1 Introduction

The aim of the worldwide initiative to enact the Sustainable Development Goals is to pave the way for a brighter future for generations to come. Thus, prioritizing the cultivation of competencies aligned with the SDGs is gaining momentum within the realm of higher education.

Eradicating poverty, protecting the environment, and ensuring peace are the main goals of the SDGs. In connection with this, the international community 17 goals, 169 objectives and 263 indicators were formulated; The achievement period is designated from 2015 to 2030. The Sustainable Development Goals cover all countries, both developed and developing, all SDGs are interconnected and must be achieved together, it is impossible to single out the highest priority among them.

Kazakhstan is a country with a population of about 20 million people. The country's economy largely depends on the extraction of natural resources such as oil, gas, coal, and others. In addition, agriculture is an important sector. Tajikistan, with a population of about 9.75 million people, is an agrarian-industrial country with large hydroelectric potential, large deposits of mineral resources and great tourism potential. Kyrgyzstan, with a population of about 6.7 million, relies on agriculture, mining and migrant workers, as well as tourism. Uzbekistan is a country with a population of more than 36 million people. The sectoral structure of Uzbekistan includes the service sector (more than 40%), industry and agriculture (25% each).

In the countries of Central Asia, the relevance of education for sustainable development is especially great. This is due not only to the geographical features of the region, which make it especially vulnerable to new challenges. On the one hand, climatic conditions, livestock grazing, desertification, water shortage, river feeding, soil erosion, radioactive waste, on the other hand, after gaining independence and the transition to a market economy, many republics relied mainly on the extraction of natural resources, which led to even more pollution, environmental degradation [1,2,3,4,5,6].

Finally, the young generation of the countries of the Central Asian region is growing rapidly after the declaration of independence, so education is of great importance in preparing young people to solve global problems. Uzbekistan remains the most populous country in Central Asia and maintains high population growth rates. In Kazakhstan, annual population growth reaches 1.5%, in Kyrgyzstan—1.7%, in Tajikistan—2.1%.

Thus, given the rapid population growth in the countries of Central Asia (for example, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan) over the past decades, it can be assumed that teachers, educators and the education system in general will become key agents of the coming changes.

To assess awareness of the SDGs, questionnaires were developed and distributed among students and teachers of several universities in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Assessing the awareness of students and teachers at universities in Central Asia can help further integrate SDG issues into the educational programs of higher education institutions.

2 Literature review

Numerous scholars have emphasized the necessity of integrating sustainable development as a central objective across teaching, assessment, educational methodologies, and curriculum content. Educators must possess both personal and professional competencies to effectively foster students' awareness regarding issues of economic development, inclusion, and sustainability [7,8,9].

In 2014, the Global Program of Action on Education for Sustainable Development was introduced as a continuation of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development post-2014. The overarching aim of this program is to catalyze and broaden efforts across all levels and sectors of education and learning to expedite progress toward sustainable development.

This objective further delineates into two components: (a) the reorientation of education and learning to ensure universal access to the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes necessary for individuals to contribute effectively to sustainable development; and (b) the enhancement of education and training within all curricula, programs, and activities geared toward promoting sustainable development [10,11,12,13].

However, according to a review by [14], the current literature on sustainable development and higher education institutions is classified into three areas: institutional curricula, operational policies and approaches to sustainability assessment. Some studies focus on fragmented environments, such as energy conservation measures or greenhouse gas emission reductions [15, 16].

Research also explores students' competencies, inclusive teaching practices, teachers' capabilities, and ethical considerations, with university-organization alliances playing a pivotal role in the incorporation of the Sustainable Development Goals into curricula [17, 18].

Special attention is devoted to designing teaching strategies for addressing all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly focusing on curriculum design [19, 20]. Some studies underscore the significance of reshaping curricula and pedagogical approaches across educational programs. For instance, there is an emphasis on cultivating a culture of sustainability within universities across various departments and degree programs, especially targeting students preparing for future careers [21, 22].

Similarly, Elmassah et al. [23] and colleagues propose that universities establish benchmarks for integrating sustainability principles into the curricula of different majors, introduce new courses centered on sustainability, and foster a dedicated community of sustainability educators. Evaluation tools that can measure the success of a program to develop sustainability-related competencies are also explored in the literature [24].

Paletta and Bonoli [25] put forward a framework for analysis, suggesting that universities should restructure their activities to align with the Sustainable Development Goals by implementing integrated strategic planning and social accountability measures. Meanwhile, Leal Filho and co-authors [26, 27] conducted the inaugural quantitative mapping of numerous universities across 17 countries spanning five continents.

The study found that approximately 30% of universities participating in the study had fully integrated sustainability principles into their curriculum. However, 40% of them only partially incorporated these principles due to their cross-cutting, interdisciplinary and vague nature. These findings highlight the importance of further research exploring best practices and benchmarking in this area. The results of such research can be disseminated to universities to support their sustainability strategies.

The literature also highlights that scholars can use a transdisciplinary approach to integrate sustainable development into curricula. This approach involves collaboration between different areas of knowledge, allowing teachers and students to gain insight into sustainability issues in different areas of specialization.

To fully implement the 2030 Agenda, it is necessary for universities to set specific goals for their various areas of activity and introduce appropriate evaluation and reporting systems. This approach will make it possible to more effectively use the experience gained and turn it into policies that contribute to achieving the goals of the university. The lack of a structured approach makes this process difficult and makes best practices less accessible for replication and use.

Thus, although there are different approaches to integrating sustainability into curricula, more research is needed to identify best practices and compare different strategies. This data can provide a starting point to support universities in their sustainability strategies.

3 Methods

Purpose of the study: analysis of the awareness of students and teachers regarding the implementation of the SDGs for subsequent development of science-based recommendations for the implementation of modules on sustainable development in educational programs of universities.

Research methodology: surveying respondents using paper and electronic questionnaires. The total sample size was 813 students and 151 teachers. The sample population represents respondents by gender, age, education, place of study, work and residence.

Geography of the study: the study was conducted at universities in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

Object of research: students and teachers of engineering, technical, medical, pedagogical and socio-humanitarian fields.

Subject of study:

  1. (1)

    Awareness of students and teachers about the SDGs;

  2. (2)

    Perception and understanding of the SDGs;

  3. (3)

    Assessment of teachers’ implementation of modules on sustainable development in the educational process.

The conducted sociological research is aimed at studying the state and dynamics of the implementation of the SDGs in the higher education system of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, taking into account the following tasks:

  1. (1)

    Definition awareness of students and teachers about the SDGs;

  2. (2)

    Evaluation perception and understanding of the SDGs;

  3. (3)

    Evaluation of teachers’ implementation of modules on sustainable development in the educational process.

The survey was attended by students and teachers of the Innovative University of Eurasia (Pavlodar), Toraighyrov University (Pavlodar), Margulan University (Pavlodar), Eurasian National University named after L.N. Gumilev (Astana), Esil University (Astana), Astana International University (Astana), Rudny Industrial Institute (Rudny), South Kazakhstan Medical Academy (Shymkent), Taraz Regional University named after M.H. Dulati (Taraz), Tajik Technical University named after M. Osimi (Dushanbe), Tajik National University (Dushanbe), International University of Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek), Nordic International University (Tashkent) and Samarkand State Medical University (Samarkand).

The criterion for selecting universities is the presence at the university of educational programs in various areas of training, namely, engineering and technology, social sciences, humanities, pedagogy, etc., and regional diversity was ensured by the diversity of the regions of Central Asia that took part in the survey.

Period of the field phase of the study: from October 2023 to January 2024.

Toolkit: questionnairein electronic and paper versions.

We developed questionnaires for students and teachers, which included sections assessing the awareness of students and teachers about the goals of sustainable development, assessing the perception and understanding of sustainable development goals by students and teachers, as well as assessing the implementation of modules on sustainable development by teachers in the educational process.

We tried to make the survey accessible, engaging, relevant and respectful to respondents, and to minimize response bias by ensuring anonymity, respondent confidentiality, and providing clear instructions and feedback. The design of survey questions followed the principles of clarity, simplicity, neutrality, specificity, and relevance, avoiding leading, loaded, ambiguous, or complex questions.

To do this, we took the following steps:

  • 1. Determined the purpose and objectives of the survey.

  • 2. Use simple and precise language, avoiding jargon, technical terms, abbreviations, or ambiguous words that could confuse or mislead respondents. We tried to use words that were familiar and understandable to the target audience.

  • 3. Avoided leading questions, questions that suggest or imply a certain answer. It was important for us to encourage respondents to express their true opinions.

  • 4. Avoided double questions that could confuse respondents and make it difficult to interpret the results.

  • 5. Provided balanced answers.

  • 6. The order and format of the questions and answers followed a logical and consistent pattern to avoid confusion, questions were grouped into the following topics: assessing student and faculty awareness of the sustainable development goals, assessing student and faculty perceptions and understanding of the sustainable development goals, and assessing faculty implementation modules on sustainable development in the educational process.

Data were processed in IBM SPSS Statistics 27 program.

4 Results and discussion

According to the results of the study, it was revealed that the majority of students surveyed state a lack of knowledge about the global goals in the field of sustainable development.

In response to the question: «Are you aware of the global Sustainable Development Goals, adopted and signed by 193 world leaders at the historic UN summit in September 2015?» 56.2% of Kazakh students, 52.3% of Tajik students, 69.3% of Kyrgyz students, 70% of Uzbek students responded that they «don’t know».

The most informed students among Central Asian countries were students of Tajik universities, as 47.7% of Tajik students know about the global goals for sustainable development. The study shows that more than half of the Kazakh (56%), Kyrgyz (62%) and Uzbek (74%) students surveyed do not know about the implementation period and number of SDGs, answering the question: «I know the time period for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals,» in while 55% of Tajik students answered positively to this question.

More than half of the students do not know about the number of SDGs: answering the question: «I know the number of Sustainable Development Goals and can indicate one of their goals,» 60% of Kazakhstani, 57% of Tajik, 66% of Kyrgyz, 73% of Uzbek respondents answered that «they do not know».

It should be noted that during the study in these universities, the following pattern emerged: students of pedagogical and social-humanitarian areas of training have less information about the SDGs than students of engineering, technical and medical areas.

Thus, when answering about the number of SDGs, 65% of students in pedagogical and 60% of socio-humanitarian areas of training do not know and cannot even indicate one of the goals of sustainable development. Engineering, technical and medical students are a little more informed about the number of sustainable development goals and can even name one of them, so to the question: «I know the number of sustainable development goals and can indicate one of their goals,» 45% and 46% answered positively. students of engineering, technical and medical fields, respectively.

As a source of information about the SDGs, most students of the listed universities in Central Asian countries indicated social networks and the Internet. Unfortunately, during their education in schools and universities, students are exposed to less information about the sustainable development goals.

Answering the question: «Please indicate from what sources did you learn about the Sustainable Development Goals?» 34% of students in the Central Asian region indicated social networks and the Internet, and only 14% of students received information during their education (school, university) (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1
figure 1

Sources of information about the SDGs (students)

Full size image

Even more students are unaware of the structures involved in sustainable development in their regions. According to the survey results, to the question «Are you aware of structures involved in sustainable development in your region?» 29% of students from Kazakhstan, 30% from Tajikistan, 29% from Kyrgyzstan answered that they know, 26% from Uzbekistan.

At the same time, after being asked to name these structures, no more than 20% of students gave a clear answer. Among the structures most often mentioned are UN units (development program, UNESCO, General Assembly), large corporations that declare commitment to the SDGs on paper (Eurasian Resources Group, KazMunayGas, etc.), as well as party organizations of their states. Comparing the respondents’ answers with the actual implementation of SDG projects, we can conclude that in the Central Asian region, SDGs are implemented on a systematic basis mainly by UN structures (UNDP, UNESCO).

Most students understand that sustainable development is a process of change in which the exploitation of natural resources, the direction of investment, the direction of scientific and technological development, personal development and institutional changes are coordinated with each other and strengthen the capacity to meet human needs, as more than 60% of students surveyed universities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan noted that this formulation reflects to the greatest extent the content of the concept of «sustainable development», while the percentage of answers to this question is almost the same among all countries in the region.

The answer to the question about subsequent generations is quite optimistic. Thus, to the question: «Do you think that when consuming natural resources, we should think about subsequent generations,» 74% of Kazakh, 85% of Tajik, 68% of Kyrgyz, 90% of Uzbek students answered positively.

Kazakh students are particularly interested in addressing poverty eradication (Goal 1), promoting good health and well-being (Goal 3), ensuring quality education (Goal 4), improving access to clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), fostering decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), and advocating for peace, justice, and effective institutions (Goal 16).

Tajik students prioritize goals such as poverty eradication (Goal 1), promoting good health and well-being (Goal 3), ensuring quality education (Goal 4), advocating for gender equality (Goal 5), improving access to clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), and fostering decent work and economic growth (Goal 8).

In Kyrgyzstan, students focus on addressing poverty eradication (Goal 1), promoting good health and well-being (Goal 3), ensuring quality education (Goal 4), improving access to clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), fostering decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), and promoting responsible consumption and production (Goal 12).

Meanwhile, Uzbek students are committed to addressing poverty eradication (Goal 1), promoting good health and well-being (Goal 3), ensuring quality education (Goal 4), improving access to clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), advocating for affordable energy (Goal 7), and promoting peace, justice, and effective institutions (Goal 16).

Issues of health and well-being, as well as poverty reduction, are highlighted by students from Kazakhstan as key issues, issues of gender equality, decent work are urgent for Tajik students, responsible consumption, economic growth are of concern to Kyrgyz students, and inexpensive energy and effective judicial institutions are of concern to Uzbek students.

Common to the Central Asian university students who took part in the study were issues related to poverty eradication, health and well-being, quality education, clean water and sanitation.

Thus, when implementing sustainable development goals, primarily for the countries of Central Asia, the issue of combating social inequality is relevant. The relationship between the state of the economy, the well-being of the population, quality education and the state of the environment is the essence of the Sustainable Development Agenda for this region. Of course, the issue of social inequality concerns all countries of the world, regardless of their level of development and geographical location. In the modern world, the issue of social inequality is relevant even for the most developed countries, and it must be addressed.

There can be no sustainable development when the gap between rich and poor widens. Assessing changes over the past two years in goals that are significant to them, the majority of Kazakhstani students note that the country has not advanced in achieving these goals, their level has remained the same, however, it is worth noting that 33% of the students surveyed agreed that the situation has changed for the better in terms of the possibility of obtaining quality education, but has deteriorated in terms of clean water and sanitation, as 25% of the total number of Kazakh students surveyed think so (Fig. 2a).

Fig. 2
figure 2

Changes to 6 specified SDGs (students)

Full size image

Assessing changes over the past 2 years in goals that are meaningful to them, the majority of Tajik students note positive dynamics, especially the country has advanced in achieving good health and well-being, clean water and sanitation 67% and 53% respectively. However, it is worth noting that 39% of the students surveyed noted that the situation has changed for the worse in terms of the opportunity to receive a quality education (Fig. 2b).

Assessing changes over the past two years in goals that are significant to them, the majority of Kyrgyz students, like Kazakh students, note that the country has not moved forward in achieving these goals, their level has remained the same. However, it is worth noting that 35% of the students surveyed agreed that the situation has changed for the better with regard to responsible production and consumption, but has worsened in the opportunity to receive a quality education, as 26% think (Fig. 2c).

Assessing changes over the past 2 years in goals that are significant to them, the majority of Uzbek students, as well as Tajik ones, note positive dynamics; changes, in their opinion, are especially noticeable in achieving quality education (53%), good health and well-being (54%), peace, justice and effective institutions (55%) respectively. However, the situation has worsened in relation to inexpensive and clean energy, as 32% of the total number of Uzbek students surveyed think (Fig. 2d).

The opinion of Kazakh, Tajik and Kyrgyz students in assessing the impact of their lifestyle on aspects related to the SDGs is divided, so more than a third of the students surveyed are rather pessimistic about the impact of their lifestyle on achieving the SDGs, less than a third took a neutral position, and a third of respondents are hopeful about future, believing that their lifestyle influences the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Uzbek students are more optimistic about the possibilities of their lifestyle in achieving progress towards sustainable development goals, as most of them agreed that their lifestyle has an impact on the development of the SDGs.

What is the reason for such mixed sentiments of the younger generation in assessing their influence on the processes taking place in their countries in relation to the sustainable development goals? From one perspective, the geopolitical landscape in Central Asia gives rise to a myriad of expectations among the younger generation. With its strategic geographical location, vast natural resources, and significant transit potential, Central Asia serves as a focal point where the interests and ambitions of external powers intersect. However, amidst this intricate web of dynamics, there are instances where strategic objectives and approaches converge among these external actors, fostering cooperation rather than outright competition in certain spheres.

On the other hand, internal factors such as economic development (low level of economic development, lack of structural changes in the economy, unstable economic situation, further stagnation of the economy and falling living standards of the population, resource orientation), as well as issues of transit of power and corruption do not add optimism.

Furthermore, alongside economic and power transit concerns, the uncertainty surrounding future prospects is compounded by various factors. These include a lack of clarity regarding future development trajectories, particularly in light of the ongoing challenges associated with the implementation of strategic programs that continually undergo revision. Moreover, the absence of a comprehensive strategy for navigating crises, coupled with the unpredictability of internal political dynamics and the evolution of integration processes, further contribute to the prevailing sense of uncertainty.

More than a third of surveyed Kazakh and Kyrgyz students do not see any connection between their future profession and sustainable development goals, a third took a neutral position, and less than a third of surveyed students believe that the profession in which they are studying is related to sustainable development goals.

A third of Tajik students do not see any connection between their future profession and the goals of sustainable development, however, a slightly larger proportion of Tajik students surveyed believe that the profession in which they are studying is related to the goals of sustainable development. Engineering students are more likely to associate their profession with sustainable development goals.

More than half of Uzbek students, on the contrary, believe that the profession in which they are studying is related to sustainable development goals. The opinion of Kazakh and Kyrgyz students in assessing the connection of their curriculum with SDG topics was divided, so more than a third of the students surveyed, while studying at the university, did not touch upon problematic issues, topics related to the sustainable development goals, a third of the students surveyed took a neutral position, and only less than a third of the students throughout their studies, they came across SDG topics. More than a third of Tajik students and the majority of Uzbek students said that they encountered SDG topics during their studies.

Despite the fact that the lion's share of surveyed students at universities in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan believe that all important problems of humanity should be solved first, the study shows that environmental problems are of great concern to students.

At the same time, students from Uzbekistan (29%) and Kyrgyzstan (23%) place the greatest emphasis on solving environmental problems. Social and economic problems equally concern students from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan (9–12%), and students from Uzbekistan—only in 5–6% of cases.

More than a third of the students surveyed in the Central Asian region are not confident that they have a significant influence on their decisions. The ecological culture of the population of the Central Asian countries is not in the best condition, as is education.

In general, in the countries of Central Asia in recent decades, much has been done to ensure that people have the right to participate in decision-making on environmental issues, participate in public hearings, and so on. But we see that the activity of young people in defending their rights and sense of responsibility is not sufficiently developed, because yes, well, waste, water, this is all very necessary, true and necessary to know. But these are all superficial manifestations of a deep understanding of personal responsibility for the planet.

The study shows that, despite high awareness and understanding of responsibility towards future generations, the majority of students from Central Asian countries that took part in the study are not sure that they have an impact on solving global issues, so 51% of students from Kazakhstan, 69% from Tajikistan, 49% from Kyrgyzstan and 52% from Uzbekistan believe that they are only able to help solve them to a small extent global problems of humanity.

However, the study revealed positive dynamics among students from Central Asian countries regarding the possibility of their influence on solving global problems, so 42% of surveyed students from Kazakhstan, 58% from Tajikistan, 43% from Kyrgyzstan, 55% from Uzbekistan, respectively are ready to change their attitudes and lifestyles in order to solve global problems, and 22% of Tajik students are even ready and able to organize events and involve other people in solving global problems (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3
figure 3

What can you do to solve global problems? (students)

Full size image

According to the results of the study, it was revealed that more than half of the surveyed teachers in Central Asian countries have information about the global goals in the field of sustainable development.

So, in answer to the question: «Are you aware of the global Sustainable Development Goals, adopted and signed by 193 world leaders at the historic UN summit in September 2015?» 62% of teachers from Kazakhstan, 69% from Tajikistan and 70% from Kyrgyzstan answered that they «know». Teachers from Uzbekistan have slightly less information: 56% answered affirmatively to the question «Do you know about the global Sustainable Development Goals, adopted and signed by 193 world leaders at the historic UN summit in September 2015?».

As a source of information about the SDGs, most teachers from Central Asian countries indicated social networks and the Internet (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4
figure 4

Sources of information about the SDGs (educators)

Full size image

Most Tajik and Uzbek teachers have an idea of the structures involved in sustainable development in their regions. Thus, 64% of Tajik and 69% of Uzbek teachers answered positively to the question: «Are you aware of structures involved in sustainable development in your region?».

The majority of Kazakh and Kyrgyz teachers have no idea about the structures involved in sustainable development in their regions: 52% in Kyrgyzstan and 58% in Kazakhstan answered negatively to the question: «Are you aware of structures involved in sustainable development in your region?».

Those teachers who answered positively to the question about the structures involved in sustainable development in their regions most often point to UN divisions, various ministries, and government bodies.

The vast majority of teachers understand that sustainable development is a process of change in which the exploitation of natural resources, the direction of investment, the direction of scientific and technological development, personal development and institutional changes are coordinated with each other and strengthen the capacity to meet human needs, as 80% of the surveyed teachers noted that this formulation reflects to the greatest extent the content of the concept of «sustainable development».

Kazakh university professors prioritize addressing poverty (1), good health and well-being (3), quality education (4), clean water and sanitation (6), decent work and economic growth (8), industrialization, innovation and infrastructure (9).

In Tajikistan, faculty members are particularly concerned with tackling poverty (1), good health and well-being (3), quality education (4), clean water and sanitation (6), affordable and clean energy (7), decent work and economic growth (8).

Kyrgyz university professors prioritize efforts to alleviate poverty (1), good health and well-being (3), quality education (4), clean water and sanitation (6), decent work and economic growth (8), peace, justice and effective institutions (16).

Meanwhile, in Uzbekistan, university professors focus on promoting good health and well-being (3), quality education (4), clean water and sanitation (6), affordable and clean energy (7), decent work and economic growth (8), peace, justice and effective institutions (16).

Across these nations, sustainable development issues include climate change impacts such as melting glaciers and droughts, air pollution, waste management challenges, water scarcity, land degradation, desertification, inadequate infrastructure development, and high unemployment rates.

It is noteworthy that common concerns among faculty members across the surveyed universities encompass health and well-being, education quality, access to clean water and sanitation, decent employment, and economic growth. Assessing changes over the past two years in goals that are significant to them, the majority of Kazakhstani teachers note that the country has not advanced in achieving these goals, their level has remained the same, however, it is worth noting that 39% of respondents saw that the situation has seriously changed for the better in the field innovative development of Kazakhstan, but has worsened in terms of health, as 32% of the total number of Kazakh teachers surveyed think so (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5
figure 5

Changes to 6 specified SDGs (teachers)

Full size image

Teachers from Kyrgyzstan note that their country has not made progress in achieving these goals, their level has largely remained the same, however, it is worth noting that 43% of respondents saw that the situation has seriously changed for the better in the areas of quality education and clean water and sanitation (40%), but has worsened in relation to peace, justice and effective institutions and poverty eradication, according to 37% of the total number of Kyrgyz teachers surveyed.

Educators in Uzbekistan say their country has made little progress towards achieving these goals, with significant improvements in decent work and economic growth and quality education opportunities, but has significantly deteriorated in terms of affordable and clean energy, 52% say of the total number of Uzbek teachers surveyed.

Teachers at universities in Tajikistan are more optimistic than their colleagues in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, observing the processes taking place in the country; thus, assessing changes over the past two years in goals that are significant to them, Tajik teachers note that the country has made particular progress in achieving such goals as eliminating poverty (72%), clean water and sanitation (57%), affordable and clean energy (55%), however, it is worth noting that almost a third of respondents (31%) are still concerned about the situation with the possibility of obtaining a quality education.

The majority of teachers surveyed from countries in the Central Asian region believe that education for achieving sustainable development goals is relevant to them as teachers. So, to answer the question: «To what extent is education for sustainable development relevant to you as an educator?» 80% of teachers from Kazakhstan, 92% from Tajikistan, 89% from Kyrgyzstan and 94% from Uzbekistan responded positively.

The study revealed that in the interests of achieving sustainable development goals more than half of teachers try to include materials on sustainable development goals in their educational courses for students (lectures, practical classes, etc.). So, to the question: «To achieve sustainable development goals I include materials on the following topics in my educational courses for students (lectures, practical classes, etc.)». Most teachers answered in the affirmative, the situation with the integration of SDG issues into educational courses among university teachers in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan looks especially optimistic.

At the same time, we note that the standard of living of the population is associated with prosperity and good health, however, despite the fact that in general the countries of Central Asia are going through difficult times, economic development (low level of economic development, lack of structural changes in the economy, unstable economic situation, further stagnation of the economy and a decline in the standard of living of the population, a focus on raw materials), as well as issues of transit of power and corruption do not yet add optimism, the younger generation looks to the future with hope and, assessing the changes over the past two years in goals that are significant to them, Tajik and Uzbek students note the emerging positive dynamics in achieving good health and well-being.

5 Conclusion

The results of a study conducted in higher educational institutions of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan among students and teachers show that the majority of students do not know the Sustainable Development Goals, the information that students received through the Internet, the media, teaching is insignificant, the results of teachers’ awareness are higher, than students. It should be noted that the most informed students among the countries of Central Asia were students of Tajik universities, as 47.7% of Tajik students know about the global goals in the field of sustainable development.

The majority of students at the listed universities in Central Asian countries indicated social networks and the Internet as a source of information about the SDGs, unfortunately, while receiving education at schools and universities, students are less exposed to information about the sustainable development goals.

Thus, the common concerns among Central Asian university students who took part in the study are issues related to poverty eradication, health and well-being, quality education, clean water and sanitation. Issues of gender equality, decent work are acute for Tajik students, responsible consumption, economic growth are of concern to Kyrgyz students, and low-cost energy and effective judicial institutions of Uzbek students, decent work and economic growth, coupled with peace, justice and effective institutions are also of concern for Kazakh students.

The majority of students surveyed at universities in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan believe that all important problems of humanity should be solved first, however, the study shows that environmental problems are of great concern to students.

Unfortunately, despite high awareness and understanding of responsibility towards future generations, the majority of students from Central Asian countries who took part in the study are not confident that they have an impact on solving global issues.

Presently, Central Asian countries are in the initial stages of incorporating essential Sustainable Development principles into their educational frameworks, curricula, and standards across various levels of formal education. This process primarily involves studying international practices, engaging in discussions, and initiating relevant activities. These efforts are largely undertaken within the framework of international environmental and educational initiatives, often with the backing of international organizations and donor nations.

In some secondary schools within the region, innovative educators from specialized institutions affiliated with UNESCO, as well as universities, are spearheading efforts to introduce key sustainable development themes into the educational sphere. With support from international organizations, these educators have started to develop custom programs aimed at integrating sustainable development principles into the educational process. This includes the creation of educational modules focused on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the development of modern educational materials on ESD. However, these initiatives still lack consistent funding from state budgets, limiting their sustainability and scalability.

To date, in the countries of Central Asia, the system of environmental education continues to form as one of the most important components of ESD, and the main emphasis is on the conservation, restoration and prevention of deterioration of natural and natural-anthropogenic systems, on the rational use of natural resources, on the desire for cyclical nature of natural systems (minimizing waste from economic activities) as the material basis for the long-term well-being of society.

However, it should be noted that so far there is practically no targeted work to promote ESD in the educational system of the countries of the region. Individual specialties, disciplines and topics do not form a single system focused on SD.

To meet the demands of the current stage of development of society, the education system should be interested in the widest possible dissemination of information and substantiation of the synergistic effect of cross-sectoral integration of economic, environmental and socio-cultural aspects of sustainable development.

In the higher education system of Central Asian countries, ESD issues have not yet been introduced as components into existing subjects. It is necessary to involve a wide range of stakeholders and conduct information campaigns for teachers of schools and universities about the need to include ESD issues in existing subjects in specialties.

Currently, an interdisciplinary approach in the field of ESD is at the stage of studying international experience and the possibility of its application. This requires refinement, development and reform of the relevant regulatory framework for ESD, increasing the potential of teachers at all levels of education, development and strengthening of the educational and methodological base of universities for ESD.

Thus, today in the countries of the region, implementation as a single project is the most accessible way to reflect ESD issues.

Let us highlight the identified problems for the inclusion of education for sustainable development in education systems in Central Asian countries:

  1. 1.

    Analytical work with national voluntary reports from countries in this region has shown that at the moment education for sustainable development is not sufficiently reflected in national policies and legal documents, education for sustainable development is still not set as a priority.

  1. 2.

    Analysis of educational programs of specialties and other standards of formal education, carried out at the Tajik Technical University named after. M. Osimi (Dushanbe), Tajik National University (Dushanbe), International University of Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek), Nordic International University (Tashkent) and Samarkand State Medical University (Samarkand), Innovative University of Eurasia (Pavlodar), Toraighyrov University (Pavlodar), Margulan University (Pavlodar), Eurasian National University named after L.N. Gumilev (Astana), Esil University (Astana), Astana International University (Astana), Rudny Industrial Institute (Rudny), South Kazakhstan Medical Academy (Shymkent), Taraz Regional University named after M.H. Dulati (Taraz) showed that university curricula are still focused on academic content and currently do not yet fully take into account the concepts and competencies in the field of education for sustainable development.

Although the 2030 Agenda requires education systems to take into account «transversal competencies», the following terms are used to refer to these competencies: core competencies, cross-cutting competencies, twenty-first century skills, non-cognitive skills (UNESCO Report Assessing Transversal Competencies), that enable students to live sustainably, make informed decisions and take responsibility for their actions. These include empathy, critical thinking, media and information literacy, self-awareness, and problem solving.

In the context of achieving the SDGs, UNESCO also proposed developing transversal competencies for sustainable development. For example, systems thinking allows students to recognize and understand complex relationships and systems, anticipatory vision allows them to understand and evaluate multiple options for the future, and normative competence allows them to reflect on the norms and values that underlie human actions. Strategic competence, on the other hand, allows students to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that are sustainable [13].

  1. 3.

    Educators in the region face a knowledge gap when it comes to transversal competencies and pedagogical approaches that contribute to education for sustainable development.

However, there are positive examples; in Kyrgyzstan, technical and vocational education have become a key part of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development. Kyrgyzstan is taking significant steps to improve the quality of technical and vocational education. In today's rapidly changing world, it is becoming in demand not only to have knowledge and be able to conduct research aimed at the development of society or the economy, but also to create innovations to contribute to social and economic development. In Kyrgyzstan, for this purpose, a roadmap for transforming the university system into the «University 4.0» model has been developed.

So, in October 2023 International University of Kyrgyzstan successfully held the conference: «University 4.0—the university of the future on the path to sustainable development: modern trends, challenges and prospects».

University 4.0 should become a center for the creation of intellectual property, new technological industries, and the knowledge and information economy. The conference welcomed multidisciplinary research as well as cutting-edge results in various fields of science.

Tajikistan also demonstrates changes in the implementation of the education for sustainable development approach. Following the reforms, curricula are focused on environmental education, which includes learning objectives such as an understanding of universal values and harmony between nature, man and society in the development process.

For example, Tajik Technical University named after M. Osimi, whose students and teachers also took part in the study, in October 2023, conducted training seminars for teaching staff and students as part of the implementation of the university’s strategic plan «Tajik Technical University in the implementation of national priorities for sustainable development».

The development strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022–2026 prioritizes education as a key sector of the country’s socio-economic development. As key objectives, Uzbekistan is carrying out reforms related to quality and inclusive education; development of Internet infrastructure in remote regions; shaping young people’s precise goals about their intended future profession.

Currently, the prospects for the development of society are associated with the greening of all forms of life for the purpose of sustainable development. The relevance of environmental education is also growing in Kazakhstan. So, in recent years at KazNU has become a tradition to hold a round table dedicated to World Environment Day. The organizer of the event is the Institute of Sustainable Development named after. Ban Ki-Moon University with the support of the UN Information Office in Kazakhstan. Well-known public figures, ecologists, scientists, experts in the field of environmental protection, representatives of government agencies and non-governmental organizations take part in the open dialogue.

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, which heads the Global Hub of the UN Academic Impact Program on Sustainability, actively involves the international academic community in the implementation and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations, one of which is environmental protection.

In this way, universities in Central Asia have begun to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, strengthen collaboration by bringing people and projects together, create a community of practice on the SDGs, and promote new and change-making initiatives.

ESD is a decisive factor for achieving sustainable development, and has undeniably great potential to influence the prospects for further development of the countries of Central Asia.

The SDGs are today a generally recognized mechanism for jointly solving global problems and preserving the planet. In this context, developing SDG-related competencies is still a challenge for HEIs. SD topics and ESD principles are poorly reflected or not reflected at all in state education standards, and individual specialties, disciplines and topics do not form a unified system focused on SD, and are implemented outside the context of the main tasks and principles of ESD.

Recommendations for universities:

  • Integrate Education for Sustainable Development into the continuous professional development programs for faculty members in higher education institutions.

  • Establish incentives to encourage the development and dissemination of teaching methods and resources focusing on ESD.

  • Advocate for the principles of sustainable development within the education system to enhance overall educational quality.

  • Embed national spiritual, moral values, and cultural traditions into educational frameworks alongside ESD.

  • Enhance the capacity of education professionals and stakeholders in ESD through targeted training and awareness initiatives.

  • Provide educational institutions and outreach organizations with modern and comprehensive resources and materials on ESD.

  • Foster an environment conducive to conducting innovative research and pilot projects on ESD.

  • Facilitate collaboration in ESD efforts at regional, interregional, and international levels to promote dialogue on the Sustainable Development Goals.