Our decisions today shape the world of tomorrow. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a UNESCO concept that empowers people to understand the impact of their actions and make sustainable choices. It is embedded in education, politics, business, and society worldwide (BMBF, n.d.).
ESD is essential for the transition to a fairer and more sustainable future (UNESCO, 2020). Universities play a crucial role in educating future professionals, leaders, and teachers, as well as in advancing research on sustainable development (Rieckmann et al., 2024). How can ESD be further strengthened at TU Dresden?

ESD is already integrated into many courses and programs across various university faculties. Certificate and key qualification programs in Global Citizenship, Sustainability, and ESD are either in development or already established. However, much remains to be done to systematically embed and strengthen ESD at TU Dresden. One initiative aiming to anchor ESD more firmly in the university’s structure is the pilot and eventual adoption of a shared, research-based definition of ESD competencies.

The goal is to develop an empirically grounded ESD competency model for TU Dresden. This model could serve as a foundation for all further quality management processes and initiatives planned in the coming months. It could also form the basis for a unified definition of ESD quality objectives at TU Dresden or act as a reference framework for designing curricula and courses for an ESD label or ESD certificates.

In the first workshop in August 2024, faculty members, students, administrative staff, and representatives from curriculum development and various university initiatives gathered. Together, they decided to test the model by Brundiers et al. (2021) and implement it across different faculties. Regular meetings allow participants to exchange experiences and work on adapting the model to TU Dresden’s structures.

After completing the testing phase in March 2025, the results will be evaluated to determine the next steps. Possible outcomes include university-wide implementation or adaptation of the framework to meet the specific needs of individual faculties. In the long term, the competency model could serve as the foundation for a standardized ESD certificate or a sustainability label for courses.

All university staff and students interested in further developing ESD at TU Dresden are warmly invited to participate. They can contact the Green Office or join the open exchange forums.

References

Brundiers, K., Barth, M., Cebrián, G. et al. (2021). Key competencies in sustainability in higher education—toward an agreed-upon reference framework. Sustain Sci, 16, 13–29. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-020-00838-2 (Accessed: 19 March 2025).

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) (n.d.). What is ESD?. Available at: https://www.bne-portal.de/bne/de/einstieg/was-ist-bne/was-ist-bne_node.html (Accessed: 19 March 2025).

Rieckmann, M., Giesenbauer, B., Nölting, B., Potthast, T. & Schmitt, C.T. (eds.) (2024). Sustainable development of universities: Insights and perspectives on institutional transformation. Opladen: Verlag Barbara Budrich. DOI: 10.25656/01:28806;  10.3224/84742551 .

UNESCO (2020). Education for Sustainable Development: A Roadmap. UNESCO Publishing, p. 73. Available at: https://doi.org/10.54675/YFRE1448  (Accessed: 19 March 2025).