The SDS4HEI project aimed to empower European HEIs to become drivers of sustainable development by embedding the UN SDGs holistically across education, research, governance, campus operations, entrepreneurship, and outreach. It supported systemic change through a whole-institution approach and addressed the gap between awareness and strategic action by providing practical tools and capacity-building for decision-makers, HEI staff and students. Key goals included: equipping 30 HEI leaders to strategically integrate SDGs across all impact areas (WP2 - Framework); supporting 30 staff to integrate and adapt sustainability practices into teaching and operations (WP3 - Self-assessment tool and recommendations); engaging 250+ students through a transdisciplinary MOOC that can be integrated into HEI curricula and that promotes challenge-based learning (WP4); and reaching 100+ teachers and 500+ students through dissemination (WP5). The project fostered cross-sector collaboration, student empowerment, and a culture of sustainability, promoting long-term transformation aligned with regional and global agendas.
The EU seeks to tackle grand societal challenges—social equality, economic growth, and environmental protection—through the Green Deal and the UN SDGs. Yet progress remains uneven, with modest advances in SDG 4 (education), SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 17 (partnerships) (Eurostat, 2022). HEIs are key drivers of sustainable development but face barriers in translating awareness into strategic action (Leal Filho et al., 2021). Despite an increasing number of sustainability courses, focus groups at WH, BUU, ATU, and IMT-BS revealed limited holistic SD implementation. Validated through consultation, key needs include the integration of SDGs into daily operations, upskilling educators in transversal competencies, and promoting transformative, interdisciplinary learning. SDS4HEI addressed this by developing a strategic framework, tools, and training tailored to four target groups: leadership, educators, staff, and students. These outputs aimed to embed sustainability across all levels, strengthen regional impact, and boost employability through future-ready skills. Grounded in the European GreenComp Framework, SDS4HEI supports HEIs in nurturing sustainability-literate graduates, institutional change, and stronger community ties.