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Education for Sustainable Development: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Education and Approaches".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 12466

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
ETSI Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: structural engineering; seismic hazard; continuum mechanics; geomechanics and groundwater; AI and higher education innovation; HE for sustainable development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Ingeniería Civil-Construcción, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, E.T.S.I. Caminos, Canales y Puertos, C/Profesor Aranguren s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: fiber reinforced concrete; sustainability and durability of concrete structures; STEM; higher education; BIM; digitalization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Continuum Mechanics and Theory of Structures, Universidad de Jaén, Edificio Departamental D-050, Campus Científico-Tecnológico. Avda. de la Universidad, 23700 Linares, Spain
Interests: engineering materials; higher education; sustainability in construction; sustainable development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Education institutions (EIs) play a key role in promoting the awareness of progress towards sustainable development (SD). As they rear and train eventually committed future professionals, both secondary schools (SSs) and higher education institutions (HEIs) make valuable contributions to the achievement of a fairer and more sustainable society—hence the need for acquiring transversal competencies in the realm of sustainability. At present, HEIs should focus their efforts on what has come to be termed the "third university mission," i.e., service to society, as they may become drivers of efforts to promote a shift in perspective in both students and graduates toward a more sustainable and safer world. New teaching approaches, such as service learning, have proven useful in engaging students in community-benefit-focused advances, especially concerning damage prevention and provisions. The successful attainment of these competencies directly relates to attitudes, expectations, readiness, and behavioural engagement. In addition to transmitting knowledge, therefore, EIs must promote learning foundations under a holistic perspective that can address the complexity of behaviours and decisions that SD demands; these should promote both a shift in perspective and training for future responsibilities, encouraging the progress of the self and of all humankind. Such a commitment involves rethinking policies, instruction strategies, and the tailoring of outcomes to ensure training in democratic values, equal opportunities, person-centred principles, and transversal competencies, emphasizing the ethical dimension of education in alignment with the common good. Given these requirements, SD is an ongoing challenge for humankind in general, as well as for institutions and policymakers in particular.

The current job market is fickle, as it is currently undergoing rapid changes and witnessing the emergence of new professional and scientific areas. These include geographical and political situations, as well as the social context and the activity sector of the societal environment where each institution is located. Given this backdrop, the mission of HEIs risks becoming unclear and challenging. Likewise, education is undergoing continuous changes, which are greatly accelerated by digital transformation and the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). With regard to AI, its advent in academia has contributed to the increase in uncertainty, given the consequences of its sudden appearance into areas of instruction, research, and our lives. It is an indisputable fact, verified by various international reports, that artificial intelligence in education (AIEd) has come to constitute a rapidly developing field within educational technology. Studies informing educators about the affordances of AI are therefore essential because students already use such technology, which has begun to change traditional practices and teaching–learning approaches. As a result, new challenges and opportunities are needed concerning the role of AI as is related to tackling SD competencies, with AI being intended to shed light on SD issues rather than contribute to solutions directly.

This Special Issue focuses on the SD features that are attainable from educational actions, building specifically on both outcomes and competencies. We encourage potential authors to submit original quality research articles and reviews that concern (but are not limited to) the following topics:

  • Concern regarding the link between university rankings and sustainability objectives;
  • Insight into strategic areas to address from an EI standpoint, as relates to the search for a better sustainable society;
  • Reflections on the role of the development of competencies for SD and the learning methodologies associated with them;
  • The rationale behind university rankings and the accreditation processes concerning SDGs;
  • Key ideas for future pathways toward SD competencies and their incorporation into EI curricula;
  • Opportunities stemming from AI features toward a better sustainable and peaceful world, a fairer society, and a promising future;
  • Addressing socio-civic competence gaps in future professionals from a holistic perspective, including the concept of the circular economy as a pathway to achieve SDGs;
  • Managing the role of AI tools in addressing SD challenges.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Juan Carlos Mosquera Feijoo
Dr. Marcos García Alberti
Prof. Dr. Fernando Suárez Guerra
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

Keywords

  • educational innovation
  • transversal competences
  • socially oriented education
  • sustainability mind-shift
  • challenge-based learning
  • service learning
  • education for sustainable development (ESD)
  • sustainable digitalization
  • sustainable development goals (SDGs)
  • sustainability university rankings
  • circular economy
  • sustainable development indicators

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 947 KiB  
Article
Technology Student Teachers Address Energy and Environmental Concerns on Plastic Usage and Disposal Through Experiential Challenge-Based Learning
by Asheena Singh-Pillay
Sustainability 2025, 17(9), 4042; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17094042 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 284
Abstract
Despite the emphasis on consumption and production patterns in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), plastic pollution remains inadequately addressed. This research contributes to the limited literature on sustainable consumption and disposal of plastic in developing contexts and demonstrates how universities can effectively integrate [...] Read more.
Despite the emphasis on consumption and production patterns in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), plastic pollution remains inadequately addressed. This research contributes to the limited literature on sustainable consumption and disposal of plastic in developing contexts and demonstrates how universities can effectively integrate sustainability competencies into a subject-specific curriculum. This study examined how teacher training programs can address plastic pollution through curriculum innovation and experiential challenge-based learning. Focusing on technology student teachers (TSTs) at a South African institution, the research explored their experiences with community-based problem-solving activities related to plastic consumption and disposal. The polymer module was restructured to combine theoretical knowledge with practical sustainability actions, engaging students in real-world environmental challenges. Data were generated via focus group interview, reflective journal, and photovoice. Working in teams across four communities, TSTs conducted plastic audits in households, shared findings with community members, and collaboratively developed sustainable solutions. This approach bridged the gap between academic learning and environmental action, addressing the critical global plastic crisis that contributes to fossil fuel depletion, ecosystem damage, and greenhouse gas emissions. The findings highlight the potential of teacher education to cultivate environmentally conscious educators who can inspire sustainable thinking and action across educational settings. The practical implications of this research extend beyond the classroom, offering a replicable model for teacher education programs to empower future educators as change agents who can facilitate sustainable community action through knowledge co-creation and context-specific environmental problem-solving. Full article
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20 pages, 2606 KiB  
Article
Circular Economy Practices in Fashion Design Education: The First Phase of a Case Study
by Sofia Moreira, Helena P. Felgueiras and António Dinis Marques
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 951; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17030951 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1350
Abstract
With the growing significance of the circular economy (CE) agenda in the fashion industry and, consequently, in fashion design education, this work introduces the initial phase of a case study that aims to ascertain whether CE principles and sustainability are part of the [...] Read more.
With the growing significance of the circular economy (CE) agenda in the fashion industry and, consequently, in fashion design education, this work introduces the initial phase of a case study that aims to ascertain whether CE principles and sustainability are part of the curriculum and pedagogical approaches employed by educators in the Fashion Design Technician course (FDTC) (level 4, National Qualifications Framework—QNQ, and European Qualifications Framework—EQF). Additionally, it seeks to identify the methodologies, strategies, and educational activities used to address these themes. This research outlines the review of documentary sources that facilitated the definition of the study’s object and sample and describes the implementation of a questionnaire survey to forty educators teaching this course across various disciplines encompassing the three training components (sociocultural, scientific, and technological) in fifteen out of the sixteen Portuguese vocational schools, during the academic year 2023/24. This phase of the case study has led to the conclusion that while the technical course curriculum may not extensively cover CE and sustainability, these topics are integral components of most pedagogical practices among the surveyed teachers. The methodologies, strategies, and activities employed display a strong commitment to fostering sustainable practices, predominantly nurturing environmental awareness among students. Full article
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16 pages, 597 KiB  
Article
Climate Change: Relationship between Knowledge and Perception in Students of an Agricultural-Based University in Ecuador
by Gloria Anabel Cornejo, Pablo Lamiño and Bernardo Trejos
Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5548; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135548 - 28 Jun 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2700
Abstract
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has confirmed that climate change is an unequivocal fact, presenting significant challenges due to its adverse impacts. Understanding climate change is crucial for agricultural students, as climate variability and extreme weather events directly affect agriculture. This study [...] Read more.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has confirmed that climate change is an unequivocal fact, presenting significant challenges due to its adverse impacts. Understanding climate change is crucial for agricultural students, as climate variability and extreme weather events directly affect agriculture. This study examined agronomy students’ perceptions and knowledge of climate change at a technical university in Cotopaxi, Ecuador. An online structured questionnaire was used to gather data on students’ perceptions and knowledge. The questionnaire had two sections, i.e., perception and knowledge. The perception section employed a Likert scale covering the following six components: skepticism, perceived benefit, economy, environmentalism, perceived risk, and negative effects. The knowledge section included true/false questions across four dimensions, i.e., causes, effects, concepts, and human relationships. The results indicated that most students had a medium level of perception (55.85%) and knowledge (54.25%) regarding climate change. A low but significant correlation was found between perception and knowledge (rs = 0.12, p = 0.02). Based on these findings, the researchers recommend incorporating specific climate change courses to better prepare students for sustainable agricultural development in a changing climate. Full article
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Other

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22 pages, 4006 KiB  
Perspective
The Blue School Program: A Model for Holistic Ocean Literacy Education
by Raquel Lorenz Costa and Cláudia Faria
Sustainability 2025, 17(2), 661; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020661 - 16 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1494
Abstract
The Blue School Program is an educational initiative to enhance ocean literacy (OL) by fostering understanding and awareness of the ocean’s importance among students, teachers, and local communities. Through a holistic, interdisciplinary, and intercultural approach, it integrates scientific, cultural, and ethical dimensions of [...] Read more.
The Blue School Program is an educational initiative to enhance ocean literacy (OL) by fostering understanding and awareness of the ocean’s importance among students, teachers, and local communities. Through a holistic, interdisciplinary, and intercultural approach, it integrates scientific, cultural, and ethical dimensions of ocean education. This perspective paper examines the program’s implementation in Portugal, emphasizing its contribution to crucial educational domains such as sustainability education, scientific literacy, and citizenship education. The findings highlight notable achievements, including increased school and community engagement and the establishment of robust public-private partnerships, while also addressing challenges such as resource constraints and geographic disparities. By situating the Blue School Program within broader educational frameworks and analyzing its limitations and enablers, this paper offers insights and recommendations to support the collaborative development of Blue School networks and OL initiatives in diverse educational contexts. Full article
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17 pages, 3514 KiB  
Systematic Review
Educational Practice in Education for Environmental Justice: A Systematic Review of the Literature
by Irene Guevara-Herrero, Beatriz Bravo-Torija and José Manuel Pérez-Martín
Sustainability 2024, 16(7), 2805; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072805 - 28 Mar 2024
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5376
Abstract
The environmental crisis makes it necessary to reconsider the practices of environmental education (EE) and guide them towards a transformative perspective to promote critical reflection and the ability to make decisions in the face of complex problems, including a perspective of justice. Using [...] Read more.
The environmental crisis makes it necessary to reconsider the practices of environmental education (EE) and guide them towards a transformative perspective to promote critical reflection and the ability to make decisions in the face of complex problems, including a perspective of justice. Using the PRISMA systematic review protocol, this article analysed 49 classroom intervention published on international journals to identify the limitations when working on EE in early childhood education, primary education, and pre-service teacher training classrooms from an environmental justice (EJ) perspective. Considering the variables “contents”, “depth of the interventions”, “actions required of students”, and “resources”, the results show a predominance of interventions that promote content knowledge from an ecological perspective and demand actions far removed from reflection and participation, using self-made materials. By not encouraging students to reflect on environmental issues in a holistic way to change their behaviour, it was confirmed that they move away from systems thinking, critical literacy, and action competence. Therefore, there is a lack of integration of the EJ perspective in classroom practices. To achieve educational success in terms of social change for environmental protection, it is necessary to promote research work focused on the didactics of EE including a social justice perspective. Full article
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