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Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems

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A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2026) | Viewed by 7990

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Prof. Dr. Stephan Gerhard Huber

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Department of Educational Research, Linz School of Education, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
Interests: organisational education; system counselling; education management; school effectiveness; school improvement; school management; professionalisation of teachers and educational leadership personnel (school leaders); qualitative; quantitative; mixed-methods; international comparative and youth research

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In light of global challenges such as the widely discussed human-caused climate crisis and the resulting destruction of our own living conditions, the need for humanity to both rethink its sustainability strategies and enact them is urgent. Education plays a crucial role in achieving the goal of sustainable development, which is currently still far from being reached. By imparting design competencies, learners should be enabled to contribute to sustainable development in a future-oriented manner. Sustainable Development Goal 4.71, which encompasses education for sustainable development (ESD) and aims to mainstream ESD in the education system, is considered key to achieving the other goals due to the strong links between ESD and the other SDGs and the necessity of a mental shift for sustainable transformation.

This Special Issue will comprise 10–15 articles from key academics around the globe and will be additionally transformed into a book after completion.

This Special Issue will include theoretical and empirical work, addressing various levels of education, from aspects of the education system to education organizations and education processes. It will discuss conditions for success and frictions in responsible policy, leadership and practices, and avenues for action. Contextual features and professional, legal bureaucratic, and cultural characteristics will also be addressed. Central topics such as the role of ideology, communication, etc., will be discussed. Important innovation projects on the topic will be presented and their impact analyzed. A map of the existing knowledge base will be developed, and current research desiderata will be described, both in terms of content and methodology.

The call is addressed to all key authors and scientific associations of education and their respective working groups and sections on the topic of sustainability. It is also requested to the authors and associations to disseminate the invitation to contribute to this Special Issue to their further networks and members.

The call follows a two-part process. First, potential authors will be asked to submit a 500-word abstract outlining their idea for a manuscript intended for the Special Issue. The abstracts will be reviewed by the editor, who will then decide which authors to invite for the submission of a full paper manuscript. The full manuscript will undergo a subsequent review process.

If you need any further assistance, feel free to ask!

Prof. Dr. Stephan Gerhard Huber
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sustainability
sustainable development goals (SDGs)
education for sustainable development (ESD)

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

32 pages, 6979 KB

Open AccessArticle

Campus Sustainability Assessment: Concepts, Methods, and Future Directions

by Xinqun Yuan, Le Yu, Yue Cao and Zhou Zhong

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(5), 722; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16050722 - 3 May 2026

Viewed by 375

Abstract

Within the context of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), this study draws on a Web of Science dataset (n = 815, 1991–2025) and employs a mixed approach combining scientometric mapping with framework analysis and tool comparison. It systematically reviews the knowledge structure, methodological evolution, and tool genealogy of Campus Sustainability Assessment (CSA). The results reveal a paradigmatic shift from an operations-oriented focus to a whole-of-institution and impact-oriented perspective. Representative tools can be grouped into five categories by purpose—improvement-oriented, ranking and benchmarking, education and curriculum, standards and certification, and policy advocacy and recognition—and can be mapped onto the four domains of governance, academics, operations, and engagement in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Synthesizing quantitative and qualitative evidence, three systemic shortcomings are identified: excessive reliance on self-reporting with limited verification, insufficient evidence of learning outcomes and key competencies, and weak interoperability of indicators across educational stages and frameworks. Looking ahead, four actionable research pathways are proposed: (1) assessment of key competencies centered on learning outcomes with stronger curriculum–practice alignment; (2) policy–indicator interoperability and vertical integration grounded in SDGs and national or sectoral standards; (3) stakeholder co-design enabling an assessment–improvement loop; and (4) remote-sensing-based multi-scale monitoring and data governance. The contribution of this study lies in advancing a unified four-domain framework under a process–outcome–impact evidence chain, while suggesting cross-stage and cross-tool alignment and complementarity. This provides methodological support and an implementation roadmap for shifting CSA from measuring performance to empowering improvement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

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17 pages, 519 KB

Open AccessArticle

Digitainability in Education: A Framework for Sustainability and Digitality as a Twin Transformation

by Richard Böhme

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(5), 721; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16050721 - 2 May 2026

Viewed by 260

Abstract

Digitainability is increasingly invoked at the intersection of sustainability and digital transformation. In education, however, the two discourses are still often negotiated separately. This conceptual paper addresses that gap by focusing on educational debates across Germany, Austria and Switzerland (the DACH region) and by developing a conceptual–synthetic argument based on a purposive reconstruction of key reference texts. It argues that sustainability-related educational aims—particularly SDG target 4.7—remain conceptually under-specified when digitality is primarily understood as a toolkit rather than a socio-technical condition. It also contends that the digital transformation in education can only be assessed and shaped responsibly when sustainability and justice are treated as integral to the analysis and design of educational processes. Against this backdrop, the paper develops the Digitainability Framework as a heuristic for reflection, analysis, and design. The framework proposes a double perspective: sustainable digitality (the design of ‘onlife’ environments) and sustainability under conditions of digitality (the negotiation of sustainability-related conflicts in media-shaped, increasingly platformised publics). Across both perspectives, the framework makes explicit four intersecting framings—cultural, power-related, discursive, and agent-related—while keeping sustainability in view across its social, ecological, and economic dimensions. A brief example illustrates the framework’s potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

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17 pages, 831 KB

Open AccessArticle

Teaching Sustainability: Educational Approaches in Light of Sustainability Science

by Maria Budmiger, Rebecca Theiler, Regula Grob, Markus Rehm and Markus Wilhelm

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(5), 702; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16050702 - 30 Apr 2026

Viewed by 266

Abstract

In the face of intensifying socio-ecological crises, there is a growing debate about how processes of societal transformation can be shaped. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), particularly in its transformative orientation (ESD 3), is widely regarded as a key lever in this context. While ESD 3 gets increasingly differentiated in educational theory, its disciplinary grounding remains insufficiently specified. This article addresses this gap by examining which structural characteristics of sustainability issues must be exhibited to enable individual and societal transformation. Drawing on Integral Sustainability Science, sustainability-related transformation processes are differentiated along internal (the meaning-making and culture domain) and external dimensions (the behavior and systems domain), integrating both factual systemic interrelations and normative perspectives of meaning and interpretation. On this basis, sustainability issues are characterized by internal and external complexity as well as controversiality. These features are brought together in the 3C Framework for Sustainable Learning and extended by the dimension of individual and collective contingency. As societal transformation unfolds through social negotiation processes under conditions of (double) contingency, transformative education aims to foster a deeper understanding of sustainability issues and to enable learners to perceive themselves as part of societal transformation processes and to participate in collective negotiations under conditions of uncertainty. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

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21 pages, 584 KB

Open AccessArticle

About the Further Development of a Metatheoretical Analysis Grid for the Field of Education and (Non-)Sustainability

by Helge Kminek

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(4), 647; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040647 - 17 Apr 2026

Viewed by 357

Abstract

In light of the current polycrisis and the perceived lack of theoretical development in education for sustainable development (ESD), this article considers how ESD can enhance its theoretical understanding. Against the backdrop of debates in the philosophy of science and long-standing concerns about limited progress in educational paradigms, this study aims to further develop a metatheoretical analysis grid for ESD (MAG-ESD). Methodologically, the study is theoretical and philosophical, situated in the ‘space of reasons’. It makes the case for the necessity of a metatheory, clarifies core concepts, and systematically builds on and expands the existing MAG-ESD framework. The grid distinguishes between four fundamental questions and incorporates additional dimensions of scientific systematicity to differentiate scientific knowledge from everyday knowledge. To illustrate its analytical potential, the MAG-ESD grid is applied to a case study examining a theoretical contribution to ESD. This example demonstrates how an analytical examination of the selected article using MAG-ESD can reveal weaknesses in its argumentation. While it does not replace existing approaches, the article concludes that MAG-ESD offers an additional meta-theoretical instrument with which to organise discourse, foster critical reflection, and stimulate more coherent and cumulative theory development within ESD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

18 pages, 407 KB

Open AccessArticle

Strengthening Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Through Organizational and Structural Approaches to Continuous Professional Development: Insights from Initiatives of the District Government of Arnsberg

by Anna Kapsalis and Markus Klecker

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(4), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040556 - 2 Apr 2026

Viewed by 400

Abstract

The urgency of global sustainability challenges increased policy attention to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), particularly in relation to Sustainable Development Goal 4.7, which calls for the systematic integration of sustainability competences across education systems. This article examines how organisational and structural approaches to continuous professional development (CPD) can support the institutionalisation of ESD beyond individual teacher training. The article adopts a case-based analytical approach drawing on programme documentation and evaluation data from two initiatives coordinated by the teacher training department of the District Government of Arnsberg in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany: the Erasmus+ consortium EFFORT-A, which links international mobility with school development processes, and the regional programme WIRkstatt Zukunft, which implements the Whole School Approach through modular training and school-based consultancy. The analysis indicates that multi-level governance, structured networking, leadership engagement, and formal contracting mechanisms are associated with the integration of ESD within school cultures, curricula, and organisational routines. Challenges are identified regarding resource allocation, policy coherence, and the long-term sustainability of project-based formats. The article concludes that sustained ESD implementation requires CPD systems that combine international perspectives with regionally anchored support structures and align individual professional learning with institutional development strategies, offering recommendations for policymakers and educational leaders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

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11 pages, 254 KB

Open AccessArticle

Unsustainability and Decolonial Thinking: Considerations Beyond ESD

by Tanja Obex and Madeleine Scherrer

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(4), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040552 - 1 Apr 2026

Viewed by 479

Abstract

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has gained immense importance due to the global political call for sustainable development. At the same time, the devastating effects of anthropogenic climate change are increasing every year. Humanity is confronted with a situation of sustainable unsustainability. This contribution argues that current competence-oriented approaches to ESD maintain and reinforce unsustainability. Methodological individualism is identified as a main problem in ESD. Furthermore, the human-nature dualism and the idea of an undifferentiated humanity are discussed as problematic epistemic preconditions in the modern Western mindset. Another problem of ESD approaches is the denial and perpetuation of colonial and imperial orders. With regard to these findings, we discuss ways to overcome epistemic preconditions of ESD. We point to collective consciousness and global solidarity as different modes of living and being that offer decolonial alternatives to a good life. Such a reconceptualization implies a repoliticization of education in times of anthropogenic climate change that focuses on the entanglements in epistemic assumptions and conditions of unsustainability as central reference points. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

15 pages, 239 KB

Open AccessArticle

Catalytic Communication in Sustainability Education: Bridging the Knowledge–Action Gap Through Affective Engagement and Strategic Praxis

by Sejdi Sejdiu and Rezarta Ramadani

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(3), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16030494 - 21 Mar 2026

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 332

Abstract

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) can support and strengthen responses to the environmental challenges faced today. However, the sustainability knowledge–action gap remains mostly unbridged. This article examines communication as a lever for learning and behavior change in sustainability education and compares the use of communication in conventional delivery and a narrative, dialogic and affective communication mode in secondary, university and community-based learning settings in a mixed-methods experimental study. Quantitative measures (pre-, post-, follow-up) included knowledge, systems thinking, emotional engagement, motivation and self-reported sustainable behaviors. Qualitative data, including interviews, observations and action research projects, were also collected to gain deeper insights into learner engagement with knowledge, systems thinking, emotional engagement and motivation. Results suggest that participants in the catalytic communication condition felt more cognitively and emotionally engaged than the control condition, and displayed more long-term pro-environmental behavior. Mediation analysis suggests that the increase in pro-environmental behavior may be driven by an increase in feelings of empathy and hope associated with the learning experience. This supports the understanding that tailored communication can help to reduce the knowledge–action gap in ESD and provides additional insights into the usefulness of cognitive, affective and behavioral dimensions of sustainability-oriented pedagogical approaches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

22 pages, 340 KB

Open AccessArticle

Triple Bottom Line in Universities: Outcomes and Factors Driving Sustainability

by Pwint Nee Aung and Philip Hallinger

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(3), 400; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16030400 - 5 Mar 2026

Viewed by 832

Abstract

Despite the growing prominence of the triple bottom line (TBL) framework in university sustainability discourse, empirical research examining how environmental, social, and economic outcomes are realized across diverse national contexts within higher education institutions remains limited. This qualitative study explored how 12 STARS-rated universities from both Anglo-American and Emerging regions have achieved TBL outcomes and the institutional and contextual factors that influence them. In-depth interviews with sustainability coordinators revealed that environmental outcomes, such as zero-waste goals and carbon neutrality, were well developed; social outcomes, such as student engagement, SDG-aligned curricula, and gender equity, showed emerging integration; and economic outcomes, such as sustainable procurement and green budgeting, remained less defined. The findings also showed that internal drivers, such as governance arrangements, capacity, culture, and external drivers, such as rankings, funding availability, and national policies, shaped the scope and success of initiatives. These findings highlight that TBL implementation in universities is an uneven, contextually mediated process and provide insights for higher education leaders seeking to strengthen institutional strategies for sustainability transformation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

16 pages, 264 KB

Open AccessArticle

Vocational Schools’ Underrecognized Role in PBL for Sustainability: Evidence from the German Dual VET System

by Julia Hufnagl and Silvia Annen

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(2), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16020313 - 14 Feb 2026

Viewed by 784

Abstract

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a promising approach for sustainability education. This study adds to the current state of research by investigating PBL for sustainability in the German dual vocational system. The objective of this study was to determine (1) which role, in teaching sustainability, apprentices and pre-service teachers attribute to vocational schools and teachers and (2) what factors lead to the success of PBL for sustainability. The research design employs a triangulation approach that combines qualitative data from interviews and focus groups. The findings indicate that a shortage of resources, such as time and personnel, poses considerable challenges to PBL for sustainability in vocational schools. PBL for sustainability is considered an ancillary component that is desirable but does not align with the vocational school mandate of rapid learning success. Pre-service teachers acknowledge the significance of networks and learning location cooperation for PBL for sustainability, while apprentices prioritize the practical implementation of projects. The study results further demonstrate a strong connection between sustainability and personal relationships and interactions at school. Research and practice can take our findings as an opportunity to make greater use of the respective strengths of both learning locations in working together toward a sustainable future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

16 pages, 291 KB

Open AccessArticle

Leading for a Sustainable Future: Sustainable Leadership in Cyprus Primary Schools

by Maria Karamanidou

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(2), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16020177 - 23 Jan 2026

Viewed by 600

Abstract

Education systems worldwide face a growing pressure to align with Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 by embedding Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into school life. This study examines how primary school headteachers in Cyprus interpret and enact sustainable leadership to advance ESD within a small, highly centralised system. Drawing on sustainable and distributed leadership theories and a whole-school lens, the study employed semi-structured interviews with ten headteachers from diverse regions (urban, rural, and semi-rural). Reflective thematic analysis identified four patterns: (1) leaders sought a strategic integration of ESD into planning and culture; (2) empowerment and participation were pursued through teacher working groups, student eco-councils, and community partnerships; (3) systemic constraints, a rigid curriculum, limited autonomy, and scarce professional development produced a policy–practice gap; and (4) leaders relied on adaptive, collaborative micro-practices to sustain momentum. The findings suggest that, in Cyprus, sustainable leadership operates as a values-based stewardship enacted through ‘quiet activism’. The study highlights implications for leadership development, such as reflexivity, systems thinking, and ethical reasoning, as well as policy design, such as time, autonomy, and structured support for whole-school ESD, in small-state contexts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

26 pages, 4193 KB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Development in an Engineering Degree: Teaching Actions

by Ana Romero Gutiérrez, Reyes García-Contreras, Raquel Fernández-Cézar and María Teresa Bejarano-Franco

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(1), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16010144 - 17 Jan 2026

Viewed by 707

Abstract

Universities must prepare future professionals with critical thinking skills to effectively address complex social and environmental challenges. In engineering degrees, while technical competences are strongly developed, the acquisition of ethical and social skills remains challenging within the framework of traditional subjects. This paper explores how the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), following a competence-based educational model, can contribute to the development of ethical, social, and sustainability-related competences in an engineering degree. A set of activities, exercises, and tasks grounded in real professional contexts was designed to encourage students to explore sustainable solutions to social and environmental problems, supported by experiential learning and visible thinking routines. These activities were coherently aligned through interdisciplinary coordination among professors teaching in the degree. The results indicate that the proposed approach was positively received by both professors and students, who valued its contribution to personal and professional development. Students demonstrated enhanced critical thinking and greater awareness of the social and environmental implications of engineering decisions. This work aims to support and inspire educators seeking to integrate SDGs into their teaching by offering a feasible, transferable, and easy-to-implement framework for embedding ethical, social and sustainability-related competences in engineering teaching. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

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20 pages, 2878 KB

Open AccessArticle

Advancing Sustainable Design Education: University-Led Initiatives in Engaging Primary School Students and Empowering Communities

by Maria Sinou, Evgenia Tousi, Zoe Kanetaki, Nikos Kourniatis, Despina Kalessopoulou, Katerina Timotheou and Loukia Martha

Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(12), 1609; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15121609 - 28 Nov 2025

Viewed by 990

Abstract

This paper emphasizes the importance of introducing sustainable design principles to primary school children and explores educational methods that foster awareness of the built environment. Through a literature review and three case studies, the research compares different pedagogical approaches used to engage children in sustainability-focused design activities. The case studies examine methods such as STEAM-based analytical problem-solving, storytelling for conceptual understanding, and artistic installations for experiential learning. Findings highlight that tailored pedagogical strategies enhance children’s engagement, while involving university students as facilitators creates reciprocal learning benefits. The study also underscores the role of community engagement by linking local sustainability challenges to classroom learning, thereby encouraging students to apply concepts to real-world issues. Additionally, it suggests that incorporating digital and hybrid models can increase the scalability and accessibility of such programs. Overall, this research identifies best practices, strengths, and weaknesses of various approaches and proposes guiding principles for effective sustainable design education. The outcomes demonstrate the potential of university-led initiatives and collaborative frameworks to build impactful, adaptable educational models. By integrating sustainability into early education, schools and policymakers can foster environmentally conscious citizens equipped to address future challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education About and for Sustainability—Sustainability in Education: International Perspectives on Learning, Schooling, Education Environments and Systems)

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