Abstract
Higher education for sustainable development (HESD) has grown into a substantial field of research and practice. HESD proposes that higher education will be central in a transition towards more sustainable socio-ecological systems. However, the debates on what should be learned in HESD and how this should be learned have remained conceptually controversial and empirically inconclusive. This review examined the evidence that specific pedagogies and content lead to specific “sustainability outcomes” among graduates. Three hundred and fifty-seven studies published between 2013 and 2020 were analyzed. The reviewed research was case-driven and often undertheorized regarding learning processes and outcomes. Despite its volume, the literature did not provide coherent insights into what should be learned and how. If the project of HESD is to be pursued further, more courage will be needed in creating novel forms of higher education, while more purpose and conceptual precision will be required in future research.
Highlights
This review focuses on the education function, i.e., the potential of higher education institutions (HEIs) and curriculum to enable learning towards a more sustainable future
Search Strategy Title-abstract-keyword searches were carried out in the Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC databases on 15 October 2020 for articles published from the beginning of 2013 until the day of the search, using the database-specific syntax of the text string: AND
This review shows that the Higher education for sustainable development (HESD) discourse continues to be concentrated in the Global North, North America and Europe (Figure 3)
Summary
Profound dysfunctions in our socio-ecological systems currently dominate public and academic discourse. The conclusions of reports on climate change have been alarming, and a previously unanticipated surge in warming is projected [1]. As we improve our understanding of the extent of ecosystem degradation, we realize that the ability of ecosystems to meet human dietary needs and provide other services grows increasingly dire [2,3]. Rapid advances in infotech have led to misgivings regarding its effects on civil liberties and the future of work [4]. At the time of writing, the COVID pandemic has made interdependencies in our socio-ecological systems more tangible, but the experience of widespread unpredictability and complexity has been challenging for many. Most societies remain deeply divided about how the necessary transition towards more sustainable socio-ecological systems can be achieved
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