Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

No Transition Without Transformation: Educating Sustainability

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
SDGs in the European Region

  • 36 Accesses

Abstract

Sustainability transition is not new for higher education. Universities around the world have discussed about the topic since the 1970s, publishing series of reports and declarations of intentions. These documents kept calling for transdisciplinary approaches and the implementation of Education for Sustainable Development competences. However, a few decades after, HEIs struggle with the operationalization of an educational vision on sustainable development into the practicality of a faculty program or curricula. This chapter calls the academic community to explore new learning contexts that facilitate moving to higher orders of learning that can sustain the integration sustainability approaches. Moving to deeper levels of learning means the transition from educating about sustainability towards educating for sustainability and the final destination: educating as sustainability.

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albareda-Tiana S, Gonzalvo-Cirac M (2013) Competencias genéricas en sostenibilidad en la educación superior. Revisión y compilación. Revista de Comunicación de la SEECI

    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(3):473–497. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-05-2017-0069

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alvarez MG, Rijsdijk L (2017) Value creators: an innovative learning environment to shape the future together and find glocal soulutions to the challenges ahead. J Eur Honor Counc 1(2):1–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Apostel L, Berger G, Briggs A, Michaud G (eds) (1972) Interdisciplinarity; problems of teaching and research in universities. Interdisciplinarity in Universities. CERI, OECD, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Aznar Minguet P, Martinez-Agut MP, Palacios B, Pinero A, Ull MA (2011) Introducing sustainability into university curricula: an indicator and baseline survey of the views of university teachers at the University of Valencia. Environ Educ Res 17(2):145–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrett P, Davies F, Zhang Y, Barrett L (2017) The holistic impact of classroom spaces on learning in specific subjects. Environ Behav 49(4):425–451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass R (2012) Disrupting ourselves: the problem of learning in higher education. Educ Rev 47(2):2

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett N, Lemoine GJ (2014) What a difference a word makes: understanding threats to performance in a VUCA world. Bus Horiz 57(3):311–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berliner DC (2008) The effects of high-stakes testing on the US economy, its educators, students, and culture. Conference, February 26. Hacettepe University, Anakara/Turkey

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein JH (2015) Transdisciplinarity: a review of its origins, development, and current issues

    Google Scholar 

  • Betof, E., Owens, L.M., and Todd, S. (2014). Leaders as teachers action guide: proven approaches for unlocking success in your organization. American Society for Training and Developing.

    Google Scholar 

  • BIAC (2015) Character qualities for the workplace: BIAC survey. Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Blumenfeld PC, Soloway E, Marx RW, Krajcik JS, Guzdial M, Palincsar A (1991) Motivating project-based learning: sustaining the doing, supporting the learning. Educ Psychol 26(3–4):369–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boddington A, Boys J (2011) Re-shaping learning – an introduction. In: Boddington A, Boys J (eds) Re-shaping learning: A critical reader. Sense Publishers., Rotterdam, pp xi–xxii

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Brandler S, Roman CP (2015) Group work: skills and strategies for effective interventions. Routledge, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Brief UP (2017) Community-based learning for sustainable development

    Google Scholar 

  • Brundtland GH (1987) Our common future: the world commission on environment and development. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Cascio J (2021) A educação e mum mundo cada vez mais caotico. Boletin Tecnico do Senac 47(1):101–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummings S, Regeer BJ, Ho WWS, Zweekhorst MBM (2013) Proposing a fifth generation of knowledge management for development: investigating convergence between knowledge management for development and transdisciplinary research. Knowl Manag Dev J 9(2):10–36. http://journal.km4dev.org/

    Google Scholar 

  • Das KK, Ara A (2014) Leadership in a VUCA world: A case of Lenovo. Int J Curr Res, 6(4):6410–6419.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dede C (2009) Immersive interfaces for engagement and learning. Science 323(5910):66–69

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Education Council (2001) The concrete future objectives of education and training systems, Report from Education Council to the European Council, Brussels 14 February, Nr. 5980/01, pp. 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (2018) Mission-oriented research and innovation policy: a RISE perspective, Publications Office https://doi.org/10.2777/426921

  • Fadel C, Bialik M, Trilling B, Schnickel J (2015) A review of four-dimensional education

    Google Scholar 

  • Feltovich PI, Coulson RL, Peltovich J (1996) Complexity, individually and in groups. CSCL Theor Pract Emerg Paradigm 25:25–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Følstad A (2008) Living labs for innovation and development of information and communication technology: a literature review

    Google Scholar 

  • Freire P (1970) Pedagogy of the oppressed. The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Freire P (1981) Education for critical consciousness. Continuum, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher SE, Savage T (2020) Challenge-based learning in higher education: an exploratory literature review. Teaching in Higher Education:1–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia Alvarez M (2018) Can character solve our problems? Character qualities and the imagination age. Creat Educ 9(2):152–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia Alvarez M (2020) Character qualities in educating for sustainability. In: Leal Filho W, Azul A, Brandli L, Özuyar P, Wall T (eds) Quality education. Encyclopaedia of the UN sustainable development goals. Springer, Cham

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibb A (2002) Creating conductive environments for learning and entrepreneurship. Living with, dealing with, creating and enjoying uncertainty and complexity. Ind High Educ 16(3):135–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Godoy MF, Ribas Filho D (2021) Facing the BANI world. Int J Nutrol 14(02):e33-333

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalo Muñoz V, Sobrino Callejo MR, Benítez Sastre L, Coronado Marín A (2017) Systematic review of competences in sustainable development in higher education. Revista Iberoamericana De Educacion 73:85–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon EW, Aber L, Berliner D (2012) Changing paradigms for education. Assessment, Teaching, and Learning 2(2)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosselin D, Tindemans B (2016) Thinking futures: strategy at the edge of complexity and uncertainty. Lannoo Meulenhoff-Belgium

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallinger P, Chatpinyakoop C (2019) A bibliometric review of research on higher education for sustainable development, 1998–2018. Sustainability 11(8):2401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harden JRC, Davis MH, Friedman M, R. M. (1999) AMEE guide no. 14: outcome-based education: part 5-from competency to meta-competency: a model for the specification of learning outcomes. Med Teach 21(6):546–552

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helle L, Tynjälä P, Olkinuora E (2006) Project-based learning in post-secondary education–theory, practice and rubber sling shots. High Educ 51(2):287–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hilger A, Keil A (2021) Education for sustainable development with transdisciplinary-oriented courses-experiences and recommendations for future collaborations in higher education teaching. Journal of Geography in Higher Education:1–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoinle B, Roose I, Shekhar H (2021) Creating transdisciplinary teaching spaces. Cooperation of universities and non-university partners to design higher education for regional sustainable transition. Sustainability 13(7):3680

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IBM (2010) “Capitalizing on complexity”. IBM Global CEO Study

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein JT, Grossenbacher-Mansuy W, Häberli R, Bill A, Scholz RW, Welti M (eds) (2001) Transdisciplinarity: joint problem solving among science, technology, and society. An effective way for managing complexity. Birkhauser, Basel

    Google Scholar 

  • Kockelmans JJ (1979) Why interdisciplinarity? In: Kockelmans JJ (ed) Interdisciplinarity and higher education. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park, pp 123–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Korsakova TV (2020) Higher education in VUCA-world: new metaphor of university. Eur J Intercult Stud 6(1):93–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Kubisch S, Parth S, Deisenrieder V, Oberauer K, Stötter J, Keller L (2021) From transdisciplinary research to transdisciplinary education—the role of schools in contributing to community well-being and sustainable development. Sustainability 13:306. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leal Filho W (2020) Living labs for sustainable development: the role of the European school of sustainability sciences and research. In: Leal Filho W et al (eds) Universities as living labs for sustainable development. Springer, Cham, pp 3–9

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Leal Filho W, Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra B, Mifsud MC, Pretorius R (2017) Universities as living labs for sustainable development: a global perspective. Springer, Cham

    Google Scholar 

  • Leal Filho W, Salvia AL, Pretorius RW, Brandli LL, Manolas E, Alves F et al (eds) (2019) Universities as living labs for sustainable development: supporting the implementation of the sustainable development goals. Springer, Cham

    Google Scholar 

  • Levin K, Cashore B, Bernstein S, Auld G (2012) Overcoming the tragedy of super wicked problems: constraining our future selves to ameliorate global climate change. Policy Sci 45(2):123–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lozano R, Merrill MY, Sammalisto K, Ceulemans K, Lozano FJ (2017) Connecting competences and pedagogical approaches for sustainable development in higher education: a literature review and framework proposal. Sustainability 9(10):1889

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lozano R, Barreiro-Gen M, Lozano FJ, Sammalisto K (2019) Teaching sustainability in European higher education institutions: assessing the connections between competences and pedagogical approaches. Sustainability 11(6):1602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazzucato M (2013) The entrepreneurial state: debunking public vs private sector myths. Anthem Press, London. 266 pages, ISBN 9780857282521

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazzucato M (2018) Mission-oriented research & innovation in the European Union. European Commission

    Google Scholar 

  • McNeil J, Borg M (2018) Learning spaces and pedagogy: towards the development of a shared understanding. Innov Educ Teach Int 55(2):228–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melaville A, Berg AC, Blank MJ (2006) Community-based learning: engaging students for success and citizenship

    Google Scholar 

  • Middleton A (2018) Reimagining spaces for learning in higher education. Macmillan International Higher Education

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills JE, Treagust DF (2003) Engineering education – is problem-based or project-based learning the answer. Australas J Eng Educ 3(2):2–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Nichols M, Cator K, Torres M (2016) Challenge based learner user guide. Digital Promise, Redwood City

    Google Scholar 

  • Niewiadomski R, Anderson D (2020) The rise of artificial intelligence: its impact on labor market and beyond. In: Information Resources Management Association (ed) Natural language processing: concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications. IGI Global, pp 1298–1313

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Nørgård RT, Hilli C (2022) Hyper-hybrid learning spaces in higher education. In: Eyal L, Gil E (eds) Hybrid learning spaces. Springer, Cham, pp 25–41

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • O’Flaherty J, Liddy M (2018) The impact of development education and education for sustainable development interventions: a synthesis of the research. Environ Educ Res 24(7):1031–1049

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver TH (2016) How much biodiversity loss is too much? Science 353(6296):220–221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Orr D (1993) Architecture as pedagogy. Conserv Biol 7(2):226–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters MA, Rizvi F, McCulloch G, Gibbs P, Gorur R, Hong M et al (2020) Reimagining the new pedagogical possibilities for universities post-Covid-19: an EPAT collective project. Educ Philos Theory:1–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrie, N. (2014). Future Trends in Leadership Development. White paper by Centre for Creative Leadership

    Google Scholar 

  • Poli R (2013) A note on the difference between complicated and complex social systems. Cadmus

    Google Scholar 

  • Raghuramapatruni R, Kosuri S (2017) The straits of success in a VUCA world. IOSR J Bus Manag 19:16–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieckmann M (2018) Learning to transform the world: key competencies in education for sustainable development. In: Leicht A, Heiss J, Byun WJ (eds) Issues and trends in education for sustainable development. UNESCO, Paris, pp 39–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Rio+20 Education Group (2012) The education we need for the world we want. The education we need for the world we want (rio20.net)

  • Sarkar, A. (2015) We live in a VUCA World: the importance of responsible leadership, 30(3):9–1. Emerald Group Publishing, Development and Learning in Organisations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rittel HW, Webber MM (1973) Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sci 4(2):155–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scharmer CO (2009) Theory U: learning from the future as it emerges. Berrett-Koehler Publishers

    Google Scholar 

  • SDSN (2020) Accelerating Education for the SDGs in Universities: A guide for universities, colleges, and tertiary and higher education institutions. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sears DA, Reagin JM (2013) Individual versus collaborative problem solving: divergent outcomes depending on task complexity. Instr Sci 41:1153–1172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siemens G (2007) Connectivism: creating a learning ecology in distributed environments. In: Hug T (ed) Didactics of microlearning. Concepts, discourses and examples. Waxmann, Munster, pp 53–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Solís AU (2014) Competencias para la sostenibilidad y competencias en educación para la sostenibilidad en la educación superior. Uni-pluriversidad 14(3):46–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Steiner G, Laws D (2006) How appropriate are two established concepts from higher education for solving complex real-world problems? A comparison of the Harvard and the ETH case study approach. Int J Sustain High Educ 7(3):322–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sterling S (2014) Separate tracks or real synergy? Achieving a closer relationship between education and SD, post-2015. J Educ Sustain Dev 8(2):89–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoltenberg U, Burandt S (2014) Onderwijs voor duurzame ontwikkeling. In: Takeuchi K (ed) Sustainability sciences. Springer Spektrum, Berlijn/Heidelberg, pp 567–594

    Google Scholar 

  • Talloires Declaration (1990) University leaders for a sustainable future, ULSF 42

    Google Scholar 

  • Thürer M, Tomašević I, Stevenson M, Qu T, Huisingh D (2018) A systematic review of the literature on integrating sustainability into engineering curricula. J Clean Prod 181:608–617

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tibilisi Conference, UNESCO (1977) Intergovernmental conference on environmental education. Tbilisi, USSR, 14–26 October

    Google Scholar 

  • Tubbs SL, Schulz E (2006) Exploring a taxonomy of global leadership competencies and meta-competencies. J Am Acad Bus 8:29–34

    Google Scholar 

  • UIL (2014) Community matters: fulfilling learning potentials for young men and women, UIL policy Brief 4. Hamburg, UIL. Available at: http://bit.ly/2l3KhPF

    Google Scholar 

  • UN Conference on Environment and Development (1992) Agenda 21Ð action plan for the next century. Rio de Janeiro, UN CED

    Google Scholar 

  • UN General Assembly, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 21 October 2015, A/RES/70/1. Available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57b6e3e44.html. Accessed 12 June 2022

  • UNESCO (2015) Thematic indicators to monitor the education 2030 agenda. Technical advisory group proposal. http://www.uis. unesco.org/Education/Documents/43-indicators-to-monitoreducation2030.pdf

  • United Nations (2004) Millennium development goals: progress report. Place of publication not identified: UN Dept.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wardak D, Vallis C, Bryant P (2022) # OurPlace2020: blurring boundaries of learning spaces. Postdig Sci Educ 4(1):116–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warschauer M (2010) Digital literacy studies: progress and prospects. In: Baynham M, Prinsloo M (eds) The future of literacy studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, pp 123–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber EP, Khademian AM (2008) Wicked problems, knowledge challenges, and collaborative capacity builders in network settings. Public Adm Rev 68(2):334–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westerlund M, Leminen S, Habib C (2018) Key constructs and a definition of living labs as innovation platforms. Technol Innov Manag Rev 8(12):51

    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 

  • Yarime M, Trencher G, Mino T, Scholz RW, Olsson L, Ness B et al (2012) Establishing sustainability science in higher education institutions: towards an integration of academic development, institutionalization, and stakeholder collaborations. Sustain Sci 7(1):101–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zabalza Beraza MA (2012) Articulación y rediseño curricular: el eterno desafío institucional. REDU Revista de Docencia Universitaria 10(3):17–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zandvliet D, Broekhuizen A (2017) Spaces for learning: development and validation of the school physical and campus environment survey. Learn Environ Res 20(2):175–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeivots S (2021) Outsiderness and socialisation bump: first year perspectives of international university research students. Asia Pac J Educ 41(2):385–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, Zwolle, The Netherlands

    Maria Garcia-Alvarez

  2. University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU), Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain

    Itziar Rekalde-Rodríguez & Pilar Gil-Molina

Authors
  1. Maria Garcia-Alvarez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Itziar Rekalde-Rodríguez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pilar Gil-Molina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Garcia-Alvarez .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. European School of Sustainability, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  2. UFP Energy, Environment and Health Research Unit (FP-ENAS), University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Porto, Portugal

    Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis

  3. University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Sara Moggi

  4. Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK

    Elizabeth Price

  5. Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    Alex Hope

Section Editor information

  1. No affiliation provided

    Joaquin Longinos Marín

Glossary

Learning environments

Ecologies, which include virtual and physical spatial concepts, designed to facilitate and enhance the learning of students and their development of competences and skills.

Living labs

An open innovation platform of collaboration of public and private partnerships (PPP) which create, prototype, validate, and test new products and values for societies.

ESD learning methodologies

Those learning methods or concepts that have elements to sustain the development of ESD-related competences.

Transdisciplinarity

Integration of methodologies, concepts, and axioms that produces new ways of thinking shifting to new paradigms. A new form of learning which involves collaboration between different actors of society and science in order to meet complex global challenges.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Garcia-Alvarez, M., Rekalde-Rodríguez, I., Gil-Molina, P. (2023). No Transition Without Transformation: Educating Sustainability. In: Leal Filho, W., Dinis, M.A.P., Moggi, S., Price, E., Hope, A. (eds) SDGs in the European Region . Implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals – Regional Perspectives. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91261-1_98-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91261-1_98-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-91261-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-91261-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation