Developing Interdisciplinary Education Based on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education

Abstract

The context of integration and globalization brings numerous opportunities for exchange, interaction, and learning to promote development, while also highlighting a range of complex issues spanning various fields that require the involvement of multiple stakeholders for resolution. Consequently, higher education in the 21st century must focus on training individuals with creative and innovative thinking, as well as the ability to collaborate with diverse groups to effectively address the intricate challenges facing communities, nations, and the global society. This article analyzes the relationship between interdisciplinary education and education for the sustainable development in the context of the 21st century, while synthesizing both domestic and international research to propose a theoretical framework for integrating interdisciplinary education aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This framework is built on the principle of system compatibility and consists of three main components: (1) target audiences and interdisciplinary curricula tailored to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); (2) a group of teaching methods oriented towards interdisciplinarity and supporting the sustainable development goals; and (3) a group of methods for assessing interdisciplinary and sustainable development competencies. Furthermore, the framework suggests principles for integrating interdisciplinary education based on the sustainable development goals into university curricula and training activities, ensuring compatibility among the three above components.