Skip to main content

The EDINSOST Project: Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals at University Level

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Universities as Living Labs for Sustainable Development

Abstract

This article presents a review of the generic competencies in sustainability in Higher Education (HE). It provides a compilation of these sustainability competencies as an instrument to facilitate their assessment in university studies. Within the framework of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), the Bologna process proposed working by competencies. It will not be an easy task to implement these competencies, together with the global challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), at university level. Higher education institutions (HEIs) have a key role to play in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development adopted at the United Nations, and developing sustainability competencies is a way to promote it. This paper presents the first result of the EDINSOST project: a competency map on sustainability. The map has been developed within the EDINSOST project, whose objective is to train graduates capable of resolving the challenges facing our society by integrating training in sustainability competencies into the Spanish University System (SUS). At eight Spanish universities, this map has been successfully adapted to several undergraduate degrees in education (Primary Education, Pre-School Education, Pedagogy and Social Education) and a master degree programme in Environmental Education.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    CRUE is a non-profit organisation composed of 76 Spanish universities: 50 of which are public and 26 are private. It acts as the main interlocutor between universities and the central government and plays a key role in all the regulatory developments that affect higher education in Spain. For more information, visit the website: http://www.crue.org/SitePages/Inicio.aspx.

  2. 2.

    The degree reports are official documents of University degrees, presented by each University and approved by the Spanish National Agency for Quality Evaluation and Accreditation (ANECA).

References

  • AITSL (2016) Australian professional standards for teachers. Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL)

    Google Scholar 

  • Albareda Tiana S, Alférez Villarreal A (2016) A collaborative programme in sustainability and social responsibility. Int J Sustain High Educ 17(5):719–736

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Albareda Tiana S, Fernández Morilla M, Mallarach Carrera J-M, Vidal Raméntol S (2017) Barreras para la sostenibilidad integral en la Universidad. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación 73(2017):253–272

    Google Scholar 

  • Albareda-Tiana S, Vidal-Raméntol S, Fernández-Morilla M (2018) Implementing the sustainable development goals at university level. Int J Sustain High Educ 19. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-05-2017-0069

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aznar P, Ull MA (2009) La formación de competencias básicas para el desarrollo sostenible: el papel de la Universidad. Revista de Educación, número extraordinario 2009:219–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrón Ruiz A, Navarrete A, Ferrer-Balas D (2010) Sostenibilización curricular en las universidades españolas ¿Ha llegado la hora de actuar?. Revista Eureka sobre Enseñanza y Divulgación de las Ciencias 7:388–399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barth M, Godemann J, Rieckmann M, Stoltenberg U (2007) Developing key competencies for sustainable development in higher education. Int J Sustain High Educ 8(4):416–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brundiers K, Wiek A, Redman CL (2010) Real-world learning opportunities in sustainability: from classroom into the real world. Int J Sustain High Educ 11(4):308–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calder W, Clugston RM (2003) International efforts to promote higher education for sustainable development. Plann High Educ 31(3):30–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Cano García Mª E (2008) Competences assessment in higher education. Profesorado. Revista de currículum y formación del profesorado. http://www.ugr.es/~recfpro/rev123COL1.pdf

  • CRUE- International and Cooperation (2018) Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdMs_lGYFISJfRr0xIiPUe5tKgZx7vo_0sEDXDEtKBWCgp1jw/viewform. Accessed Feb 2018

  • CRUE-Sustainability (2012) Guidelines for the inclusion of Sustainability in the Curriculum. Available at: http://www.crue.org/Documentos%20compartidos/Declaraciones/Directrices_Ingles_Sostenibilidad_Crue2012.pdf

  • De Kraker J, Lansu A y van Dam-Mieras R (2007) Competences and competence-based learning for sustainable development. In: De Kraker J et al (eds) Crossing boundaries-Innovative learning for Sustainable development in higher education. United Nations. University Press, forthcoming, pp 103–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Disterheft A, da Silva Caeiro SSF, Ramos MR, de Miranda Azeiteiro UM (2012) Environmental management systems (EMS) implementation processes and practices in European higher education institutions—top-down versus participatory approaches. J Clean Prod 31:80–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EHEA. European Higher Education Area (2009) Secretaria General de Universidades. Gobierno de España. Ministerio de Educación. “Guía del usuario del ECTS”. Available at: https://es.scribd.com/document/138539182/Guia-del-Usuario-ECTS

  • Ferrer-Balas D, Adachi J, Banas S, Davidson CI, Hoshikoshi A, Mishra A, Ostwald M (2008) An international comparative analysis of sustainability transformation across seven universities. Int J Sustain High Educ 9(3):295–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuertes Camacho MT (2014) Modelo de sistematización en los proyectos sociales de ApS (UIC)/Model of systematization in Service- Learning Projects (UIC). Historia y Comunicación Social; Madrid 19:175–186

    Google Scholar 

  • García-González E, Jiménez-Fontana R, Azcárate P, Cardeñoso JM (2017) Inclusion of sustainability in University Classrooms Through Methodology. In Leal Filho W et al (eds) Handbook of theory and practice of sustainable development in higher education. World Sustainability Series, Springer International Publishing, pp 3–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47868-5_1

    Google Scholar 

  • Geli de Ciurana AM, Leal Filho W (2006) Education for sustainability in university studies: experiences from a project involving European and Latin American universities. Int J Sustain High Educ 7(1):81–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leal Filho W (2010) Teaching sustainable development at university level: current trends and future needs. Journal of Baltic Science Education 9:273–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Leal Filho W (2011) About the role of universities and their contribution to sustainable. High Educ Policy 24(4):427–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leal Filho W, Manolas E, Pace P (2015a) The future we want: key issues on sustainable development in higher education after Rio and the UN decade of education for sustainable development. Int J Sustain High Educ 16:112–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leal Filho W, Muthu N, Edwin G, Sima M (2015b) Implementing campus greening initiatives: approaches, methods and perspectives. Springer International Publishing

    Google Scholar 

  • Lozano R (2008) Envisioning sustainability three-dimensionally. J Clean Prod 16(17):1838–1846

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lozano R (2009) Diffusion of sustainable development in universities curricula: an empirical example from Cardiff University. J Clean Prod 18(7):637–644

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lozano R (2011) The state of sustainability reporting in universities. Int J Sustain High Educ 12(1):67–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lozano R, Lukman R, Lozano FJ, Huisingh D, Lambrechts W (2013) Declarations for sustainability in higher education: becoming better leaders, through addressing the university system. J Clean Prod 48:10–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medir RM, Heras R, Magin C (2016) Una propuesta evaluativa para actividades de educación ambiental para la sostenibilidad. Educación XX1, 19(1):331–355

    Google Scholar 

  • Michelsen G (2016) Policy, politics and polity in higher education for sustainable development. In: Barth Matthias, Michelsen Gerd, Thomas Ian, Rieckmann Marco (eds) Routledge handbook of higher education for sustainable development. Routledge, London, pp 40–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller GE (1990) The assessment of clinical skills/competence/performance. Academic Medicine (Supplement) 65:63–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Molderez I, Fonseca E (2017) The efficacy of real-world experiences and service learning for fostering competences for sustainable development in higher education. J Clean Prod 172:4397–4410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.04.062

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulà I, Tilbury D, Ryan A, Mader M, Dlouhá J, Mader C, Benayas J, Dlouhý J, Alba D, Leal Filho W (2017) Catalysing change in higher education for sustainable development: a review of professional development initiatives for university educators. Int J Sustain High Educ 18(5):798–820

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müller-Christ G, Sterling S, van Dam-Mieras R, Adomßent M, Fischer D, Rieckmann M (2014) The role of campus, curriculum, and community in higher education for sustainable development–a conference report. J Clean Prod 62:134–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (2002) Defining and assessing learning: exploring competency-based initiatives. U.S. Departament of Education. Available at: https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2002159

  • O’Byrne D, Dripps W, Nicholas KA (2015) Teaching and learning sustainability: an assessment of the curriculum content and structure of sustainability degree programs in higher education. Sustain Sci 10(1):43–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramos TB, Caeiro S, van Hoof B, Lozano R, Huisingh D, Ceulemans K (2015) Experiences from the implementation of sustainable development in higher education institutions: environmental management for sustainable universities. J Clean Prod 106:3–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rieckmann M (2012) Future-oriented higher education: Which key competencies should be fostered through university teaching and learning? Futures 44(2):127–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan A, Tilbury D (2013) Flexible pedagogies: new ideas. Flexible pedagogies. Preparing for the Future. Higher Education Academy, York

    Google Scholar 

  • Saito O, Managi S, Kanie N, Kauffman J, Takeuchi K (2017) Sustainability science and implementing the sustainable development goals. Sustain Sci 12:907–910. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-017-0486-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez F, Cabré J, Alier M, Vidal E, López D, Martín C, Garcia J (2016) A learning tool to develop sustainable. Projects. frontiers in education conference FIE 2016. Erie, PA USA, October 2016

    Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez F, Segalàs J, Cabré J, Climent J, López D, Martín C, Vidal E (2017) El proyecto EDINSOST: inclusión de los ODS en la educación superior. Revista Española de Desarrollo y Cooperación, Madrid: Instituto Universitario de Desarrollo y Cooperación. Universidad Complutense de Madrid 41:67–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Sleurs W (ed) (2008) Competencies for ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) teachers. A framework to integrate ESD in the curriculum of teacher training institutes. Comenius 2.1 project 118277-CP-1-2004-BE-Comenius-C2.1. Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Sterling S (2004) Higher education, sustainability and the role of systemic learning. In: Corcoran PB, Wals AEJ (Eds) Higher education and the challenge of sustainability, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Springer, Dordrecht, pp 49–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas I (2016) Challenges for implementation of education for sustainable development in higher education institutions. In: Barth M, Michelsen G, Rieckmann M, Thomas I (eds) Routledge handbook of higher education for sustainable development. Routledge, London and New York, pp 56–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilbury D, Wortman D (2004) Engaging people in sustainability. Commission on Education and Communication, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO (2005a) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Draft international implementation scheme for the United Nations, Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014). UNESCO, Paris. Available at: http://portal.unesco.org/education/es/file_download.php/e13265d9b948898339314b001d91fd01draftFinal+IIS.pdf

  • UNESCO (2005b) UNESCO and Sustainable Development. UNESCO, Paris. Available at: http://earthcharter.org/virtual-library2/draft-international-implementation-scheme-for-the-united-nations-decade-of-education-for-sustainable-development-2005-2014/

  • UNESCO (2014a) Aichi-Nagoya Declaration on Higher Education for Sustainable Development. UNESCO, Aichi-Nagoya. Available at: http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/ERI/pdf/Aichi-Nagoya_Declaration_EN.pdf

  • UNESCO (2014b) Roadmap for Implementing the Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development. UNESCO, Paris. Available at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002305/230514e.pdf

  • UNESCO (2016) Planet: education for environmental sustainability and green growth. Global Education Monitoring Report. UNESCO, Paris. Available at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002464/246429e.pdf

  • UNESCO (2017) Education for Sustainable Development Goals. Learning Objectives. UNESCO, Paris. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002474/247444e.pdf

  • United Nations (UN) (2002) Resolution 57/254 adopted by the General Assembly United Nations. Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. http://www.un-documents.net/a57r254.htm. Accessed Feb 2018

  • United Nations (UN) (2012) The future we want: outcome document of the united nations conference on sustainable development adopted at Rio + 20. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/733FutureWeWant.pdf

  • United Nations (UN) (2015) Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 Sep 2015

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)(2011) Strategy for education for sustainable development. Learning for the future: competences in education for sustainable Development. Available at: https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/esd/ESD_Publications/Competences_Publication.pdf

  • United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) (2013) Empowering educators for a sustainable future. Tools for policy and practice workshops on competences in education for sustainable development. Geneva, Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) (2016) Ten years of the UNECE strategy for education for sustainable development. New York and Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Wals AE (2009) A mid-DESD review: key findings and ways forward. J Educ Sustain Dev 3:195–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wals AE, Tassone VC, Hampson GP, Reams J (2016) Learning for walking the change: eco-social innovation through sustainability-oriented higher education. In: Barth M, Michelsen G, Thomas I, Rieckmann M (eds) Routledge handbook of higher education for sustainable development. Routledge, London, pp 25–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Wals AE (2014) Sustainability in higher education in the context of the UN DESD: a review of learning and institutionalization processes. J Clean Prod 62:8–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiek A, Withycombe L, Redman CL (2011) Key competencies in sustainability: a reference framework for academic program development. Sustain Sci 6(2):203–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Silvia Albareda-Tiana .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Albareda-Tiana, S., Ruíz-Morales, J., Azcárate, P., Valderrama-Hernández, R., Múñoz, J.M. (2020). The EDINSOST Project: Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals at University Level. In: Leal Filho, W., et al. Universities as Living Labs for Sustainable Development. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15604-6_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics