Sustainability in Curricula and Teaching of HEIs in Austria
摘要
In the light of the Agenda 2030, education is broadly recognized as goal in itself (SDG4) as well as key enabler to achieve all other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including Climate Action (SDG13). Consequently, one of the main aims of the Austrian initiative UniNEtZ (Universities and SDGs) is transformation in the field of teaching, especially within higher education institutions (HEIs), including development and implementation of new study programs, orientation of curricula toward the SDGs and Education for Sustainable Development, and the support of educators to initiate the transformation toward Transformative Education for Sustainable Development. To start this ambitious and ideally participatory process, there is a need to know the status quo, i.e., an overview of what is already taking place within HEIs’ curricula and teaching, regarding sustainability topics as well as key competencies of Education for Sustainable Development, for example, integrated problem-solving competency, systems thinking competency, and collaboration competency. This chapter seeks to provide an insight into a UniNEtZ pilot study at the University of Innsbruck based on questionnaires for students and educators as well as an analysis of existing curricula. Using a mixed methods approach, results of the study can be a starting point for future training for educators and the creation of new learning formats.