UN decade on education for sustainable development (UNDESD): enabling sustainability in higher education

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Van Wynsberghe ◽  
Janet Lynn Moore
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainability In Higher Education

Transforming University Curricula Towards Sustainability

2017 ◽  
pp. 805-827
Author(s):  
Vassilios Makrakis
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Middle East ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainability In Higher Education ◽  
University Curricula ◽  
The University

The UNESCO Chair ICT in Education for Sustainable Development in cooperation with the RCE Crete (Regional Centre of Expertise) on Education for Sustainable Development responding to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD 2005-2014) took the initiative to establish a North-South Network for embedding sustainability in higher education institutions. A Consortium with 12 universities (six from Europe and six from Middle East) led by the UNESCO Chair and the RCE Crete at the University of Crete prepared a proposal submitted to the Tempus- European Commission programme for funding. The RUCAS (Reorient University Curricula to address Sustainability) project, studied in this chapter, has initiated various activities in the partner countries' institutions, which seem to exert significant curricular changes. The changes include the revision of courses, building the appropriate infrastructure, the development of an online community of practice and the RUCAS Toolkit that are being used as drivers for reorienting university curricula to address sustainability. As a result, a growing number of academics in the partner institutions are concerned with the current sustainability crisis and claim for a transformative shift in what they teach and how teaching is practiced.

scholarly journals Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education Institutions

SAGE Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401667629 ◽  
Author(s):  
César Tapia-Fonllem ◽  
Blanca Fraijo-Sing ◽  
Víctor Corral-Verdugo ◽  
Anais Ortiz Valdez
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Sustainable Lifestyles ◽  
Research Priority ◽  
Behavioral Variables ◽  
Sustainability In Higher Education ◽  
Senior Students

The role that higher education plays in the promotion of sustainable development outstands in the declarations on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), besides being a research priority in higher education. However, few studies exist that evaluate sustainable lifestyles among university students. The aim of this study was to analyze the mission and vision, processes and actions undertaken to promote sustainability in higher education institutions, and to compare the pro-sustainability orientation (PSO) reported by 360 students coursing first or last semesters at college. The study was intended to evaluate the influence that four higher education institutions in Sonora, Mexico, have on students’ PSO. Results of the study indicate that a coherent PSO factor emerges from the interrelations among pro-environmental dispositional and behavioral variables reported by students. However, university programs and actions do not produce statistically significant differences between freshmen and senior students. Possible reasons explaining the lack of positive influence of those universities on students’ PSO are discussed.

Sustainability in Higher Education

Education ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Barth
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sustainability In Higher Education ◽  
Social Learning Processes

Since sustainable development has emerged as a normative guiding idea at the global level, it has been perceived as a “moving target” that requires deliberation and social learning processes. Consequently, the notion of learning for sustainability figures prominently in both academia and policy, and learning and education are increasingly considered important features in this regard. Education for sustainable development was first introduced in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development and has since developed into a well-established educational field. Additional momentum has been gained through the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014). This is even more so with the ongoing follow-up program “ESD for 2030” in which a direct link to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been made. While the implementation of this vision is supported in all educational sectors, it is higher education that has a key role to play in the overall process of striving for sustainable development. Universities generate and transfer relevant knowledge, as well as enable future change agents to contribute to a sustainable future. In addition, they act in their own organizational practice as a role model and contribute through societal outreach and service. This bibliography contains a selection of papers and volumes on themes discussed in the area of sustainability in higher education. It covers the Historical Context, various areas of universities activities and different disciplinary and regional approaches. Emphasis is given on educational activities and thus the research and practice of teaching and learning on the micro- level (courses) and the macro-level (programs).

Transforming University Curricula towards Sustainability

2014 ◽  
pp. 619-640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vassilios Makrakis
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Middle East ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainability In Higher Education ◽  
University Curricula ◽  
The University

The UNESCO Chair ICT in Education for Sustainable Development in cooperation with the RCE Crete (Regional Centre of Expertise) on Education for Sustainable Development responding to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD 2005-2014) took the initiative to establish a North-South Network for embedding sustainability in higher education institutions. A Consortium with 12 universities (six from Europe and six from Middle East) led by the UNESCO Chair and the RCE Crete at the University of Crete prepared a proposal submitted to the Tempus- European Commission programme for funding. The RUCAS (Reorient University Curricula to address Sustainability) project, studied in this chapter, has initiated various activities in the partner countries' institutions, which seem to exert significant curricular changes. The changes include the revision of courses, building the appropriate infrastructure, the development of an online community of practice and the RUCAS Toolkit that are being used as drivers for reorienting university curricula to address sustainability. As a result, a growing number of academics in the partner institutions are concerned with the current sustainability crisis and claim for a transformative shift in what they teach and how teaching is practiced.

scholarly journals Strategic Shift from Transmissive to Transformative Higher Education for Sustainable Development

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Jama Madar ◽  
Mustafa Din Bin Subari ◽  
Shadiya Mohamed Saleh Baqutayan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
National Development ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformative Education ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Important Approach ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Investment Portfolios

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a global initiative towards transforming education for sustainability. The integration of SD into the education portfolio is considered to be an important approach that ensures strategic alignment of higher education with SDGs. A document review was used to identify and discuss the difference between transmissive and transformative education in relation to SDGs and in the context of Somali education. In this trajectory, it is expected that the concept of ‘‘transformative education is likely to become more common to meet the emerging social, economic and environmental issues, yet practical challenges remain in Somaliland HE sector. The roadmap towards addressing transformative education for sustainability is not included in the Somaliland national portfolios; particularly ESD has not been presented. In this regard, this paper proposed a generic framework that spotlights the integration of HEIs and the national development goals (NDGs) in Somaliland. Meanwhile, developed and developing countries are prioritizing structural transformation in their HEIs that are tailored to national and regional development programs. Consistent with the Rio + 20 outcomes, the authors analyzed the concept of the ‘‘sustainable university’’ and identified the fact that it is practically divided into three interrelated and complementary categories, namely social-, environmental-, and economic-oriented university in pursuit of actualizing SD. The paper recommends major reforms in the education sector including availing investment portfolios for R&D, renovation of education goals and transforming universities for sustainability

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