Getting started with the SDG House

The environment of the study programme strongly influences the sustainable transition direction. A number of environmental factors are the same for all study programmes. For example, all study programmes are related to the SDGs, with hbo-wide agreements, with a number of social developments, and they all have to comply with the HU framework. ​

Other factors vary per study programme. For example, there are hbo-frameworks, challenges, movements in the professional field and legislation and regulations specific to the domain.

How can you tackle it?

Sensibility can be developed by training in it. It is related to competences such as environmental awareness and empathy. Possible ways to mapping developments:

• The change/quality manager/sustainability coordinator forms a core team with a group of engaged stakeholders: enthusiastic lecturers, students, researchers, professional practice.
• This ‘core team’ makes an environmental analysis by mapping, collecting and analysing the external factors in order to gain a good picture of the central values ​​and challenges in the field of sustainability.
• In coordination with the stakeholders, this environmental analysis is further refined and subsequently translated into policy.

HU Ambition Plan in 2026: Our profile not only fits in well with regional developments, but also with international developments that the UN has described and used as a starting point for the 17 SDGs.

HU Vision on education and research summarised in four guiding statements:

• Talent development and innovation
• Open, just and sustainable society
• Rich learning environments and learning communities
• High quality and continuous improvement

Working Model Sustainable Together (Samen Duurzaam): As HU community, we want to make an impact on a sustainable learning society with our education and research – together with professional practice. To this end, we train students as change agents who drive sustainable innovations and transitions. As lecturers, we will also take on this role.

KIA 4.1: By 2028, all HU study programmes will make a noticeable and measurable contribution to sustainability through their policies and curriculum, in order to train students who work to achieve the SDGs on a professional and personal level.

How can you tackle it?

What are the requirements in the HU frameworks on sustainability / in the SDG area?

How does the study programme compare to the HU framework?

How do you contribute to the training 0f change agents? The change agent refers to both the student and lecturer.

The institutional and programme frameworks outline the formulated vision on sustainable education and what this means for the body of knowledge and skills, competences and didactics. Input for this is the environmental analysis, HU vision and conversations with relevant stakeholders.

How can you tackle it?

• The environmental analysis together with the HU’s vision in this area reveals the values ​​that are central to the institution, perhaps specific SDGs and challenges in the domain become clear. ​
• On this basis, the institute maps out the current situation and paints a picture of the intended sustainable practice. ​
• The gap between the current and the sustainable situation is the transition that the domain must go through, with the institute training students to shape this transition. In doing so, they are given the role of change agents. ​
• Next, the institute translates what the sustainable situation means into both the substantiveand didactic vision and strategic goals derived from it.
• Having the conversation about the vision is essential here. This whole process must be done together with stakeholders and requires proper testing: is it clear what choices we are making? And does the study programme embrace the vision?

Use tools such as: ‘The good conversation’ (the normative professionalisation research group, based on the methodology of nonviolent communication)

Learning outcomes determine the direction of education and form the basis on which it is assessed. Therefore, for truly sustainable education, it is essential to reflect sustainability in learning outcomes. ​

This means that the values, goals and perhaps specific SDGs from the institutional framework become part of the learning outcomes of the various assignments/projects and course/module in the study programme. ​

In doing so, first provide current learning outcomes with sustainable aspects rather than inventing entirely new learning outcomes. That makes it easier for lecturers to adopt them. ​

Possibly important topics do not appear in existing education; that is the basis for new learning outcomes for which the institute will design new education. ​

As with other learning outcomes, it is important to build in complexity to allow students to gradually delve into sustainable development. The sustainable learning outcomes are then, both formatively and summatively, assessed.

The assessment follows the complexity structure of the learning outcomes. This means that in year 1 certain sustainable components will be looked at less strictly than in year 3 or 4.

How can you tackle it?

• The institute’s ‘sustainability core team’, together with the curriculum committee (or a similar body) of the study programme, translates the study programme into a set of learning outcomes to achieve the intended sustainable situation and associated goals.​
• The curriculum committee requests feedback from relevant stakeholders in the usual manner in the institute, adjusts the learning outcomes and then submits this for decision-making. ​
• Subsequently, the responsible lecturers adapt the testing to these new learning outcomes, possibly in consultation with the curriculum committee.
• It is important to keep an eye on the constructive alignment between the new sustainable learning objectives, assessment and learning activities.

Possible steps:

1. Translate sustainable goals and values from the vision into intended learning outcomes
2. Put intended learning outcomes next to the current set
3. Which learning outcomes match the current set and should be retained?
4. Which learning outcomes are missing and need to be added?
5. Which learning outcomes do not contribute to the SDGs/sustainability and are abandoned?

Competences are about knowledge, attitudes and skills. So there is a connection here with the BOK that is explicitly about knowledge. Often the term BOKS, body of knowledge and skills is used. Competences are thereby called skills/abilities.

To properly use the knowledge from the adapted sustainable BOK, students need different attitudes and skills. ​For example, it is hard to design a product that takes values ​​into account if, as a lecturer and student, you cannot first think value-oriented.

There are many different, partly overlapping, sets of sustainable competences. Several scientists such as Wiek, Roorda have produced sets, as well as from public organisations such as the European Commission and Unesco. There are also sustainable educational frameworks that place a stronger emphasis on students’ personal development and attitudes such as the Inner Development Goals, regenerative education frameworks or the transformative education framework of learning for tomorrow.

UNESCO assumes e.g. the following set:

Ways of thinking:

• Systems thinking
• Anticipatory thinking
• Critical thinking​

Ways of being:​

• Self awareness competence
• Normative competence​

Ways of practicing:​

• Strategic
• Collaboration
• Integrated

How can you tackle it?

• Enter into discussions with the team of lecturers and with the curriculum committee about how to translate sustainability into the competence frameworks. This can be done by examining various existing competence frameworks, or by discussing the underlying views. For example, through a ‘frame reflection’ exercise in which different perspectives on sustainable education and associated values ​​can be discussed in an accessible manner. (Contact colleague Sam Krouwel for an explanation of this working method)
• As indicated with the BOK, it is wise to include competences and BOK together in the assignment for the development team. It is not without reason that people often talk about (body of knowledge and skills).
• Also for the competences, the curriculum committee of the study programme analyses the gap between current competences (often also called skills/abilities) and sustainable competences.  This requires reflection to take place through conversation. In doing so, ask the question: what are you teaching now and to what extent does that do justice to sustainability competences? Your starting point is what you are already doing.
• The curriculum committee will have to make a decision here about which sustainable competences to take, since there are many lists. This requires a good conversation with key stakeholders.
• The curriculum committee and development teams integrate missing competences as much as possible into the existing set of skills/competences to facilitate adoption.  Here, too, having a conversation about how to teach the sustainability competences without creating something completely new.
• The sustainable competences, just like the BOK and learning outcomes, increase in complexity over the years. ​
• The education development teams then develop appropriate education (the learning activities) for competences that are new, integrated into regular education, or add elements to existing learning activities.
• It is advisable to involve outside expertise, such as lectors who conduct research in this area and knowledge from other universities of applied sciences.  ​
• Finally, training is needed for the lecturers who will be provide the new education.

The adapted/new sustainable learning outcomes guide the body of knowledge and skills. ​This body of knowledge and skills is about knowledge, but also about the values ​​and norms that are always (but often unconsciously) imparted. Consider, for example, taking for granted that profits must be maximised or that short-term returns must be achieved for shareholders. ​

The current knowledge/body of knowledge (BOK) and coherent values and norms of an education were often created in a time where there was no or limited attention to impact on people, environment and society.

As a result, the existing body of knowledge and skills will often not be sufficient to achieve sustainable learning outcomes. ​

Meanwhile, there are often sustainable alternatives for the body of knowledge and skills used. ​

From an adoption point of view, it is helpful to make adjustments to the current body of knowledge and skills, while paying attention to sustainable aspects, instead of creating a completely new body of knowledge and skills. In this way, sustainability does not also become something separate, but an integral part of what you are already doing anyway. ​

In addition, it is possible to create a separate minor or master’s degree programme for subjects that require depth. A minor can also be used as an experimental space to later embed in the standard curriculum.

Hoe kun je het aanpakken?

• The curriculum committee (or similar body) will map the extent to which the new/adapted sustainable learning outcomes are covered by existing education. ​
• The designated development teams develop the body of knowledge and skills for the learning outcomes for which no appropriate body of knowledge and skills/education exists.​
• This development task can best be tackled integrally, together with the development of the (missing) SDG competences.
• This can mean a major or minor impact, depending on the gap that exists between the current and the sustainable body of knowledge and skills and the extent to which there is already existing material available elsewhere that can be reused. ​
• If there is a major impact, you can of course choose to take the development step by step. For example, first within a certain direction. ​
• For the development itself, it is advisable to involve outside expertise, such as lectors who conduct research in this area and knowledge from other universities of applied sciences. ​
• Finally, training is needed for the lecturers who will be provide the new education.

The SDG House is in charge of designing sustainable education. The research component of the house deals explicitly with research done in and used for sustainable education

To properly incorporate sustainability into the various elements of the house, it is often necessary to first conduct research

For example, if you, with the body of knowledge and skills of the SDG House do not have knowledge of what alternative models there are to mainstream economic models, then it is necessary to research this first.

Similarly, mapping out the current situation in terms of support, competence and integration in education, for example, will first require research. ​

When it comes to the inquiry-based ability of the student and lecturer, there is a strong link with the SDG competences such as value-oriented thinking (identifying values, principles and goals inherently linked to sustainability) and critical thinking (the ability to challenge accepted standards, practices and opinions).

How can you tackle it?

• A benchmarking tool, a reflection canvas and question cards have been developed for doing research on the overall state of each institute. ​
• Collaboration with research groups that connect with the institute’s domain is wise. ​
• In addition, a separate grant can be applied for to fund research via, for example, Comenius (grant for education innovation projects). ​
• Depending on the part of the house, further research will be needed in addition to the general tools mentioned at bullet1, which are already described in how to do it per part.
• Employ research methods developed in research groups in the education of study programmes (affiliated with the research group). Such as the use of the Co-design research methods ‘future probing’ and ‘socionas’ in the CMD study programme.

The foundation of the SDG House is support, time and competence and is a prerequisite for the transition to succeed. A minimum of support and competence will be required to get started successfully.  So it should already be included in the environmental analysis.

The education of the future requires a different mindset from lecturers and students, and more collaboration: both within the programme and between programmes. Colleagues and students may have different views about the future and how education can contribute to this. It is essential to discuss the common values ​​of the study programme.

Sufficient time for the lecturers involved to work on sustainable education largely determines how strong the foundation can become. With a greater investment of time, you can be more ambitious in your goals as a study programme.

Lecturers are often willing to work on sustainability, but lack knowledge and skills. Without having a good basis for sustainability in your own field of expertise, it is difficult to formulate sustainable learning outcomes, for example.

How can you tackle it?

• As an MT, show leadership by communicating a sustainable vision, repeatedly putting the theme on the agenda, making time and resources available for it, setting requirements for educational development, including it as part of the recruitment of new lecturers and in RGW discussions.
• Appoint a sustainability coordinator.
• Form and participate in sustainable communities, both internally with enthusiastic lecturers and students, and externally with experts from research groups and other knowledge institutes.
• Map the current state of sustainable development at the institute/study programme. To this end there are various supporting tools such as benchmarking, reflection canvas and question cards, and the sustainability monitor.
• Organise activities together with the communities that increase support and expertise among lecturers and students where it is most needed (based on 3).​
• Use the communities for input into the external and internal framework and related goals. ​
• Organise targeted workshops in the educational teams to make goals concrete and translate them into learning outcomes, BOKS and projects.​
• Organise targeted training for lecturers to increase competence.

Integrating sustainability into education means more than just including certain topics and bodies of knowledge and skills in curricula. It is also about ensuring a sufficiently stimulating learning environment, where learning environment involves the physical and digital environment, along with the socio-cultural context for the intended learning activities (Zitter & Hoeve, 2012, p. 13). Bringing education, research and practice together requires different ways of learning and working. Examples of rich learning environments are learning communities, (knowledge) ecosystems, field labs, workshops, living labs, hubs, challenges and project education.

Students apply the sustainable knowledge, attitudes and skills to carry out assignments/projects sustainably. And they gain experience with what it means to work as a change agent in a complex practice.

In addition, as a study programme you can choose to select on the basis of the sustainability of partners/assignments/projects in order to obtain the most sustainable assignment portfolio possible.

Source: Zitter, I., & Hoeve, A. (2012). Hybrid learning environments: Interweaving learning and work processes. Utrecht/’s-Hertogenbosch: Centre for Expertise in Vocational Education.

How can you tackle it?

• The education development teams translate the new sustainable learning outcomes and additional sustainable BOKS into new requirements for assignments and projects.
• It is important for a rich learning environment to work together with partners who have the same mission. To get a grip on the players already present, Mission Mapping or Sociona can be used.
• The design team gets to work designing student-practice interactions in rich learning environments. In doing so, a number of success factors can be included in the design.
• It helps to think of rich learning environments as an infrastructure open to design. Adapt different design perspectives of learning environments, such as:
  • In terms of content: this concerns the issues on which we work and learn together,
  • Temporal: including scheduling, flow & embedding in the curriculum,
  • Social: parties & roles,
  • Spatial: where does learning take place (physically/online), and
  • Instrumental: which analogue and digital tools are used
• In a rich learning environment, sustainable assignments and projects are central. This applies to self-created cases as well as real assignments with clients. ​
• For real assignments, the institute discusses with the clients the requirements they place on projects. During these discussions it is made clear that we, as HU, expect sustainability to be taken into account. ​
• There are several (overlapping) options for selecting sustainable contracts/projects:
  • Forming a network of clients who are demonstrably sustainable (e.g., through Bcorpor by looking at SDGsONstage.nl).
  • Organising inter-professional challenges(possibly with utrechtchallengealliantie.nl)​
  • Inviting clients to submit “SDG projects” (only).
  • Setting a lower limit regarding sustainability and excluding a number of clients/projects. ​

The latter two have the disadvantage of reducing the number of available projects.

To allow students to fulfil the role of change agent, you can have them evaluate the impact of a project/assignment on the SDGs/values of a project/task and make proposals for improvement. In doing so, students can be drivers of sustainability within an organisation.

Learning activities are about the student’ s (learner’s) behaviour to achieve a particular learning outcome/goal. E.g. working together, analysing, applying theory, etc. ​

The didactic form is what the lecturer uses to make the activity happen. E.g. debating, making exercises, making summaries, etc. within an appropriate learning environment.

The goal is to integrate sustainability as much as possible into regular education and therefore regular learning activities. ​ It also calls for “an action-oriented, transformative pedagogy that supports self-directed learning, participation and collaboration, problem-orientation, inter- and transdisciplinarity, and the linking of formal and informal learning” (UNESCO 2017, p. 7).

In addition, it may be desirable to employ specific learning activities aimed at developing specific enduring competences and/or knowledge. ​The way education is provided determines the extent to which truly sustainable education is possible. For example, giving lectures is less suitable for learning the most sustainable competences, according to research by Orlovic, 2019. You do not acquire a competence such as critical thinking by passively listening, but by practising.

Source: Orlovic Lovren, V. (2019). Didactic Re-orientation and Sustainable Development. In: Leal Filho, W. (eds) Encyclopaedia of Sustainability in Higher Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63951-2_209-2

How can you tackle it?

• The preference is to adapt learning activities so that sustainability is a natural part of the regular activity. ​
• To this end, it is wise that other parts (learning outcomes, competences, body of knowledge and skills, environment) of the house are first provided with sustainable features. ​
• The didactic form to make the learning activity possible will have to be adapted depending on the learning outcome to incorporate sustainable elements.

The Sustainable Development Goals are 17 goals drafted by the UN and signed by most countries and many organisations. They must be viewed in context, can be divided into environmental, social and economic SDGs. Currently, the economy is leading, at the expense of the other two. In a sustainable society, the economy serves. In addition to connecting to the goals mentioned in the SDGs, it can be helpful to connect to the sustainable values that lie beneath the SDGs, as mentioned in the explanation of the SDGs. The HU wants to train students who contribute positively to the SDGs. The influence that professionals exert on the SDGs differs per professional group/study programme; some SDGs will be influenced more and others less.

How can you tackle it?

Analysing on which SDGs and associated values ​​the study programme has an impact, both positively and negatively, and subsequently translate into what this means for the different parts of the study programme. Certain SDGs and values ​​may not currently be part of the curriculum, while the future professional does influence them.

Many hbo-domain organisations make sustainable development part of the nationwide domain framework. This is reflected in the exit qualifications, but also in the sustainable values ​​and developments mentioned. It forces study programmes to change as well.

How can you tackle it?

Analysis of the hbo-domain frameworks: what requirements are included in the exit qualifications? What values ​​and challenges are mentioned in the field of sustainable developments?
If sustainability is not included in the nationwide educational framework, the representative of the study programme can contribute to updated frameworks. There is also room for further profiling of the HU within the current framework (contributions to the four areas of expertise).

Major sustainability challenges within all sectors are often highlighted in the news through social and/or environmental abuses. These developments affect the SDGs negatively. There are also positive trends and developments from government, civic or entrepreneurial initiatives that positively affect the SDGs.

Reports come out regularly that paint a future picture of where the domain is headed. Sustainability and sustainable values are often a part of this.

How can you tackle it?

Analysis of which challenges emerge in news items and future-oriented reports about the domain. What values are affected? Which SDGs are affected? What societal changes affect what the transition will look like in the domain? ​

Legislation and regulations and policies increasingly include sustainable development goals for various domains. Sustainable values ​​are also mentioned in legislation and regulations such as privacy, transparency and justice. To have sufficient added value, study programmes must connect to this by, for example, incorporating it into the body of knowledge and skills of their study programme.

How can you tackle it?

Analysis of which (new) legislation, regulations and policies impose requirements on sustainable development. What are these requirements? And what values emerge?

The professional field changes the demands on employees. Sustainability requirements are becoming increasingly common and sustainable values ​​are being given centre stage. In order to remain in line with professional practice, this means that sustainability must also be included in the study programme.

How can you tackle it?

• Analysis of which vacancies are currently open, with which sustainability requirements and which sustainable values ​​are central.
• Discussion with the professional field about what they expect in this area.

The HU wants to educate students who can make a positive contribution to society. This goes beyond just the requirements of the professional field. It is possible that the current professional field has requirements that have a negative impact on society. It is the task of the study programme to deal with this potential friction. We look critically at how requirements from the professional field relate to what is needed, given the analysis of the other environmental factors (domain frameworks, legislation and regulations, trends and developments, SDGs) and from this we make conscious choices for the curriculum.

How can you tackle it?

Analysis of various environmental factors. Where is friction? Next, start a conversation about this friction with the stakeholders and make a clear choice for the curriculum.