Including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Transversally in Education

Dear Colleagues,

Humanity faces immense challenges, including global warming, growing inequality, migration caused by armed conflicts and climate emergency, etc. After the relative success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) [1], the United Nations has proposed an agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals, to be implemented between 2015 and 2030 [2].

The Sustainable Development Goals are based on 5 pillars (5Ps) [2]: the care of the Planet, the centrality of People, the necessary Prosperity, the care of Peace, and the need for Partnerships. The Goals of sustainable development are constituted from a new paradigm [2]: It is a transformative agenda, because it seeks the origins of problems; it is universal, involving all (developed and developing countries); it is indivisible because it requires the achievement of all SDG jointly; it is integrated; it is engaged to reality; and it must be achieved in partnership through the participation of all actors [2].

It is more than evident that the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals requires the participation of all educational institutions. Much of the success of the Millennium Development Goals was due to the commitment of educational institutions [1]. However, in this sense, the permeability of universities to SDGs is not confirmed based on preliminary results [3].

In a previous work, we proposed a framework for the teaching of SDGs in higher education [4]; we believe that this framework can be applied, with necessary modifications, in other educational levels, such as primary education and secondary education.

This Special Issue of the journal Sustainability aims to collect pieces of research carried out within the framework of the relationship between SDGs and education. It seeks to answer some questions, such as: How can we better teach SDG in the different educational stages and disciplines? What new experiences are being developed in this field throughout the world? How can we evaluate the skills developed by students? What are the most fruitful alliances for the development of work? How can we train teachers to carry out these activities?

References:

1. Sachs, J.D. From Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals. Lancet 2012, 379, 2206–2211.
2. General Assembly of United Nations Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015 Available online: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E (accessed on Nov 7, 2018).
3. Zamora-Polo, F.; Sánchez-Martín, J.; Corrales-Serrano, M.; Espejo-Antúnez, L. What Do University Students Know about Sustainable Development Goals? A Realistic Approach to the Reception of this UN Program Amongst the Youth Population. Sustainability 2019, 11, 3533.
4. Zamora-Polo, F.; Sánchez-Martín, J. Teaching for a Better World. Sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals in the Construction of a Change-Maker University. Sustainability 2019, 11, 4224.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Sustainability.

Dr. Francisco Zamora-Polo
Dr. Jesús Sánchez Martín
Guest Editor

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