Sustainable development principles integration into educational curricula: implications and prospects

Education has a critical role in shaping a society capable of sustainable development. The
Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals), adopted by the UN in 2015, provide for the implementation
of an ambitious plan to overcome key problems of humanity by 2030. Achieving the Goals requires balancing
economic, social, and environmental components. Therefore, the implementation of the basic principles of
sustainable development (SD) in education for the effective development of humanity is an urgent problem,
both theoretically and practically. After all, it is thanks to education that a person's personality, social ties,
understanding of himself and his place in society are formed, and personal and professional realization takes
place. The article aims to highlight theoretical scientific developments related to the issues of SD and its
specifics in the educational sphere, as well as practical steps related to the implementation of the goals and
principles of SD by integrating them into the educational process and educational programs. The object of
the study was scientific works related to sustainable development, documents that contain a description and
interpretation of the SD concept, its necessity and ways of implementation. Attention is focused on practical
cases, in particular on the example of Great Britain and Germany. The choice of countries is due, firstly, to
their long-standing educational traditions, secondly, to the implementation of SD at the state level, covering
all spheres of society, which is what SD requires, and thirdly, to the importance of these countries for Ukraine
in the course of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The methodological basis of research consists of the methods of
literature analysis, the method of analysis and synthesis, the structural-functional method, and case studies.
In many countries of the world, starting in 2015, a global transformation process has begun in educational
institutions at all levels of education in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals and taking into
account local traditions, human resources, technical and technological capabilities and national policies.
Examples of successful implementation of SD principles in the educational sphere, in particular, by
integrating the SD goals and objectives into educational programs and their practical implementation,
combining theoretical knowledge and practical cases, are Great Britain and Germany. An important condition
for achieving the goals of SD is state policy. In particular, in Great Britain and Germany, relevant strategies
and platforms have been developed; active international cooperation is underway; innovative methods of
learning and teaching are being introduced; state, business structures, civil society organizations, etc., are being
involved. Among the general challenges, one can single out: systematicity in the transformation of education,
its understanding not as a form of passive transfer and acquisition of knowledge, but its construction and
creative use to solve problems; integration of education into all spheres of society; interaction between the
educational environment, authorities, civil society, at the individual level; development of critical thinking
skills, environmental awareness, social responsibility; availability of a sufficient number of teachers who would
themselves be bright carriers of sustainable development values and its relays for education seekers; support
from relevant authorities and material, technical, technological and financial support; a systematic approach
to planning, implementing and monitoring all forms of education; motivation of education seekers to an
active life position, the desire to live in a democratic society and an environmentally safe world;
interdisciplinary approaches in combining academic disciplines. Given the situation in geopolitics, it can be
stated that it is evidently difficult to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, as originally
planned. However, humanity currently has no alternative; therefore, the transition to SD philosophy in
accordance with its goals and principles in the field of education remains one of the conditions for the survival
of humanity at this stage of development.
Keywords: environmental education; critical thinking; education for sustainable development; educational
program; training of future teachers; social responsibility; sustainable development.