Higher Education For Sustainable Development: Actioning the Global Goals In Policy, Curriculum and Impact Dr. Isabel Franco, UNU-IAS Asia-Pacific Regional RCE Meeting 2018 25-27 September, 2018, Parramatta (Sydney), Australia

1. ‘HIGHER EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT: ACTIONING THE GLOBAL
GOALS IN POLICY, CURRICULUM AND
IMPACT ’
Isabel B. Franco, Ph.D.
JSPS-UNU-IAS

2. Outline
• Context
• Scope and Case Study Locations
Okayama, Japan
Western Sydney, Australia
Lusaka, Zambia
• Methodology and Research Design
• Research Outcomes
• Recommendations

3. •Irrelevant curriculums and
capacity-building for local
communities
•Lack of resources
•ESD effective in rhetoric but
low impact at the local level
(Vaughter, 2013; 2016)
• Corporate interest in
workforce development
•Lack of corporate social
sustainability (Franco, 2014)
• Ineffective capacity-building and
training for local communities
•Overtraining
• Governance issues and
alignment with global goals
(Kanie and Stevens, 2014)
•Lack of resources
•Weak institutional capacity to
implement impactful projects
(Davies, 2005; Minnery, 2007)
Governments
International
Organizations
and CBOs
Higher
Education
Institutions
The Private
Sector
Context
Scientific Article:
Franco, I; Saito, O; Vaughter, P; Whereat, J; kanie, N; Takemoto, K. (forthcoming). Higher Education for Sustainable Development:
Actioning the Global Goals in Policy, Curriculum and Practice. Sustainability Science
Impactful
Research and
Education for
SD

4. Scope and Case Study Locations
Locations that belong to the
RCE Network and other
collaborators
Locations where existing multi-
stakeholder collaboration for
community education and
research for ESD are in place
Locations that display
complexity in multi-
stakeholder-collaboration
processes

5. RCE Okayama, Japan

6. RCE Western Sydney, Australia

7. RCE Lusaka, Zambia

8. Methodology and Research Design
GLOBAL CONTEXT
COLLABORATIVE
GOVERNANCE
IMPACT
COMMUNITY
AREAS AT
THE LOCAL
LEVEL
SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES
Focus Groups
CASE
STUDY
Individual
Interviews
Method &
Techniques
Literature Review
Policy and
Stakeholder
Analysis
Survey
SLF Framework, Modified after Rakodi et al, 2002

9. Data Collection Methodological Technique
Literature Review Education for Sustainable Development
(ESD)
ESD and Governance Linkages
ESD, Governance and Community
Linkages
ESD, Governance, Community and
Gender Linkages
Focus Groups 4 participants Japan
4 participants Australia
15 participants Zambia
15 participants Project Presentation
Global Survey 35 participant RCEs
Interviews Australian Case Higher
Education
Institution
Civil
Society
Governme
nt
5 4 1
Interviews Japanese Case Higher
Education
Institution
Civil
Society
Governme
nt
3 3 1
Interviews Zambia Case 2 1 1
Triangulation
Survey
Individual
Interviews
Focus Groups
Literature
Review
Policy and
Stakeholder
Analysis
Case Study

10. Preliminary Outcomes
Gaps in Asia and the Pacific
SDG 2: Zero
Hunger
SDG 3: Good
Health and
Well-being
SDG 9:
Industry
Innovation
and
Infrastructure
SDG 10:
Reduced
Inequalities
SDG 16:
Peace, Justice
and Strong
Institutions

11. Preliminary Outcomes
Gaps in Africa
SDG 1: No
Poverty
SDG 2: Zero
Hunger
SDG 3: Good
Health and
Well-being
SDG 6: Clean
Water and
Sanitation
SDG 8:
Decent
Work and
Economic
Growth
SDG 9:
Industry
Innovation
and
Infrastructure
SDG 10:
Reduced
Inequalities
SDG
13:Climate
Action
SDG 14: Life
Below Water
SDG 16:
Peace, Justice
and Strong
Institutions
SDG 17:
Partnerships
for the Goals

12. Preliminary Outcomes
Gaps in Europe
SDG 1: No
Poverty
SDG 2: Zero
Hunger
SDG 8:
Decent
Work and
Economic
Growth
SDG 3:
Good
Health and
Well-being
SDG 5:
Gender
Equality

13. Preliminary Outcomes
Gaps in the Americas
SDG 1: No
Poverty
SDG 5:
Gender
Equality
SDG 14:
Life Below
Water

14. Regional Commonalities and Differences
Gaps across regions
SDG 1:No
Poverty
SDG 2: Zero
Hunger
SDG 3:
Good
Health and
Wellbeing
SDG 10:
Reduced
Inequalities

15. Hindering Factors in Collaboration
‘ There is a major focus on
environmental issues
overlooking other areas
equally important in ESD and
social and economic pillars
of sustainability cannot be
longer overlooked by
stakeholders involved’
(Respondent, December,
2017, Global Survey)
‘financial resources at the
government level are limited
and so, jeopardizing the
sustainability of CB in the
long run’ (Interview, higher
education 2017 Japanese
Case).
‘People are busy and there
are not incentives to change
existing lifestyles’
(Interview, higher education
2017 Japanese Case)
‘the environment is not
given the right emphasis…
many initiatives have been
undertaken so that human
society and nature can
thrive together’
(Respondent December,
2017, Global Survey)
‘People are busy…timing of
priorities (Interview, civil
society 2017, Australian
Case).
‘Lack of alignment with SDGs’
(Interview, Civil Society, 2017
Australian Case).

16. Recommendations
Governing Approach
to SDGs
Social and
Environmental
Linkages
Hindering Factors in
Collaboration

17. Thank you!
Isabel B. Franco, Ph.D
franco@unu.edu
@DrIsabelFranco