The Processes of Integrating Sustainability in Higher Education Curricula: A Theoretical-Practical Experience Regarding Key Competences and Their Cross-Curricular Incorporation into Degree Courses

Abstract

This paper presents the experience of the UNESCO Chair in Environmental Education and Sustainable Development in the process of integrating sustainability in university curricula. Our points of reference are both theoretical and practical. With regard to the former, we concentrate our work on the principles and values of sustainable development. At the practical level, the Chair constitutes part of an Interdisciplinary and Inter-University Working Group brought into being by the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (‘CRUE’) which works on defining key competences in sustainability, and on strategies to incorporate these competences in a cross-curricular manner into all degree qualifications. This paper presents the theoretical approaches and goals achieved by the above-mentioned Working Group, which has succeeded in reaching a consensus on the definition of a number of key competences in sustainability. Our basic model of competences is based on systemic thinking, critical thinking, anticipative thinking, social commitment and ethical commitment. At the same time, as an example of the practical effects of these competences, the Chair presents an educational scheme to train our students along these sustainability lines. The scheme consists of a stimulus activity, in the framework of a teaching strategy oriented towards meaningful learning. Rubrics (performance indicators) are used as an instrument to facilitate the training process in the context of distance-learning university teaching. The proposal can be implemented in other educational contexts of similar characteristics.