The EDINSOST Project: Implementing the Sustainable …
195
to the different global issues. “ESD can develop cross-cutting key competencies for
sustainability that are relevant to all SDGs” (UNESCO 2017, p. 10).
After the Declaration of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
(DESD) and the Declarations on Sustainability in Higher Education (Leal 2010;
Lozano et al. 2013 and Michelsen 2016), efforts have been made to implement
sustainability at University level (Albareda and Alférez 2016; Barrón et al. 2010;
Calder and Clugston 2003; Disterheft et al. 2012; Ferrer-Balas et al. 2008; Geli and
Leal 2006; Leal 2010, 2011, 2015a, b; Lozano 2009, 2011; Michelsen 2016; MüllerChrist et al. 2014; O’Byrne et al. 2015; Ramos et al. 2015; Wals 2014; Wals et al.
2016).
The challenge for universities to be more sustainable is complex. The preamble
of the 2030 Agenda for SDGs (UN 2015), stresses the importance of working on
SD from a holistic point of view: “We are committed to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions -economic, social and environmental- in a balanced
and integrated manner” (UN 2015). This integral and holistic view of sustainability
is also present in ESD documents published at the beginning (UNESCO 2005a, b)
and at the end of the DESD 2005–2014 Nagoya Declaration on Higher Education for
Sustainable Development (UNESCO 2014a). In practice, however, much remains to
be done.
Within the SUS, several universities are working on the implementation of sustainability in all areas of the university. The Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE in Spanish)
1 has two specific sectors, CRUE—Internationalization and
Cooperation and CRUE—Sustainability, that work on sustainability. Both departments consist of different working groups that focus on the different areas. At the
beginning of 2018, the Internationalization and Cooperation sector conducted a survey among all the SUS Universities on the knowledge and implementation of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at Spanish universities (CRUE 2018).
With regard to the implementation of curricular sustainability, CRUE—Sustainability drafted and approved documents that propose core competencies in sustainability
(CRUE 2012).
The content related to the SDGs includes the important social and environmental priorities worldwide, and the interconnections between them: No Poverty; Zero
Hunger; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Clean Water and Sanitation, etc. The
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN 2015), including its 17 goals, offers
universities a unique opportunity to meet their social obligations. “These goals combine efforts to eradicate poverty and increase the development of poor countries while
decreasing the human footprint on the environment” (Saito et al. 2017).
The objective for implementing the SDGs in HE is to ensure graduates develop
different competencies in sustainability: “competencies in systemic, anticipatory,
and critical thinking” (Rieckmann 2012; Wiek et al. 2011), “competencies related
1 CRUE is a non-profit organisation composed of 76 Spanish universities: 50 of which are public
and 26 are private. It acts as the main interlocutor between universities and the central government
and plays a key role in all the regulatory developments that affect higher education in Spain. For
more information, visit the website: http://www.crue.org/SitePages/Inicio.aspx.
195
to the different global issues. “ESD can develop cross-cutting key competencies for
sustainability that are relevant to all SDGs” (UNESCO 2017, p. 10).
After the Declaration of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
(DESD) and the Declarations on Sustainability in Higher Education (Leal 2010;
Lozano et al. 2013 and Michelsen 2016), efforts have been made to implement
sustainability at University level (Albareda and Alférez 2016; Barrón et al. 2010;
Calder and Clugston 2003; Disterheft et al. 2012; Ferrer-Balas et al. 2008; Geli and
Leal 2006; Leal 2010, 2011, 2015a, b; Lozano 2009, 2011; Michelsen 2016; MüllerChrist et al. 2014; O’Byrne et al. 2015; Ramos et al. 2015; Wals 2014; Wals et al.
2016).
The challenge for universities to be more sustainable is complex. The preamble
of the 2030 Agenda for SDGs (UN 2015), stresses the importance of working on
SD from a holistic point of view: “We are committed to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions -economic, social and environmental- in a balanced
and integrated manner” (UN 2015). This integral and holistic view of sustainability
is also present in ESD documents published at the beginning (UNESCO 2005a, b)
and at the end of the DESD 2005–2014 Nagoya Declaration on Higher Education for
Sustainable Development (UNESCO 2014a). In practice, however, much remains to
be done.
Within the SUS, several universities are working on the implementation of sustainability in all areas of the university. The Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE in Spanish)
1 has two specific sectors, CRUE—Internationalization and
Cooperation and CRUE—Sustainability, that work on sustainability. Both departments consist of different working groups that focus on the different areas. At the
beginning of 2018, the Internationalization and Cooperation sector conducted a survey among all the SUS Universities on the knowledge and implementation of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at Spanish universities (CRUE 2018).
With regard to the implementation of curricular sustainability, CRUE—Sustainability drafted and approved documents that propose core competencies in sustainability
(CRUE 2012).
The content related to the SDGs includes the important social and environmental priorities worldwide, and the interconnections between them: No Poverty; Zero
Hunger; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Clean Water and Sanitation, etc. The
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN 2015), including its 17 goals, offers
universities a unique opportunity to meet their social obligations. “These goals combine efforts to eradicate poverty and increase the development of poor countries while
decreasing the human footprint on the environment” (Saito et al. 2017).
The objective for implementing the SDGs in HE is to ensure graduates develop
different competencies in sustainability: “competencies in systemic, anticipatory,
and critical thinking” (Rieckmann 2012; Wiek et al. 2011), “competencies related
1 CRUE is a non-profit organisation composed of 76 Spanish universities: 50 of which are public
and 26 are private. It acts as the main interlocutor between universities and the central government
and plays a key role in all the regulatory developments that affect higher education in Spain. For
more information, visit the website: http://www.crue.org/SitePages/Inicio.aspx.