A Scoping Study of Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Education in Higher Education

Overview & Synopsis

This scoping study combined a systematic literature review and qualitative content analysis of 149 articles in higher education and higher education-focused journals (those addressing fields or disciplines focused on research/pedagogy/practice within the higher education sector) to better understand: (1) the geographic contexts; (2) how education for sustainable development (ESD) and global citizenship education (GCE) address issues of human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, and appreciation of cultural diversity/cultural contributions to sustainable development; and (3) the approaches through which GCE and ESD are advanced within higher education. Findings highlight: (1) a greater focus on ESD versus GCE and limited overlap between them within individual articles; (2) a greater Global North geographic concentration versus the Global South; (3) meaningful connections with Sustainable Development Goal Target 4.7's main social domains; (4) four strategies for advancing GCE/ESD (curricular and pedagogical change, professional development, evaluation and assessment, and innovative technology platforms); and (5) two cross-cutting themes (organizational/systems change and community engagement) across the strategies.