Optimizing Higher Education for Sustainable Development through the Design and Implementation of the Global Engagement Program

Abstract

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) plays a significant role in the environmental, economic, social and cultural spheres and is a key element in achieving sustainable development goals. Higher education institutions, as the main producers of future leaders, are essential to the practice of ESD. However, Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD) is still in its infancy in many higher education institutions. This study adopts corpus-based text analysis and case study methods. Starting from the features of ESD and examining the case of the “Global Engagement Program”, this paper aims to explore how higher education can better promote sustainable development within the framework of ESD and proposes the model of HESD. Specifically, this study focuses on the following questions: (1) what are the features of ESD based on UNESCO’s official documents; (2) how does the Global Engagement Program seek to achieve HESD and (3) what is the proposed model of HESD?