Short Abstract:

University has a crucial role in advancing the SDGs. This paper discusses the use of PAR in developing Education for Sustainable Development module at Satya Terra Bhinneka University, Indonesia. PAR was chosen because it is rooted in collaboration and empowerment, embodies a transformative methodology that engages stakeholders in identifying and addressing issues pertinent to their community.

Long Abstract:

The launching of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has started a global commitment to reshape education in addressing the challenges of sustainable development. ESD is a holistic education which integrate critical issues (such as the climate change), in a learner-cantered way which enable learners to explore and take action in transforming themselves and the society (UNESCO Global Action Programme on ESD, 2018). This transformational education seeks to empower individuals and communities to actively engage in creating a sustainable future.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Strategy for ESD stated that it aims to encourage its member states to “develop and incorporate ESD into their formal education systems, in all relevant subjects, and in non-formal and informal education. This will equip people with knowledge of and skills in sustainable development ... and increasing their opportunities for acting for a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature and with concern for social values, gender equity and cultural diversity” (United Nations, 2005). The life skills needed for these ESD were closely linked to the notion of capability.

The Capability Approach provides a normative framework cantered on human flourishing and freedom (Sen, 1999). Applied to sustainable education, it emphasises the importance of nurturing individuals' capabilities to understand, adapt to, and mitigate the challenges of sustainable development and calls for educational systems that empower learners with critical thinking skills, ethical values, and agency to enact positive environmental change. Hoffmann (2005) argues that the capability is being part of the underlying principles for ESD, while Hart (2018) suggested that the educational processes may contribute significantly towards the development of individual capabilities and sustainable development more broadly.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have a crucial role to play in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). McCowan (2019, p.220) suggested five modalities of the universities in Sustainable Development which are: (1) education, (2) knowledge production, (3) public debate, (4) service provision, and (5) embodiment. Nussey et al. (2023) studies shows that there is extensive evidence that higher education institutions are taking action in relation to the climate emergency across the five modalities. However, the efforts to address climate change seem sporadic and are not translated equally across universities’ faculties. ESD modules are frequently available only in specific study programme which has a strong environment link (such as forestry management) and hardly offer in others (such as informatics). Furthermore, the ESD curriculum concentrate on improving students' comprehension of the subject, with less effort put into expanding the audience for the discussion (Harjatanaya et al, 2022).

This paper discusses the use of PAR in developing the ESD module curriculum at Satya Terra Bhinneka University in Indonesia. The ESD module is compulsory for all students to take regardless their study programme. PAR was the method chosen to develop the module because it is rooted in collaboration and empowerment, embodies a transformative methodology that engages stakeholders in identifying and addressing issues pertinent to their community. PAR transcends traditional research paradigms by positioning participants as co-researchers, empowering them to shape the research process and co-create knowledge. In this project, 16 lecturers and 3 academic staff volunteered to be participants in developing the ESD curriculum. The 16 lectures came from 6 different study programme offered by the university, which are (1) forestry management, (2) agribusiness, (3) entrepreneurship, (4) digital business, (5) midwifery, and (6) informatics. The academic staff was from different divisions; (1) HR team, (2) Finances team, and (3) media and communication team.

In implementation the PAR, we were guided by the five steps and ten principles for developing a PAR process (Climate-U, 2021). We also take into consideration that the ESD curriculum should engage with three conversion factors (personal, social and environmental) and allows for agency (UNESCO, 2018, p. 55-56) to be practised among the lecturers and admin staff. We also refer to Frediani’s “participatory capabilities”, which is a framework that highlights “people’s choices, abilities and opportunities to engage in a process of participation that is driven by a goal of deepening democratic practices as well as individual/collective critical awareness” (Frediani, 2015, p.10). This view is further developed in the participatory research capability cube developed by Boni and Frediani (2020, p.478) which emphasis its multidimensional perspective: (1) the expansion of the capabilities and agency of co-researchers; (2) the transformative characteristics of the knowledge produced; and (3) the democratic processes that PAR could enable both during and beyond the research process (Boni and Frediani, 2020, p.478). Throughout the process, we were also mindful of Ki Hajar Dewantara (Indonesia’s father of national education)’s education philosophy. His philosophy is cantered on the notion of human flourishing by creating a holistic development process which empower learners to contribute to the society guided by local knowledge and awareness of local surroundings.

Taking all these into consideration, during the curriculum development process, all participants went through three tier process: (1) exploration, (2) initiation, and (3) creation. In the exploration process participants were given the freedom to explore as much information as they could. The were facilitated to attend seminars, have access to various literature, government documents, and other sources of information. They also conducted regular discussion. In the initiation process, they identify 27 local stakeholders ranging from government representatives, NGOs, practitioners, other academics, as well as members of public. They conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) and interviews with these stakeholders. They also engaged with the wider public in social media. In the creation stage, they analysed the data and create lesson plans and materials based on the information that they have gathered. The whole process embodies McCowan’s five modalities of the universities in Sustainable Development.

The outcome of the project has shown (1) an increased understanding of sustainability issues and the need for multidisciplinary approaches involving various stakeholders, (2) a shift in attitudes amongst lecturers where they became a more active agent, and (3) the importance of building a holistic ecosystem within the university, beyond the ESD curriculum, to ensure the principles and values of sustainability are embedded and experienced.