Institutionalization of higher education and science in the strategy of sustainable social development: global and European levels

Abstract

The current education system is still «teaching» society the tasks and goals of sustainable development on a small and insufficient scale. However, the official program document (Resolution) of the UN General Assembly formulates an appropriate global strategy «Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development». Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the key areas for implementing this global integrated multi-level strategy for social, governmental and institutional sustainable development. Education is one of the crucial prerequisites for the implementation of the UN global strategy «Agenda 2030». Therefore, education has a key role to play in seeing a just, peaceful and sustainable society (both global, continental, regional and national). International and European integrated strategy for sustainable social development «Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development» – at the global level of education and science offers a mechanism for achieving and providing inclusive, equitable and quality education and training, promoting all opportunities for education and lifelong learning. The strategy envisages providing and allowing everyone to receive and complete free, fair and quality primary, secondary and higher education, which will lead to appropriate and effective results of sustainable social development of both individual states and the global system. It is also necessary to create preconditions for ensuring access of all, regardless of social, sexual, racial, ethnic origin to quality education at all levels, and to create appropriate conditions for this by 2030, which will allow them to successfully move to the next educational levels and carry out lifelong learning. To do this, all levels, models and systems of education (through the model of «education for sustainable development») must be transformed - to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for sustainable development: sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promoting a culture of peace and non-violence, through global civic education and the recognition of cultural diversity and the contribution of culture to sustainable development. Thus, Agenda 2030 sets practical challenges for governments to ensure, through the transformation of the education system («education for sustainable development»), the maximum conditions for all people to participate (through the acquisition of quality knowledge and skills through education) in society, state and economic and political development.

Keywords

• sustainable development of society, institutional transformations, philosophy of education, international strategy, higher education, knowledge, science, global system, european union, national educational models, public, educational institutions.