

These were part of the highlights from the inaugural Lecture of the Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan, titled “GBOGBONÌṢE: A Reflection on Multidisciplinarity and Sustainability in Practice,” delivered by Dr. Olawale Olayide, who said future development would increasingly depend on integrating knowledge across disciplines rather than relying on isolated fields of study.

According to Olayide, multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity are complementary rather than competing approaches, each contributing to translational research and practical solutions for sustainability.

Olayide explained that sustainable development rests on three interconnected pillars; social, environmental and economic, which together promote equity, viability and bearability.

The expert noted that meaningful development can only be achieved when equal attention is given to people, the planet and prosperity, rather than pursuing economic growth at the expense of environmental protection or social wellbeing.

Drawing from the Yoruba concept of GBOGBONÌṢE, he said versatility should be viewed as an asset, and stressed that future professionals would be valued not merely for specialised expertise but for their ability to work across disciplines and respond to complex societal needs.

Olayide while speaking on SDGs cautioned the government and institutions to avoid implementing goals in isolation, and explained that actions in one goal can either reinforce or undermine progress in another. He said understanding these interactions are critical for designing integrated development policies capable of producing long-term results.

The lecturer maintained that humanity’s greatest obstacles to sustainable development are not technological limitations but greed and corruption. While acknowledging advances in science and technology, he argued that these societal vices continue to frustrate efforts to achieve inclusive and sustainable progress across the world.

He advocated lifestyle choices that promote sustainability, encouraging responsible consumption, support for ethically produced goods, patronage of local economies and reduced waste generation.

Looking beyond the 2030 deadline for the SDGs, Olayide said sustainable development should be viewed as an evolving process rather than a destination. According to him, while global priorities may change, future development agendas, including Africa’s Agenda 2063, will continue to focus on meeting fundamental human needs through integrated and adaptive strategies.

He recommended the introduction of a general studies course on multidisciplinary studies, the establishment of a University of Ibadan Multidisciplinary Innovations Hub for Global Futures, annual institutional sustainability reporting, stronger multi-agency collaboration for good governance and greater investment in sustainable energy systems to facilitate technological transition.