Transformative higher education represents a departure from conventional models and seeks to cultivate attention, learning, and action on global issues related to advancing sustainable development. Tertiary education is positioned as a catalyst for personal, societal, and environmental change, with universities and colleges playing a critical role in shaping informed and responsible citizens as well as creating research and policy solutions. In the contemporary landscape of higher education institutions, a paradigm shift is underway. However, progress needs to be faster and go further. Here, drawing on a subset of cases from North American and European universities pursuing transformational change fueled by sustainability, some key themes are identified that support scaling of transformative higher education. Institutional self-disruption, radical collaboration, and a focus on the betterment of society emerge as cross-cutting thematic enablers which, if more widely applied across the sector, could help accelerate, deepen, and broaden transformative education for sustainable development. Highlighting the convening power of higher education, its amplification effect, and focus on embracing emergent futures, this chapter reflects on how transformative education can fuel institutional change as well as broader stakeholder engagement for shared value creation. From faculty realizing their individual agency in the classroom to more concerted strategic institutional-level efforts to reflect sustainable development across courses and programs, operations, and services, transformative education connects campus, community, and place-based efforts with the global goals to tackle the climate crisis and growing inequities in society. Overall, the chapter positions higher education as a key actor in efforts to advance sustainable development through transformative education.

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Advancing Sustainable Development: Transformative Higher Education

  • Wendy M. Purcell

摘要

Transformative higher education represents a departure from conventional models and seeks to cultivate attention, learning, and action on global issues related to advancing sustainable development. Tertiary education is positioned as a catalyst for personal, societal, and environmental change, with universities and colleges playing a critical role in shaping informed and responsible citizens as well as creating research and policy solutions. In the contemporary landscape of higher education institutions, a paradigm shift is underway. However, progress needs to be faster and go further. Here, drawing on a subset of cases from North American and European universities pursuing transformational change fueled by sustainability, some key themes are identified that support scaling of transformative higher education. Institutional self-disruption, radical collaboration, and a focus on the betterment of society emerge as cross-cutting thematic enablers which, if more widely applied across the sector, could help accelerate, deepen, and broaden transformative education for sustainable development. Highlighting the convening power of higher education, its amplification effect, and focus on embracing emergent futures, this chapter reflects on how transformative education can fuel institutional change as well as broader stakeholder engagement for shared value creation. From faculty realizing their individual agency in the classroom to more concerted strategic institutional-level efforts to reflect sustainable development across courses and programs, operations, and services, transformative education connects campus, community, and place-based efforts with the global goals to tackle the climate crisis and growing inequities in society. Overall, the chapter positions higher education as a key actor in efforts to advance sustainable development through transformative education.