Educating for A Greener Tomorrow: Higher Education’s Role in Teacher Preparation for Climate Change Mitigation in ASEAN

Abstract

This article explores the evolving role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in mitigating climate change through teacher education in the ASEAN region. The study evaluates how HEIs integrate climate change education into pre-service and in-service teacher training programs, equipping educators to impart environmental literacy across K-12 curricula. This review adopted doctrinal, document based Qualitative approach, synthesizing policies and case studies reported by ASEAN higher education institutions. Grounded in Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory and UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) framework, the review highlights successful case studies from ASEAN countries. It identifies challenges, policy gaps, and opportunities for systemic change. Findings emphasize the urgent need for curriculum reform, educator capacity-building, institutional collaboration, and stakeholder engagement to foster sustainable education systems. Recommendations call for a multistakeholder strategy to amplify climate literacy and actionable sustainability across Southeast Asia.