Education for Green Sustainability across Latin American and European Higher Education Institutions

Edugreenability seeks to transform higher education into a catalyst for climate action and sustainable development by strengthening sustainability education across Latin American and European higher education institutions (HEIs). The project combines academic and administrative staff training, sustainability-oriented curriculum development, green skills strategies and inclusive international learning approaches to equip universities and their communities to respond to climate and environmental challenges.

Challenge

Many Latin American HEIs face gaps in curriculum development aligned with sustainability, the green transition and emerging green-sector skills. These gaps limit the ability of universities to prepare students, academics and administrative staff for the challenges associated with climate change and sustainable development.

The project also addresses unequal access to international educational opportunities. Students from diverse cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds may otherwise have limited opportunities to participate in international learning experiences. Edugreenability therefore promotes inclusive approaches that allow learners to engage in international education and sustainability learning without requiring physical mobility.

Solution and Innovation

Edugreenability will strengthen sustainability education through three complementary areas. First, experts from consortium institutions and guest lecturers from government and the private sector will deliver training for academics and managerial and administrative staff. Second, participating HEIs will work on curriculum management, integrating sustainability-oriented curricula, green skills strategies and assessment mechanisms.

Third, the project will provide Green Deal-related modules for students across disciplines using inclusive digital learning approaches, including Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and Virtual Mobility. These approaches connect Latin American and European institutions and enable students to collaborate across countries and disciplines while developing practical sustainability competencies.

The methodology extends beyond universities themselves, seeking to engage actors from the private sector, government, non-governmental organisations, families and communities. Through knowledge exchange and collaborative learning, participants are encouraged to develop a stronger understanding of sustainability, respect cultural diversity and become active contributors to climate action.

Expected Impact

Edugreenability will equip educators, students and administrative staff with practical green competencies and strengthen the capacity of participating HEIs to respond to climate and environmental challenges. By embedding sustainability into curricula and institutional practices, the project aims to create lasting educational and cultural transformation rather than treating sustainability as a standalone topic.

The collaboration between Latin American and European HEIs also creates scalable pathways for knowledge exchange and international learning. Strengthened green skills and sustainability-oriented education can support learners in developing solutions for their communities while contributing to broader societal transitions toward more sustainable lifestyles and economies.

Development and Scale-Up

The project is currently at the Pre-Pilot / Preparing for Field Testing stage and is ready for real-world testing. Implementation will strengthen green competencies across participating institutions, expand inclusive international learning and test approaches for curriculum transformation.

Scale-up will build on the consortium of Latin American and European HEIs, sustainability experts and potential public- and private-sector partners. The project is seeking WAITRO partners, industry organisations and public-sector organisations to support pilot implementation, knowledge exchange, curriculum innovation, funding and the wider replication of green education solutions across the region.