Education for Sustainable Development: Faculty Perspectives, Curricular Integration, and Institutional Challenges in Higher Education

Abstract

Sustainable Development (ESD) is now an international demand for higher education institutions to be aligned with SDG 4.7. It aims to prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to foster sustainable development. The study was qualitative study with phenomenological research design. 10 faculty members from a public university of Punjab were selected through purposive sampling technique. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews. To analyze the semi-structured interviews data, thematic analysis technique was used. According to the results, there is diversity among faculty members.  In conceptual knowledge, most of the participants restrict ESD to environmental awareness, while others take a more socio-ethical approach. There is not comprehensive integration of the curriculum and sustainability issues are only rarely mentioned, being extremely dependent on individual initiatives rather than institutional. Some major challenges include outdated curricula, ineffective management, and insufficient funding. The analysis concludes that Pakistani universities are at the stage of learning to sustain, having developed awareness, but now need to concentrate on sustaining this learning through systematic curriculum reform, capacity building, and institutional collaboration. It is recommended that university policies be aligned with SDG 4.7, sustainability competencies be integrated throughout programs, faculty and students be empowered, sustainability offices be established, and partnerships be built to facilitate collective action.