Education for sustainable development: synergy of competences for the recovery of Ukraine – SUSTED

ERASMUS-EDU-2024-CBHE-STRAND-1 — Capacity building in the field of higher education Strand 1

Project description:

SUSTED Project aims to promote new elements of the education quality system, adapted to the Sustainable Development Goals, and based on innovative technologies and teaching methods, improved curricula, the academic reputation of the best European educational practices and standards that allow achieving synergistic effect in obtaining the competences of students in the field of sustainable development.

The general goal of the project is defined as contribution to strengthening the capacity of higher education institutions to advocate for sustainability in the post-war recovery of Ukraine through development of competencies for sustainable management and leadership.

Methodology of project implementation will be based on the principles of equality, mutual benefit and complementarity, student-centeredness and prioritization of sustainable development.

Target groups:

• Universities’ academic staff
• students of HEI
• NGOs in Ukraine active in recovery processes of Ukrainian communities
• representatives of war-affected territorial communities of Ukraine (local authorities, city/village councils, public institutions)
• representatives of business

Duration: 01 November 2024 – 31 October 2027

Specific and wider objectives:

The SUSTED project is aimed at implementing the following specific objectives:

• To define the role and to assess the potential of universities in shaping the competencies of students in the field of sustainable development management.
• To develop and to implement course on sustainable development management for successful employment of graduates accordingly to the needs of Ukraine’s recovery.
• To develop transfer of knowledge mechanisms between HEIs through creation of a Virtual SD-Lab of sustainable actions.
• To support the coopetition between HEIs in the “business-university-community” triad and their capacity building to ensure sustainable growth.

Expected project outcomes:

The project aims to achieve better learning outcomes – the formation of competencies in sustainable development management, through the involvement of participants in the mechanisms of knowledge transfer and the results of scientific and applied research, international experience in implementing practical initiatives that will contribute to the advocacy of sustainable development in Ukraine. Outcomes obtained during the implementation of SUSTED: experience, knowledge, practical skills, a new educational course, scientific publications, established connections between Ukrainian and European scholars for long-term cooperation.

The main expected project outcomes:

• Methodological concept to strengthen the competencies of students in the field of sustainable development through the teaching practices
• Development of informational support for mainstreaming EU experience in sustainable development
• Implementation and piloting of new course “Sustainable development management” into curriculum of Ukrainian HEIs
• Creation and maintenance of virtual learning environment with common access
• Design of actions for transfer project-based knowledge etc.