Integrating Sustainability Competences into Degree Programmes in Higher Education to Educate Experts Who Steer the World Towards Sustainability

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) worldwide are urged to transform their core activities to address sustainability crises. As HEIs are key actors in educating future decision-makers and experts, they are called upon to reform their education and curriculum to actualise the sustainability transformation needed. However, despite global and national policies, HEIs still face great challenges in actually changing their curriculum. This chapter describes the curriculum reform process at the University of Helsinki, where sustainability competences were integrated into degree programmes, and reflects on its strengths and challenges. The research-based framework for future academic expertise, including sustainability competences created as part of the curriculum reform process, is presented, and the process is described. Institutional structures and different levels of supportive actions are analysed and discussed. The framework for future academic expertise includes discipline content knowledge and skills, generic academic skills and sustainability competences. The sustainability competences were embedded into generic academic competences by adding three new competences to be included in curriculum reform guidelines for degree programmes. The organisational strengths that supported the curriculum change at the University of Helsinki include clear action plans regarding sustainability education, support from top management, whole institution-level sustainability actions, creating networks of and workshops for academic staff and competence upskilling. The importance of multilevel co-agency for embedding sustainability is highlighted. This chapter strengthens the idea that the curriculum reform processes are possible intervention points to advance sustainability transition in higher education institutions.