Co-developing pedagogical teacher support for enhanced sustainability integration in Higher education

Project rationale

The key role of teachers and appropriate pedagogical approaches in bringing change in academia and in implementing Education in Sustainable Development, ESD, is evident. To be able to offer quality education in responsible management, training of academic staff is seen as beneficial or even as an essential prerequisite for a sustainability paradigm shift in higher education. Studies show that pedagogical training in general has a significant impact on the participants in personal development as a teacher and in gaining pedagogical understanding. However, training of university teachers in teaching sustainability is found to be underemphasized and insufficient in higher education institutions (HEIs). 

This project aims to support the competence development of teaching staff by providing training for teachers to integrate selected sustainability relevant competencies and themes into their respective teaching. While support needs vary between institutions, the project will develop training modules and material that is made openly available and in such a format that allows its customization to different institutions’ and teachers’ needs. 

The aim is to create a training that will nudge teachers to re-think and adjust their teaching from their own stand point. The project work draws on research based pedagogical expertise, existing good ESD practices of teacher training in HEIs and co-development of training modules with interested partners and teaching-development-oriented teachers. It also benefits from the PRME i5 framework, which is an on-going three-year program that focuses on pedagogical approaches to enhance sustainable development in responsible management education.

Contribution to SDGs: The project contributes to the UN Sustainable Development target 4.7, ensuring that “all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development” and SDG 17 with capacity building and knowledge sharing through international partnerships and cooperation. 

Duration: March 2024–December 2025

Project partners:

• Aalto University, Finland
• Audencia Business School, France 
• Budapest Business University, Hungary 
• Conestoga College, Canada
• CUNEF, Spain
• IEDC-Bled School of Management, Slovenia
• ISEG, Univ. de Lisboa, Portugal
• Loughborough Business School, UK 
• Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden 
• ZHAW School of Management and Law, Switzerland