Education for Sustainable Development: A University Perspective
279
(Zilans 2008). Considering the absence of reliable criteria for analysing the governance processes with respect to the mainstreaming of sustainable development, it is
important to develop a methodology for assessing the sustainability of development
policies and indicators for monitoring the policy outcomes and development trends
with respect to sustainability (Zilans and Abolina 2009).
2 Sustainability and Universities
Universities play a key role in introducing the concept of sustainable development
to society. Universities in Latvia are significant players in promoting sustainable
development. The most important contribution of universities pertains to research on
sustainable development at a national-level and studies into the development process
conducted as part of sustainability reporting (Dale and Newman 2005). Several
studies have analysed the sustainable development process in Latvia, revealing
its achievements and failures (Zilans and Abolina 2009; Blumberga et al. 2014).
However, the volume of analytical work dedicated to studying the development
process is relatively small. This is especially true given that study of sustainable
development is not recognised as a research priority, and analysis of the development process from a very classical perspective of the economy dominates in the
existing studies. Notably, the main objective of the National Development Plan of
Latvia 2014–2020 is a “Breakthrough in Production” (National Development Plan
of Latvia 2014). Other major factors that hinder research on sustainability of the
development of Latvia are the dominance of the public administration system in the
national planning process, limited accessibility of data that characterise the development process, and obstacles for academics to participate in that process and discuss
its results. Definitely, there is a large gap between the academic analytical process
and the real planning process and evaluation of the development results (Bourn
2008). This situation is, for the most part, related to the national development plan
being used as an instrument in deciding on the allocation of EU Structural Funds
to Latvia as a “new” EU Member State. Thus, the development planning process,
also including aspects of sustainability of development, in compliance with the 17
sustainable development goals and other aspects of sustainable development, was
overwhelmed by economic and political interests of the national development planning process in Latvia, thereby preventing the involvement of academics in sustainability studies. Furthermore, the national sustainable development reporting process
to evaluate compliance with the sustainable development goals has been taken over
by the Cross-sectoral Coordination Centre, under the authority of the Prime Minister
of the Republic of Latvia. The key impact of the existing impediments for academics
to access the development process is a limitation of the possibilities to influence
the planning process at a national level and to participate in discussions about this
process and achieved results.
Sustainability aspects pertaining to universities are mostly those related to the
Education for Sustainable Development. Initiatives related to the development and
279
(Zilans 2008). Considering the absence of reliable criteria for analysing the governance processes with respect to the mainstreaming of sustainable development, it is
important to develop a methodology for assessing the sustainability of development
policies and indicators for monitoring the policy outcomes and development trends
with respect to sustainability (Zilans and Abolina 2009).
2 Sustainability and Universities
Universities play a key role in introducing the concept of sustainable development
to society. Universities in Latvia are significant players in promoting sustainable
development. The most important contribution of universities pertains to research on
sustainable development at a national-level and studies into the development process
conducted as part of sustainability reporting (Dale and Newman 2005). Several
studies have analysed the sustainable development process in Latvia, revealing
its achievements and failures (Zilans and Abolina 2009; Blumberga et al. 2014).
However, the volume of analytical work dedicated to studying the development
process is relatively small. This is especially true given that study of sustainable
development is not recognised as a research priority, and analysis of the development process from a very classical perspective of the economy dominates in the
existing studies. Notably, the main objective of the National Development Plan of
Latvia 2014–2020 is a “Breakthrough in Production” (National Development Plan
of Latvia 2014). Other major factors that hinder research on sustainability of the
development of Latvia are the dominance of the public administration system in the
national planning process, limited accessibility of data that characterise the development process, and obstacles for academics to participate in that process and discuss
its results. Definitely, there is a large gap between the academic analytical process
and the real planning process and evaluation of the development results (Bourn
2008). This situation is, for the most part, related to the national development plan
being used as an instrument in deciding on the allocation of EU Structural Funds
to Latvia as a “new” EU Member State. Thus, the development planning process,
also including aspects of sustainability of development, in compliance with the 17
sustainable development goals and other aspects of sustainable development, was
overwhelmed by economic and political interests of the national development planning process in Latvia, thereby preventing the involvement of academics in sustainability studies. Furthermore, the national sustainable development reporting process
to evaluate compliance with the sustainable development goals has been taken over
by the Cross-sectoral Coordination Centre, under the authority of the Prime Minister
of the Republic of Latvia. The key impact of the existing impediments for academics
to access the development process is a limitation of the possibilities to influence
the planning process at a national level and to participate in discussions about this
process and achieved results.
Sustainability aspects pertaining to universities are mostly those related to the
Education for Sustainable Development. Initiatives related to the development and