The Transformation of Higher Education Institutions …
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instead of thorough integration of different views with variety serving as a basis for sustainability.
This call for advancement of all evolutionary levels of HEIs is also reflected in the
Rio+20 Treaty on Higher Education (2014): “To be transformative, higher education
must transform itself.” In line with these comments, the following paragraphs are
intended to show ways of facilitating the evolution of HEIs toward a post-modern or
even integral level.
4.1 SDGs: Bridging the Gap Between 2.0 and 3.0
In order to make the change from one evolutionary phase to the next, there need
to be either radical shifts in consciousness and structure or—following a gentler
path—bridges toward the new paradigm (Beck and Cowan 1996). The sustainable
development goals (SDGs) adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations
(2015) appear to be an ideal means to bridge the gap between HEI 2.0 and 3.0.
First of all, the SDGs are—as their name clearly states—goals and are thus well
suited for the numbers and achievement driven modern worldview of HEI 2.0. Their
content, however, is one of respect for nature and people and therefore promotes the
emergence of the post-modern and integral worldviews. Secondly, the structure of the
SDGs helps to break down the complex challenge of SD and enables the integration
of SD into specific disciplines. The focus on high quality education of SDG 4 further
helps to connect SD to the realm of HEIs.
Moreover, the concept of the SDGs is not limited to scattered research and teaching
of singular disciplines—the framework itself references the overarching goal of a
more general SD. Thus, by implementing a single SDG, the door is open to connect
it to one or more of the other SDGs and to come closer to the “transformation of
higher education itself”.
Indeed, the SDG framework as a whole stresses the importance of sometimes
contradictory goals. Embracing contradictions and tensions is closely linked to the
emergence of the integral worldview seeing the relative truth of multiple perspectives.
For example, economic growth and decent work (SDG 8) can lead to immense
progress in issues of social sustainability such as ending poverty (SDG 1) health
(SDG 3) or quality education (SDG 4), to name a few, and at the same time be
detrimental to other goals such as climate action (SDG 13) and life below water
and life on land (SDG 14 and 15). These tensions are not easily solved and need
to be balanced by individuals and institutions that are able to integrate different
perspectives without losing the ability to act. Working with the SDG framework
as a whole might therefore promote the development toward integral HEI 4.0. As
Singer-Brodowsky and Mader (2018) state, to enable complex changes such as the
Energiewende (energy transition) a change of the education system is needed as well.
647
instead of thorough integration of different views with variety serving as a basis for sustainability.
This call for advancement of all evolutionary levels of HEIs is also reflected in the
Rio+20 Treaty on Higher Education (2014): “To be transformative, higher education
must transform itself.” In line with these comments, the following paragraphs are
intended to show ways of facilitating the evolution of HEIs toward a post-modern or
even integral level.
4.1 SDGs: Bridging the Gap Between 2.0 and 3.0
In order to make the change from one evolutionary phase to the next, there need
to be either radical shifts in consciousness and structure or—following a gentler
path—bridges toward the new paradigm (Beck and Cowan 1996). The sustainable
development goals (SDGs) adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations
(2015) appear to be an ideal means to bridge the gap between HEI 2.0 and 3.0.
First of all, the SDGs are—as their name clearly states—goals and are thus well
suited for the numbers and achievement driven modern worldview of HEI 2.0. Their
content, however, is one of respect for nature and people and therefore promotes the
emergence of the post-modern and integral worldviews. Secondly, the structure of the
SDGs helps to break down the complex challenge of SD and enables the integration
of SD into specific disciplines. The focus on high quality education of SDG 4 further
helps to connect SD to the realm of HEIs.
Moreover, the concept of the SDGs is not limited to scattered research and teaching
of singular disciplines—the framework itself references the overarching goal of a
more general SD. Thus, by implementing a single SDG, the door is open to connect
it to one or more of the other SDGs and to come closer to the “transformation of
higher education itself”.
Indeed, the SDG framework as a whole stresses the importance of sometimes
contradictory goals. Embracing contradictions and tensions is closely linked to the
emergence of the integral worldview seeing the relative truth of multiple perspectives.
For example, economic growth and decent work (SDG 8) can lead to immense
progress in issues of social sustainability such as ending poverty (SDG 1) health
(SDG 3) or quality education (SDG 4), to name a few, and at the same time be
detrimental to other goals such as climate action (SDG 13) and life below water
and life on land (SDG 14 and 15). These tensions are not easily solved and need
to be balanced by individuals and institutions that are able to integrate different
perspectives without losing the ability to act. Working with the SDG framework
as a whole might therefore promote the development toward integral HEI 4.0. As
Singer-Brodowsky and Mader (2018) state, to enable complex changes such as the
Energiewende (energy transition) a change of the education system is needed as well.