Sustainable development (SD) refers to development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In 1987 the United Nations (UN) formally recognised SD as a critical agenda, and called for world leaders to respond based on principles of science and research. World leaders signed the UN Millennium Declaration in September 2000, expressing their commitment to resolve eight challenges affecting global citizens through the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In September 2015 this commitment was renewed through the adoption of the UN 2030 Agenda for SD. The eight challenges set out in the MDGs were refined and presented in the form of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with 17 global goals set for implementation ranging from no poverty (SDG 1) to partnership for success (SDG 17).
Awareness of and interest in SD will continue to increase in the coming years. Individuals are ever more conscious of the effects of their lifestyle and consumption habits on the environment, and many are making gradual changes to their purchases and practices at home and work. Businesses incorporate SD in their strategy and operations through the concept of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG). At the national level, policymakers and community leaders face challenges related to population growth, increased inequality and economic development, among other things. While additional funds and subsidies can resolve some of these challenges in the short to medium term, these cannot be a sustainable solution for countries and communities in the long term.
How should we – individual educators and administrators who are actively involved in nurturing the next generation of leaders and community members – contribute to the global SD agenda? In this piece we offer three perspectives for deliberation, based on the findings of an interregional study on SD involving 42 member countries of the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM).
#1: BREAK IT DOWN
As an overarching global agenda, SD can be a formidable topic to tackle head-on. Even our respondents, who were institutional representatives (n=240) from universities across Asia and Europe, perceived themselves to have varied understanding of the subject, ranging from “basic to intermediate” levels for respondents in Asia to “intermediate to expert” levels for respondents in Europe.
We can start by breaking SD into small, bite-sized and manageable subtopics. Generally, concepts and understandings related to SD can vary depending on the regional and local contexts, but they are commonly framed through social, economic, environmental and cultural dimensions. In addition, our study showed some variation regarding which of the SDGs are prioritised in certain countries and institutions compared to others.
SD can also be discussed through an integrative 5P (people, planet, prosperity, peace, partnership) lens. Here, there are at least five aspects to discuss in relation to SD: the UN 2030 Agenda for SD, the UN SDGs, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), global citizenship education, and climate change education.
Many organisations and educational institutions offer online resources related to SD through open access initiatives, which are readily accessible without paid subscriptions. By identifying suitable resources that are aligned with course or subject requirements, subtopics can then be incorporated into course syllabi, teaching materials, and/or assessment items.
#2: MAKE IT RELEVANT
An awareness of SD should be accompanied by the ability and opportunity for students and staff to translate SD into actionable steps that can be taken at the local level.
From our study, we found five SDGs that were widely in focus for SD implementation among respondents representing universities. These included: SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 10 (reduced inequality), and SDG 13 (climate action). The respondents engaged with the SDGs through learning activities, training programmes, research projects and community outreach projects, among other things.
Among the five SDGs, SDG 4 was the most widely engaged goal under the UN 2030 Agenda. This finding shows that our respondents employed a selective approach in engaging with SD, preferring to focus on goals that are relevant for their institutions and communities. Future policy dialogues should further enhance the alignment between these institutional priorities and the strategies set by governments and policymakers. In this way, the global SD agenda may be scaled down and made relatable to students and staff, as well as being suitably supported by the right policies and resources. The SDGs will be more consistently achieved in areas where they align closely with identified needs.
An awareness of SD should be accompanied by the ability and opportunity for students and staff to translate SD into actionable steps that can be taken at the local level.
#3: EMPOWER PEOPLE
SD should be a whole-institution affair. This means that everyone has a role to play in implementing SD across all functions, including teaching and learning, school/campus operations, research, professional practice, and community engagement, among others.
While institutional leadership is responsible for setting strategies and initiatives in SD, our findings indicated that students and staff are the main actors driving SD implementation. They work with various stakeholders, particularly public agencies, private companies and industries, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), schools, peers from other universities, as well as national and international networks on SD.
To support them in this, they particularly need four distinct types of support:
- funding for SD initiatives,
- training on SD,
- leadership commitment towards the SD initiatives implemented, and
- engaging initiatives and collaboration opportunities.
This finding implies that sufficient incentives and institutional support can motivate students and staff to be more committed towards SD, subsequently driving SD through a bottom-up approach.
Leaders should recognise that student and staff participation is important in communicating institutional leadership commitment towards SD. They can support their communities by providing advisory and support services to those who need them. They should also recognise successful projects and initiatives that are conducted by staff and, importantly, by students. When disseminating our findings, several stakeholders raised the importance of considering the voice of young people in achieving SD, and highlighted that young people should be involved in implementing SD-related initiatives.
SD should also become a core competency in professional development. Students and staff should be encouraged to attend specific training sessions on different aspects of SD to increase their understanding of the subject. Our study found that lack of knowledge and expertise related to the SDGs is still identified as a significant barrier to their achievement, particularly in Asia-based HEIs.
Online learning through various social platforms should also be leveraged to bridge the knowledge gap related to SD. For staff, sharing of pedagogical approaches and best practices related to integrating SD within the curriculum should also be encouraged through forums and knowledge-sharing events, both online and offline. These will align with policymakers’ prioritisation of the ‘education mission’ of universities as the top area in which they aim to incentivise SDG activity.
CONCLUSION
Critical mindset and behavioural changes towards sustainability start at the individual level, and they must start early. Our students should acknowledge that SD is not a fleeting trend, but a way of life that will ensure prosperity and well-being for themselves, their loved ones and the world. We should help them to engage with SD by providing both knowledge and opportunities for action. More importantly, everyone should help students to recognise sustainability as a virtue in their way of thinking about the world and as a guiding principle for their thoughts and actions in their everyday lives, grounded in what matters most to the communities where they are located.
DR DORIA ABDULLAH
Dr Doria Abdullah is senior lecturer, School of Education, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
DR MIGUEL ANTONIO LIM
Dr Miguel Antonio Lim is senior lecturer, Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester.
REKA TOZSA
Reka Tozsa is Director, Education Department, Asia Europe Foundation.
JUNE 2023
Issue 13
