The Future of Education

Higher education institutions are increasingly expected to play an active role in advancing sustainable development through education, research, and institutional governance. This study examines how sustainability-oriented strategies are translated into pedagogical practice and how they are experienced by students and educators within a university setting, drawing on perspectives from education for sustainable development and student engagement theory. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combines survey data from 175 students with semi-structured interviews conducted with educators, student representatives, and members of the university administration. In addition, institutional strategy documents were systematically analyzed to explore the relationship between strategic intentions and everyday teaching practices. The findings indicate that although sustainability is clearly articulated at the strategic level, its integration into teaching and learning remains uneven. Student awareness and engagement vary considerably, while educators describe structural constraints, limited pedagogical support, and challenges related to interdisciplinary teaching. These results suggest that sustainability education risks remaining fragmented unless it is supported by coherent pedagogical frameworks, clearer communication, and curriculum-level integration. The study contributes to education theory by offering empirical insight into how institutional strategies, pedagogical conditions, and student engagement intersect in practice, and by highlighting factors that influence the educational effectiveness of sustainability initiatives in higher education.

Keywords: sustainability education, education for sustainable development, student engagement, pedagogical practice, higher education

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