Education for sustainability

Our resource hub in a snapshot

4

Subject areas

8

Sustainability competences

3

Learning approaches

21

Resource formats

Subject areas

Business Education

We focus on the teaching and learning of the principles, practices, and dynamics of the business world. We encompass a broad range of topics related to the operation and management of businesses, preparing individuals to participate effectively in sustainable commercial, entrepreneurial, and organizational environments.

Subject areas covered:

  • Concepts of sustainability
  • Nature-society-economy interactions and dependencies
  • SDGs and key challenges
  • Growth and boundaries
  • Solution strategies and transformation
  • Political aspects
  • Philosophical and historical aspects
  • Psychological and sociological aspects
  • Megatrends and sustainability
  • Concept of system transformation

  • Pluralism in Economics
  • Sustainable Economy
  • Globalization & Sustainability
  • Development Economics
  • Equity of Opportunity and Distribution
  • Economy of the Environment
  • Resources
  • Biodiversity and Climate
  • Sustainable Consumption

  • Sustainable Financial Economy
  • Sustainable and Responsible Investment (SRI)
  • Sustainability in Banks
  • Sustainability in Insurance Companies
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
  • Evaluation of the Sustainability Performance of Companies
  • Microfinance
  • Climate Change Finance
  • Biodiversity and Finance

  • Social Entrepreneurship
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
  • Sustainability Strategy Management and Reporting
  • Sustainable Value Chain Management and Circular Economy:
  • Companies and Human Rights
  • Sustainable Human Resource Management and personal development
  • Digitalization
  • Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Development
  • Innovation Management
  • Social innovation and impact creation
  • Leadership for Sustainability
  • Sustainable Consumption

  • Marketing
  • Communication and sustainability

Competences

Cross-cutting skills

UNESCO's eight cross-cutting sustainability competencies are integrated cognitive and behavioral capabilities that enable individuals to address complex sustainability challenges and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainability competences include:

The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty.

The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future (possible, probable and desirable); to create one's own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes.

The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving

The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one's actions; and to negotiate sustainability values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interests and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions.

The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield.

The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one's own values, perceptions and actions; and to take a position in the sustainability discourse.

The ability to reflect on one's own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one's actions; and to deal with one's feelings and desires.

The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the abovementioned competences.

Learning approaches

Driving sustainability thinking and action

The systematic methods and strategies used to facilitate knowledge acquisition, skill development, and behavioral change

Learning approaches include:

Comprises knowledge and thinking skills necessary to better understand sustainability matters and the challenges in achieving these.

  • Case-based learning: Learners analyze real-world cases to develop structured reasoning and argumentation skills.
  • Systems analysis: Encourages understanding interconnections in complex systems.
  • Scenario analysis: Exploring possible future outcomes through scenario planning.
  • Game-based learning: Uses game mechanics to foster strategic thinking and problem-solving in a controlled environment.
  • Simulation: Offers learners immersive, interactive experiences to replicate real-world systems or processes.
  • Serious games: Games designed to teach specific skills or concepts with real-world relevance.
  • Narrative-based learning: meaningful narratives.

Socio-emotional aspects of a competency (both inter- and intra-personally) such as values, attitudes, motivations, willingness, and reflection.

  • Role-play-based Learning: Encourages empathy and deeper understanding by having learners take on different viewpoints in structured scenarios.
  • Inner Development Goals: IDGs propose that sustainable change starts from within – transforming how we think, relate, and act before we can transform the world.
  • Transformative Learning: Focuses on deep, structural shifts in thinking: challenging assumptions and fostering personal growth.
  • Critical Service Learning: Critical service-learning pedagogy fosters a critical consciousness, allowing students to combine action and reflection in classroom and community to examine both the historical precedents of the social problems addressed in their service placements and the impact of their personal action/inaction.
  • Mindfulness Learning: Practices to cultivate awareness, emotional regulation, and presence; often using artistic or natural environments for deeper connection.

Behavioural aspects of a competency such as common methods, processes and associated skills to plan, implement and evaluate actions (e.g. design, create, propose solutions and undertake activities)

  • Experiential learning: Encourages curiosity by guiding learners to pose questions, investigate, and build new understandings.
  • Inquiry-based learning: Encourages curiosity by guiding learners to pose questions, investigate, and build new understandings.
  • Research-based learning: Students engage in systematic investigations to generate and analyze knowledge, often mirroring academic research methods.
  • Learning through Living Labs: Real-world learning environments where students co-create and test solutions in collaboration with stakeholders.
  • Learning through Design Thinking: A creative, user-centered problem-solving methodology involving empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing.
  • Service learning: Blends academic learning with community service to instill civic responsibility and practical engagement.
  • Action learning: A team-based problem-solving approach where learners tackle real issues while reflecting on their learning process.
  • Project-Based learning: Students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended time to investigate and respond to complex questions or challenges.
  • Problem-Based learning: Students learn by solving open-ended problems, developing problem-solving and self-directed learning skills.