Purpose: This viewpoint paper addresses the use of sustainability frameworks in embedding education for sustainability into the curriculum of higher education institutions (HEIs). The purpose of this paper is to explore the paradox that sustainability frameworks must facilitate transformation of existing structures whilst also being well-enough…

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 4.7 promotes education for sustainable development (ESD), urging higher education institutions (HEIs) to prepare students to address global sustainability challenges. Currently, the target indicators do not assess how ESD is enacted in HEIs, making ESD provision a black box in achieving SDG 4.7. This…

The (STEM)[superscript 2] Network (Sustainable, Transformative Engagement across a Multi-Institution/Multidisciplinary STEM Network) is a National Science Foundation Research Coordination Network-Undergraduate Biology Education funded project intended to bridge disciplinary and institutional silos that function as barriers to systemic change in…

This book examines policies and practices within higher education, particularly in the field of teacher education, that foster sustainability from a variety of viewpoints. It sheds light on both common facilitators and obstacles across 18 research-oriented chapters. It scrutinizes global research, policies, and practices, and delves into the…

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the contribution of higher education institutions (HEIs) to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and propose strategies to cultivate a culture centred on the SDGs in HEIs. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology used encompassed an integrative literature review, combining bibliographic analysis on…

The 21st century's growing societal and environmental challenges are ubiquitous. The combination of knowledge, values, mindsets, and abilities needed to address these challenges requires educating society about the simultaneous pursuit of economic, environmental, and social goals as advocated by the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development…

Purpose: This study aims at understanding how higher education institutions (HEIs) can contribute to sustainable development, by designing their programmes for bringing about a transformative impact on communities and students, and also to examine what alternative pedagogical approaches could be used for that. In the past decades, HEIs have…

There is a broad consensus that universities have the potential to act as drivers of education for sustainable development (ESD) and constitute fundamental vehicles to explore, test, develop and communicate conditions for necessary socio-ecological transformations. This goes hand in hand with stronger acknowledgment of the societal role of…

Purpose: A transition toward sustainable development requires engagement of university students in transformative learning. Therefore, quality frameworks and processes should support deep approaches to sustainable development in higher education. Research and initiatives that connect sustainable development, higher education and quality assurance…

Purpose: This paper aims to critically reflect the current specialist discourse on experiential approaches to higher education for sustainable development (HESD). Limitations to the current discourse are identified, and as a result, an alternative approach to the study of experiential education (EE) within HESD is suggested.…

Decades of policy initiatives, a developing body of literature, and a growing cadre of practitioners are united in suggesting that the preeminent approach to educating students about sustainability is by infusion throughout the higher education curriculum. While there is mounting evidence that sustainability should be taught to students beyond the…

Purpose: This study aims to investigate how transformative learning has been conceptualised and operationalised in education for sustainable development (ESD) and sustainability learning and to collect evidence on how to support transformative learning in formal and non-formal environments. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a…

Purpose: Learning about sustainable development in dedicated curricula can be beneficial for students' personal and professional development and societies alike. However, for various reasons the implementation of sustainable development modules in existing curricula can be difficult in many fields of study. This paper aims to propose an…

Purpose: This study aims to explore how the boundary between science and society can be addressed to support the transformation of higher education towards sustainable development (HESD) in the sense of the whole institution approach. It analyses students' learning experiences in self-led sustainability projects conducted outside formal curricula…

The contribution of education to the overall development of a nation becomes evident especially through higher education. This is because higher education is considered a key to delivering the knowledge required for ensuring sustainable development. Studies reveal a strong positive correlation between higher education participation rates and…