"Education, in all its forms and at all levels, is not only an end in itself, but also one of the most powerful tools we have to bring about the changes needed to achieve sustainable development" Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO (1999-2009).
It seems so long ago when the former Director-General of UNESCO uttered this phrase, so current and so true, as if he had said it yesterday. In terms of sustainable development, the crisis of more than 10 years ago has not only not abated but has become increasingly urgent. Sustainable development for nations, in its three dimensions: social, economic, and environmental, undoubtedly depends on the actions taken by each of its citizens. Hence, education has a leading role to play in providing the necessary skills, knowledge, and values, fostering productivity, innovation and responsibility for actions that have an impact on the environment. We are convinced that students are eager to contribute to improving their future. Imagine now, including actions in your classes that allow them to put into practice innovation, collaboration in actions that impact locally, nationally, and globally as a committed and responsible citizen. Education for sustainable development shows us the guideline to understand and generate actions that allow them to understand what is happening (knowing), to be actively involved as a member of the society in which they live (knowing how to be and live together) and putting into practice and actively participating in solutions to these challenges of the present and the future.
Support resources
Below we share with you a series of readings, videos and web pages that may be of interest to you. We invite you to consult them:
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- Alm, K., Beery, T. H., Eiblmeier, D., & Fahmy, T. (2022). Students’ learning sustainability – implicit, explicit or non-existent: A case study approach on students’ key competencies addressing the SDGs in HEI program. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 23(8), 60-84. doi:10.1108/IJSHE-12-2020-0484
- Buckley, A. O., & Strauss, E. J. (2023). Climate change and sustainable campus planning: A review of michigan universities’ climate-related plans doi:10.1007/978-981-19-3983-9_26 Retrieved from www.scopus.com
- Hogan, D., & O'Flaherty, J. (2022). Exploring the nature and culture of science as an academic discipline: Implications for the integration of education for sustainable development. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 23(8), 120-147. doi:10.1108/IJSHE-06-2021-0236
- Oonk, C., Gulikers, J., den Brok, P., & Mulder, M. (2022). Stimulating boundary crossing learning in a multi-stakeholder learning environment for sustainable development. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 23(8), 21-40. doi:10.1108/IJSHE-04-2021-0156
- UNESCO (2021) "Trash Hack": educación para el desarrollo sostenible a través de la acción: guía para los docentes. Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000375408_spa
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Videos
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- Messner D (2021) Sustainability In The Digital Age. TedxBonn. TEDx Talks. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/VpFgNZSwm-A
- Griefahn, M (2022) Culture is the key for sustainable development. TedxBonn. TEDx Talks. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/fFHdY0e8aDs
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Visiting Professor
Luis Ricardo Fernández
Dr. Luis Fernández Carril served as technical secretary of the Special Commission on Climate Change of the Mexican Senate. He is also a researcher on international climate policy at the Climate Change Research Program of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He is also a professor of Philosophy and Environmental Ethics at the Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Puebla.
He obtained his PhD degree in Philosophy of Science in May 2014 from Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Ciudad de México with honorable mention of excellence. He has published articles and lectured nationally and internationally at renowned venues such as Oxford University and UNESCO in Paris. His main lines of research are: international environmental governance, international climate negotiations, and the ethics of climate change.