Sustainability Competencies Research Articles

Fostering Students' Competencies in Sustainability in Vocational Agriculture Education in Burundi: Effects of a Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) Module

ABSTRACTDeveloping students' sustainable agriculture competencies requires the alignment of curriculum content to encompass the full complexity of the dynamics of agriculture. However, empirical evidence from sustainable agriculture research indicates that actions oriented towards fostering students' competencies are scarce. To advance understanding, this study monitored and evaluated the development of students' sustainability competencies for smallholder farming during the implementation of a Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) module—A sustainability learning programme that elaborates on cross‐cutting issues of long‐term integrated planning, which is normally not taught. A total number of 104 students from two vocational agricultural schools (N1 = 63; N2 = 41) were involved in the PIP learning module that was implemented from April 2022 to June 2023. Survey data on the development of the students' competencies were collected at the beginning (April 2022), in‐between (December 2022) and end (June 2023) of the implementation of the PIP module. A one‐way repeated measures MANOVA test was used to evaluate the effect of the PIP module on the development of students' competencies. Findings revealed that the PIP module significantly contributed to fostering all intended competencies, including facilitator of change, leadership, innovation and creativity, planning, system thinking, stewardship, auto‐determination and interdisciplinarity. Improvement of these competencies was much higher in the earlier stage of the learning process compared to the later stage, implying that sustainability learning requires going beyond ‘business‐as‐usual’ to retain the interest of students and competencies development. Findings also revealed that competencies development levels differ depending on schools' context, implying that sustainability learning programmes should be flexible and adaptive for learning to occur in a real‐context environment. These findings have practical implications for policies related to designing and upscaling sustainability learning programmes in vocational agriculture schools.

The GreenComp Evaluation Roadmap: a roadmap for in-depth holistic evaluation of the integration of the GreenComp framework in higher-education curricula

Purpose The GreenComp framework identifies 12 competences for sustainability as common ground for higher-education curricula. The framework can be used for self-assessment and the review of curricula. However, a step-by-step method to conduct such a self-assessment is not yet available for the GreenComp framework specifically. Therefore, the authors present the GreenComp Evaluation Roadmap allowing to evaluate the extent to which the frameworks’ competences for sustainability are integrated in higher-education curricula. The application of the GreenComp Evaluation Roadmap to a curriculum taught at the University of Aruba, allows to report on the benefits, limitations and future potential of the approach. Design/methodology/approach The proposed mixed-method approach combines hybrid qualitative and quantitative data collection on the integration of the 12 competences for sustainability of the GreenComp framework in higher-education curricula. The authors showcase its potential through application of the GreenComp framework as an evaluation tool to a science, technology, engineering and mathematics-based bachelor program taught at the University of Aruba. Findings The GreenComp Evaluation Roadmap not only allows for an evaluation of the curriculum and identification of competence gaps. It also supports educators to conduct a self-reflection on individual course(s) and the program as a whole. The paper shows promising results that the roadmap developed could be a reproducible approach. Moreover, it provides guidance to other higher education institutes for self-evaluation and self-reflection on how the competences for sustainability are integrated in their curricula and how this can be enhanced in the future. Originality/value The need to integrate sustainability throughout higher-education curricula is broadly recognized. The GreenComp Evaluation Roadmap contributes to the literature by offering a methodological approach to evaluate the integration of the 12 competences for sustainability throughout a curriculum.

‘They Were Surprised That Such Jobs Even Exist…’ Supporting Students’ Career Awareness During Learning Activities at Museums and Environmental Education Centres

Many factors influence students’ career awareness and future career choices. Curricula-related learning activities that entail boundary-crossing between formal and nonformal contexts, such as museums and environmental education centres, can also broaden perspectives. Out-of-school learning can unveil career trajectories, introduce professions, spark interest in new topics, and support lifelong learning. Nevertheless, it is unclear how on-site educators of museums and environmental education centres perceive or address supporting students’ career awareness. We aimed to explore how Estonian on-site educators perceive the connection between curricula-related learning at their institutions and students’ career awareness (namely, work-related knowledge and self-awareness). The qualitative data are drawn from two datasets: (1) 27 out-of-school educators chosen by purposeful sampling participated in focus-group interviews about their practice; (2) 43 out-of-school educators filled out open-ended online surveys on career awareness education. Qualitative content analysis was used to find meaningful patterns from the dataset. Various specific examples of work-related learning activities emerged. However, career awareness was often understood narrowly or had not been previously conceptualised: students’ self-awareness was seldom explicitly perceived as part of career awareness. Moreover, supporting students’ lifelong learning or the development of sustainability competencies was explicitly emphasised only by more experienced or outstanding on-site educators.

Fostering Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education: A Case Study on Sustainability Competences in Research, Development and Innovation (RDI)

This study explores how higher education institutions (HEIs) can foster the relevance of education for sustainable development (ESD) and strategic human resource development for a holistic sustainability transformation. Sharing a case example, it discusses how sustainable and responsible research, development and innovation (RDI) competences can be recognised, described and acknowledged to support the contextualised application of ESD and human resource development in one HEI of the INVEST university alliance and its stakeholders. It compares education professionals’ and stakeholders’ views on current and future competence needs and investigates inter-organisational competence development practices. The methodology encompasses a qualitative and interpretive case study based on focus group interviews. The results on the current sustainable competences indicated that HEI and stakeholder respondents identified disciplinary competences as the most important competence cluster followed by systems-thinking, strategies-thinking and integration competences. Although HEIs and stakeholders jointly regard disciplinary competences as most critical for the future, they have considerably different perspectives on the megatrends influencing these needs and the overall spectrum of the required competences. This study provides methodological means for contextualising sustainability competences and enhancing stakeholder-informed competence development. The results may serve as a point of reference for aligning higher education curricula and human resource development with ESD for more sustainable higher education.

Early adolescents’ visions of the future: towards hopeful and sustainable futures?

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) particularly emphasises developing future-thinking competencies. Nevertheless, this line of thinking still represents a challenge for younger students, who tend to be left behind when deciding and visualising the future within educational spaces. Through a qualitative approach, our research attempts to explore early adolescents’ views concerning probable and preferable futures and how they are related to sustainable development dimensions. For this purpose, we asked 352 students in the fifth and sixth grades of primary schools in the province of Tarragona (Spain) to explain their visions regarding the probable and preferable futures of their city or town. We analysed the data through an inductive-deductive approach. Our findings indicate that the students’ pessimistic visions of the future require a special effort from an ESD viewpoint to educate them towards hopeful futures. Different degrees of complexity in their views of the futures were identified in relation to sustainability, denoting the need to design diagnostic tools that properly guide pedagogical approaches and interventions towards developing sustainability competencies.

Influence of the COIL methodology on the development of intercultural competence and sustainability in Latin American business students

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the impact of an collaborative online international learning (COIL) program on student behavioral satisfaction and community engagement, with a focus on diversity and sustainability. Explore how these changes affect students’ perceptions of the impact of these activities and their motivation to use sustainable practices in their future careers.Design/methodology/approachA combination of research methods combining qualitative and quantitative methods was adopted. Quantitative data were collected through satisfaction surveys that included Likert scale to measure various aspects of the COIL experience. Qualitative data were obtained from students’ open statements and semi-structured interviews. Analysis uses statistical and literary techniques to identify key themes and patterns in the student’s understanding.FindingsResults showed overall high student satisfaction with COIL’s activities; this highlighted the positive impact of multicultural leadership and integrating sustainability into the business. Statistical analysis revealed a positive relationship between the relationship quality created by COIL and the perception of safety-related factors. In addition, students have the desire to apply the principles they have learned in their future work.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the understanding of sustainability education within COIL by examining three critical dimensions: the promotion of sustainable practices in future professional environments, the development of sustainability competencies and the impact of sustainability topics on students’ perceived relationship quality and safety within collaborative international projects. Through this lens, the author investigates how COIL-based activities shape students’ commitment to sustainable practices, enhancing their intercultural competence and readiness for a globalized workforce.

Competence-based vocational agriculture education for sustainability in Burundi: perspectives from different educational stakeholders

ABSTRACT One of the most important goals for vocational agriculture education in Burundi (ITAB) is to develop the sustainable agriculture competencies of students. Competence-based education (CBE) is the current official approach for ITAB curriculum design. The present study aimed to examine to what extent the ITAB curriculum addresses sustainable agriculture competencies and fulfils CBE educational design principles from the perspectives of educational stakeholders. Survey data from a sample of 224 respondents, including teachers (N = 115), students (N = 96), and curriculum advisors (N = 13), were collected and analysed. Respondents felt that the ITAB curriculum does not sufficiently foster sustainable agriculture competencies from the curriculum content view, and that study programmes are only partially competence based in terms of educational design. These educational limitations were experienced much more by teachers and students, while for advisors, the current curriculum was already largely competence based. These findings have implications in terms of curriculum re-design. More concretely, study programmes should be regularly updated to reflect the changing dynamics of sustainable agriculture and to truly promote students’ sustainability competencies. Furthermore, and crucially, attitudinal aspects of competencies should be emphasised to enable behavioural changes in students with regards to their preparedness to constitute a pool of motivated sustainability change-agents.

Development of Sustainability Competencies in Secondary School Education: A Scoping Literature Review

This scoping review examines the development and application of sustainability competence frameworks in secondary education worldwide, identifying key trends and challenges in the field. An initial pool of 2659 peer-reviewed publications from 2003 to 2023 were subjected to a rigorous, multi-stage screening process, resulting in a refined selection for in-depth analysis. Through qualitative clustering, the review identifies two primary perspectives on sustainability competencies. The first perspective emphasizes transversal competencies, applicable across diverse educational contexts, including national policies, global educational guidelines, various subject areas, and innovative teaching and learning approaches. The second perspective focuses on specific frameworks that address the cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of sustainability. The review highlights a global consensus on the importance of key competencies such as critical thinking, systems thinking, and action competence, which are essential for preparing secondary students to address sustainability challenges. Additionally, it underscores the need for a holistic approach to competence development that integrates cognitive, affective, and behavioral components. Despite this consensus, the review identifies a research bias, with a predominance of studies from Europe, particularly Germany and Sweden, and calls for increased regional diversity and collaboration in future research.

Towards posthuman climate change education

ABSTRACT Climate change is one of the most critical challenges of our time, requiring significant responses from all aspects of society, including education. The prevailing responses to climate change tend towards treating the crisis as a predominantly scientific and managerial issue that requires technological solutions or behaviour changes. Correspondingly, climate change education (CCE) often focuses on teaching climate science and (predominantly individual) behaviour change. We argue that CCE, as part of a broader environmental and sustainability education (ESE), needs, in addition to a short-term damage limitation response, a simultaneous, longer-term, transformational approach that goes beyond critical humanism and engages with posthumanism. We explore ideas about human continuity with the more-than-human world, and the relationality and materiality of humans. Drawing on recent developments within posthuman pedagogies research, we consider how posthumanism might influence ESE/CCE, focussing on how two sustainability competency frameworks, UNESCO’s key competencies and the EU’s GreenComp, might be posthumanised.

The effect of digitalization on sustainability reporting: The role of sustainability competence, green knowledge integration, and stakeholder pressure

AbstractThe study was designed to provide an answer to the research question regarding the effect of digitalization on sustainability reporting and to reveal the mechanisms underlying this relationship. The methodology included data collection from 371 small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) originating from Ghana, by using a structured questionnaire. Further on, we employed the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique to analyze the relationships among our research variables. The findings showed that the effect of digitalization on SMEs' sustainability reporting is insignificant negative while sustainability competence fully mediated the relationship. The nexus between digitalization and sustainability competence was positively moderated by green knowledge integration. Similarly, stakeholder pressure was found to positively moderate the relationship between sustainability competence and sustainability reporting. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to approach digitalization's impact on sustainability disclosure in the Ghanaian SMEs' sector, resulting in manifold valuable policy and managerial practice implications.

Sustainable Education for Sustainable Heritage: Managing the Tension Between Professional Practice and Critical Inquiry

ABSTRACT This paper reflects on Uppsala University’s experiences from organizing higher education in conservation, and argues how curricula can be rethought and reorganized to foster a genuine shift towards sustainable education. It discusses various experiences of developing and planning interdisciplinary higher education programs in conservation and how curricula can be transformed to broaden the sustainability competence of future heritage professionals. We need to foster heritage professionals that are capable of exploiting the dynamic and negotiated nature of heritage for the good of society. By embracing change and loss there are opportunities to use heritage in more benign and sustainable ways. But there are profound differences between how heritage and its role in society are understood in conservation as a field of practice and as a field of inquiry. Based on the experience from Uppsala University, the authors argue that there is a need for a conservation curriculum in higher education that balances and integrates normative competence and critical inquiry: a middle path, where opposing perspectives can thrive in parallel.

Promoting equity in education for sustainable development through community-based learning and teaching

Our presentation reported on the vital role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) (UNESCO, 2023) in fostering learners equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for a sustainable future. Despite the emphasis on inclusive and equitable human development through ESD, achieving equitable learning outcomes for all students remains a persistent challenge in the context of UK higher education. Our project explored the benefits and challenges of enabling all students to engage with ESD. We made recommendations for learning developers to effectively support students developing understanding and competencies for sustainability. We explored this through considering the challenges and gaps in inclusive pedagogies, professional development opportunities, curricula integration, and external partnerships. The objective of the project was to address this issue by investigating how equity concerns in ESD can be effectively tackled through the integration of community-based learning and teaching (CBLT) approaches into university curricula (Salam, et al., 2019). Also referred to as service learning, the growing effort in implementing these approaches involves students engaging in organised activities benefiting local communities, enhancing academic knowledge, and fostering civic responsibility. This has important implications for learning developers and the support students need to engage effectively in what may be an unfamiliar form of learning and development. Collaborating with a student researcher, the project employed a multi-faceted methodology, including a literature review, mapping exercise using sustainable development goals (SDGs) and qualitative examination of module descriptions at University College London (UCL) and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), both based in East London. In the presentation, we shared our existing practices combining ESD and community-based learning that included: Our mapping of the integration of ESD and community-based learning in our university curricula. Gaps and challenges in achieving equitable learning outcomes using a qualitative analysis of curriculum design and implementation. Our initial recommendations for the learning developer community in supporting students to engage with ESD, and gain vital knowledge, skills and competencies for a sustainable future. We also provided a short evaluation of our work as a research collaboration of learning development approaches involving students, academic developers and educators from two universities.

Developing Maritime Management Curricula: Aligning Industry-Specific Needs with Sustainability and Emerging Technologies

The maritime industry is rapidly evolving due to technological advancements and increased emphasis on sustainability. This research aims to develop a specialized maritime management curriculum that aligns with the needs of the port, shipping, and logistics sectors while incorporating emerging technologies and sustainability practices. Through qualitative research involving 5 maritime professionals, 5 lecturers, and 5 graduates, this study investigates the current gaps in maritime education and the essential competencies needed in modern maritime professions. Using descriptive analysis, the research provides insights into the integration of applied management studies, technical skills, and innovation into the curriculum. The study identifies key areas where existing curricula fall short, including the underrepresentation of technological and sustainability competencies. By examining the experiences of industry professionals and educational experts, a new curriculum framework is proposed, aiming to enhance graduate readiness for modern challenges. The curriculum effectiveness is evaluated using key performance indicators (KPIs), with a 9/10 score on alignment with industry needs. Comprehensive tables illustrate the scoring across various curriculum components, including technology integration, sustainability, and managerial skills. The findings suggest that the proposed curriculum model can significantly improve the employability of graduates, ensuring that they are equipped to meet the dynamic requirements of the maritime industry. Continuous curriculum development, with feedback from industry stakeholders, is recommended to maintain alignment with evolving industry needs.

Promoting sustainability literacy for students in Thai higher education institution: a case of Siam University

PurposeThe objectives of this study were (1) to explore and analyze sustainability literacy of undergraduate students and (2) to propose guidelines for promoting sustainability literacy of the undergraduate students at Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand.Design/methodology/approachA 5-point rating scale survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 235 students registered in General Education courses in Semester 2 of academic year 2022. The analyzed data was presented to a focus group discussion, conducted with 19 internal and external stakeholders, as a basis to propose guidelines for promoting sustainability literacy.FindingsThe students perceived that they had better knowledge about sustainable development and sustainable development goals (SDGs) and that their knowledge about and degree of participation in SDGs-related activities were at high level. Intrapersonal competence was rated as their highest sustainability competence, followed by futures-thinking, and systems-thinking. The focus-group suggested that competency-based GE curriculum should be used as a platform to enhance sustainability literacy. Guidelines concerning learning outcomes, learning content, learning culture, learning with technology, and learning assessment were then proposed.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s methodological limitations include the use of purposive sample case of the Siam University and self-perceiving assessment survey instrument for the data collection that provide sufficient insights on the present state and problems concerning sustainability literacy of university students.Practical implicationsSustainability is one of the national pillars in Thailand 20 years strategy (2018–2037). Hence, the government encourages all educational institutions, including universities to transform themselves toward this goal. Siam University has used education program as a vehicle to meet this aspiration. Lesson learnt from the study will not only benefit the university per se but will be valuable for practices in other universities. In addition, findings and implications from the study will help accelerate the transformation of Thai higher education institutions toward sustainable universities.Social implicationsSustainability has been promoted in education and social context. Siam University is recognized as a leading university in promoting campus and community sustainability through our “living learning lab” approach. We have used social living labs for teaching and learning activities for years. Partnerships among academia, private and public sectors, as well as community members will benefit from this research.Originality/valueThe study explores the scholarly topic of significant social importance and implications in the Thai context. The present study on sustainability literacy opens a path for further research and cross-institutional and national comparative studies on the issue.

Motivation, attitude, knowledge, and engagement towards the development of sustainability competencies among students of higher education: a predictive study

This quantitative research predictive study evaluates the roles of four variables in developing student sustainability competencies through a curricular intervention. We used the MAKE framework, i.e., (1) motivation, (2) attitude, (3) knowledge, and (4) engagement, to promote the sustainability competencies among students enrolled in four undergraduate courses during the semester of February to June 2022. We surveyed the students to determine the role of the MAKE framework variables in developing sustainability competencies. One hundred four students answered an online Google survey, which gathered the data we subsequently analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26 software. Linear regression statistical results confirmed that the four variables of MAKE have a significant correlation where motivation was highly associated with developing sustainability competencies of students. These findings can guide professors and university policymakers in implementing the MAKE framework to promote sustainable development education.

Trainee Teachers’ Shift towards Sustainable Actions in Their Daily Routine

The argument made in this study is that sustainability is a system of beliefs that extends beyond policy and the classroom to transform actions and societies into pro-sustainable behaviours. Therefore, it is crucial to equip trainee teachers to embrace their role as catalysts for change in driving Sustainable development goals, sustainable thinking, systems thinking, wise consumption, sustainable competencies, and sustainable action in their daily lives. The lack of practice-led research on incorporating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into trainee teachers’ training programmes is noted in the literature. This qualitative practice-led research explored trainee mathematics and technology teachers’ (TMTTs) experiences learning about sustainability. Kolb’s experiential theory framed this study theoretically. The data were collated from twenty purposively selected TMTTs via semi-structured interviews and reflective diaries. All ethical protocols were observed. The analysis highlighted the core experiences TMTTs gained in learning about sustainability, transformative learning, design thinking, wise consumption, agency, and sustainable teaching strategies. Theoretically, the findings emphasise the importance of using an ESD perspective and experiential learning methods to integrate sustainability education into mathematics and technology teaching. The results suggest that when TMTTs are encouraged to actively engage with sustainability issues in their communities, informed decisions are made about their future roles as teachers, the teaching strategies they intend to use, and the type of learning they aim to foster in their learners.

TVARUMO ASPEKTAS RENGIANT STEAM PROJEKTUS PRADINIAME UGDYME

STEAM education is identified as one of Lithuania's educational priorities and has been taking root in primary education over the last decade in the form of various creative and/or exploratory projects for students. As education experts analyze the aims and outcomes of STEAM education, it is noticeable that the rapid increase in the number of STEAM projects is resulting in a decrease in the number of relevant real-life problems and solutions that incorporate sustainability aspects. To find out how future primary school teachers consider sustainability in STEAM projects, a qualitative research methodological approach (focus group discussion) and qualitative content analysis were applied. The results of the study revealed that primary teachers perceive sustainability in STEAM projects as environmental knowledge, encouraging students to be responsible consumers, and teaching them how to find and make reasonable solutions to problems. The results of this study do not allow for drawing broad and generalized conclusions, but point to the need to review more carefully the information and assignments presented during the placement year from the sustainability perspective, to encourage students to design and implement different STEAM project models and to critically evaluate them in the context of students' sustainability competence development, and to encourage the primary teachers' readiness to develop sustainability competences in STEAM projects remains a relevant area for further research. Keywords: STEAM project, sustainability, future primary school teachers

An informal and transformative learning environment: The case of ODTÜ Bostan community garden in Turkey

This study explores the role of ODTÜ Bostan (METU Garden), a community garden at the Middle East Technical University in Turkey, in promoting sustainability education, ecology, and food consumption practices. For ten years, ODTÜ Bostan has been a collaborative space where participants—including students, academic and non-academic staff, and their families—grow and share food using ecological agricultural methods. This research examines how this community garden creates a setting for alternative and interdisciplinary learning, supporting practical engagement, critical thinking, and community interaction for community participants. Drawing on the Education for Sustainable Development and transformative learning frameworks, this qualitative study employs autoethnography, thematic analysis of eight semi-structured interviews, and content analysis of archival data. The findings indicate that ODTÜ Bostan not only enhances participants' sustainability competencies but also serves as an educational laboratory, demonstrating the potential of community gardens to address global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. The study highlights the importance of integrating interdisciplinary and learner-centered approaches in higher education leading to collective action for societal change toward sustainability.

Development and validation of a multiple-choice test for sustainability competence in primary school using the GreenComp framework

There is no standardized definition or measurement tool for sustainability competence, which hinders comparative research. This study addresses this gap by developing a new test based on the European reference framework GreenComp. The proposed instrument, consisting of eleven multiple-choice items, was validated through expert review and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, showing strong construct validity and high internal consistency reliability. Applied to students aged 8 to 12, it revealed a prevalence of basic and anthropocentric perspectives on sustainability. This promising tool can assess sustainability competence in primary education and has the potential for use across European countries.

The role of the socio-professional characteristics of university professors in the implementation of sustainability

Purpose In a context of growing concern about the environmental and social crisis, education for sustainability has emerged as a key educational approach to address these challenges. University education plays a crucial role in training professionals who are aware of and committed to sustainability. This study aims to examine the impact of the socio-professional characteristics of university professors on the awareness and implementation of sustainability in teaching and research. Design/methodology/approach This study uses the academics’ statements through a survey to describe the degree of awareness and implementation of sustainability at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and evaluates the influence that certain socio-professional variables can have on their commitment to sustainability. For this purpose, the paper proposes the use of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Findings The research reveals that UPV/EHU is in the first phases of implementation of sustainability, indicating a low overall implementation. Therefore, it is proposed to promote internal awareness about sustainability, promote teacher training, integrate sustainability competencies in academic programs and promote research in areas with less scientific production related to sustainability, with emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and gender equality to achieve greater integration of sustainability in the university. In the case of the UPV/EHU, the sustainable development champions fulfill the profile of a female professor, with full-time dedication and whose disciplinary area is a minority. Research limitations/implications This research has an individual framework and a static nature, and the results should be interpreted only in their context. Future research should have a national framework, a longitudinal nature and a broader range of university institutional agents. Another limitation of this methodology is the question coding process (Likert scales), which opens a wide range of subjectivity for the researcher. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that measures the degree of implementation of sustainability at the UPV/EHU with the aim of specifying its efforts in the implementation and promotion of sustainability.