Advancing Sustainable Futures: Integrating Service Learning in Education and Research

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, ‘Advancing Sustainable Futures: Integrating Service Learning in Education and Research’, aims to explore the intersection of sustainability, education, and service learning across various disciplines and sectors.

Introduction

Sustainability has become a critical global imperative as we face challenges like climate change, resource depletion, and social inequalities. Higher education institutions and research organizations play pivotal roles in addressing these issues by equipping learners, educators, and researchers with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to promote sustainable development. Service learning, as an experiential pedagogical approach, offers a unique opportunity to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical applications in education for sustainable development and research.

Aim of this Special Issue

This Special Issue seeks to examine innovative approaches, best practices, and challenges in integrating sustainability and service learning across educational levels, disciplines, and research fields. We aim to contribute to the growing body of research on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) while exploring its applications beyond traditional educational settings. This aligns with the journal's scope by addressing the interconnected environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability through diverse educational and research lenses.

Suggested Themes

We welcome original research articles and reviews on topics including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Curriculum design for sustainability across educational levels and disciplines;
2. Service learning models for promoting sustainability competencies in various fields;
3. Assessment of sustainability literacy and action competence in learners and practitioners;
4. Integration of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in education and research;
5. Community partnerships for sustainability-focused service learning initiatives;
6. Challenges and opportunities in implementing ESD in diverse contexts, disciplines, and sectors;
7. Impacts of sustainability-focused service learning on knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and practices;
8. Cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspectives on education for sustainable development; 
9. Technology integration for enhancing education for sustainable development and service learning;
10. Policy implications for promoting education for sustainable development and research;
11. Innovative research methodologies in education for sustainable development;
12. Corporate–academic partnerships for advancing sustainability through service learning;
13. The role of service learning in fostering sustainability leadership;
14. Integrating indigenous knowledge in education for sustainable development and research;
15. Evaluating long-term impacts of sustainability-focused service learning programs.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current research and innovative practices in education for sustainable development and research across various sectors. By focusing on the integration of service learning, we hope to highlight effective strategies for developing environmentally conscious and socially responsible individuals who can inspire and implement sustainable practices in their communities and professional fields.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions to this important and evolving field of study.

Dr. Tiberio Garza
Dr. Shaoan Zhang
Dr. Chengcheng Li
Guest Editors

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 single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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.