Book presentation: sustainable education

This means for education that looking away is not an option. With that in mind, we presented the book Sustainable Education on 19 March in the Speaker’s Corner at THUAS. A publication that not only raises questions but also provides direction.

During the opening, Executive Board member Arend Hardorff spoke about the role of education in these times. Not as a neutral space, but as a driver of change. Arend: “We are educating students for a world that we ourselves do not yet fully understand. That is precisely why this moment calls for education that not only transfers knowledge but also helps students find direction, take responsibility, and navigate uncertainty.”

Bringing big issues into the classroom

The book brings complex socio-ecological challenges into the reality of everyday teaching practice and not by simplifying them, but by giving educators tools to work with them. “Sustainability is no longer a choice, but a necessity in the curriculum”, explains senior researcher and associate lector of Sustainability Transitions, Rosa. “The challenge lies in the translation. How do you make themes like climate change or social justice discussable and workable in the classroom?”

Using the Inner Development Goals as a guiding framework, the book connects personal development with societal responsibility. Each chapter combines theory, practical examples, and reflection, and intentionally starts close to home: a conversation in the teachers’ lounge. From there, it moves toward broader questions about pedagogy, didactics, and the role of education in a world undergoing transformation.

Future-oriented

Sustainable Education is not a finished story but an invitation to think and develop together. With a digital learning environment, additional teaching methods, and room for co-creation, we are actively building a growing educational practice. This shared ambition ties the project together or as Rosa summarizes: “What connects us is the conviction that education can contribute to a just society within planetary boundaries.”