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The purpose of this paper is to draw attention of the education for sustainable development (ESD) community to recent discussions on competence approaches and to examine the adequacy of a competence‐based model as the means of achieving educational and societal transformation towards sustainability. The paper analyses and highlights some important aspects of case studies of the contributing authors to the special issue.

The paper is based on the review of relevant literature and reflections on the articles that constitute this special issue. It also reflects the authors' observations through their extensive interactions with theoreticians, practitioners and policy makers on ESD in the context of the United Nations decade of education for sustainable development (DESD) and higher education for sustainable development (HESD).

The paper recognises a highly complex nature of the conceptualizations of competences for SD and their articulation in educational programmes. It also highlights a growing interest in competence‐based approaches from institutions of higher education and their stakeholders in different parts of the world.

The paper provides a broad picture of influential international processes and diverse players driving competence‐based approaches in ESD and indicates a need for more coherent critical multi‐level analysis of such processes.

The paper contributes to a broader debate on strategies of implementation of ESD and education for sustainability (EfS) by mapping arguments on competences for SD and sustainability with a particular focus on higher education institutions.

The purpose of this paper is to offer an overview of the United Nations University's Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCE) initiative–the global process created to support the implementation of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD, 2005‐2014)–and discuss the roles of institutions of higher education (IHEs) in RCE efforts.

The paper provides a historical overview of the RCE initiative, clarifies the philosophy behind it, and describes the guiding principles for RCE establishment and operations.

The paper reveals the UNU's views about effective strategies to promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and discusses the roles of IHEs as partners within and among RCEs. Highlights the potential roles of IHEs in overcoming the compartmentalization of knowledge and linking policy and practice.

The paper recognises that RCE is an evolving concept and calls attention to the RCE process as a promising example of “social learning” and “communities of practice”, and at the same time, of “knowledge management system”.

The paper clarifies the expected functions of RCEs as multi‐sectoral and interdisciplinary partnerships and “local‐regional knowledge base” and exhorts local ESD stakeholders, including higher education institutions to use RCEs as value‐adding learning networks at the local and global levels.

The paper refines the RCE concept and offers practical advice to RCEs and RCE candidates. Opportunities are indicated for higher education institutions in contributing towards ESD and sustainable development through RCEs.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) on education for sustainable development (ESD) Hyogo‐Kobe, and the contribution of Kobe University as a model case. An attempt to develop and implement a new ESD programme in higher education is also reported.

A brief description of RCE Hyogo‐Kobe, which was approved in 2007, is followed by the description of the contribution of Kobe University to the RCE's starting phase to date and in the near future. The initiative of establishing the RCE as well as the design and implementation of the ESD programme developed through the collaboration of three faculties: the Faculty of Human Development, the Faculty of Letters, and the Faculty of Economics. The programme focuses on students carrying out participatory action research enabled by collaboration with regional stakeholders on ESD and SD.

Interdisciplinary collaboration was found to be essential in creating an innovative education programme in higher education. Activities and projects on ESD that existed earlier played important roles in the initiative, in formation of the network, and in directing RCE activities.

Information from the case study will be useful in the establishment and development of an RCE through the initiative of an institute of higher education.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of values and beliefs rooted in “non‐Western” cultures in implementing global education initiatives such as education for sustainable development (ESD) at the regional and local levels. This is because many of these initiatives are often derived from “Western” cultures and values. Also to reaffirm the importance for educators to respect and use local and indigenous ways of life and knowledge systems in order to make teaching and learning more relevant and meaningful for Pacific students; and to advocate for the development of teachers' capacities to better contextualize their teaching and create more culturally inclusive learning environments.

Informed by the findings of her research on cultural values, educational ideas and teachers' role perception in Tonga, plus her work as the UNESCO Chair in Teacher Education and Culture at the University of South Pacific, the author presents her reflections on the need to further enhance teachers and teacher educators in the Pacific region.

The findings suggests that teacher education programmes that are designed to cultivate teachers' cultural competence may better contribute to making Pacific education more relevant and effective.

The ESD discourse often attaches importance to traditional and indigenous knowledge, but there is limited literature discussing how and for what purposes indigenous ways of knowing should be integrated into teacher education. This paper challenges the neglect of teachers in the international education reform discourses; points out the vital role of teachers in facilitating educational reforms, and contributes understanding of the types of teacher capacities higher education needs to foster for peace and sustainability through the case of the Pacific region.

The purpose of this paper is to identify components and educational design principles for strengthening sustainability competence in and through higher education.

This is a conceptual paper that uses an exemplary autobiographical empirical case study in order to illustrate and support a line of reasoning.

A number of “Gestalts” of mind‐sets of sustainability competence and key elements of the learning processes needed for developing such competence have been identified.

This is one of the first papers to consider sustainability competence from a transformative social learning perspective. The value of the paper lies in its potential to help teachers of university courses in re‐designing their educational processes with sustainability competence in mind.

The purpose of this paper is to present how the Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) Graz‐Styria as well as RCEs as instruments can contribute to regional development. The RCE Graz‐Styria is representing a case study of Central European RCEs.

The paper describes the development process of RCE Graz‐Styria. Regional challenges to strengthen sustainable regional development have been investigated by literature review and interviews with regional actors.

The paper discusses challenges of establishing an RCE and describes how an RCE can face regional and global challenges by innovative actions.

The paper provides an insight of the establishment of the RCE Graz‐Styria. Readers who would like to establish an RCE in their own region can learn from the process of RCE Graz‐Styria. The reader has to take into account that the regional challenges might be different, and thus the RCE Graz‐Styria is a role model regarding its management structure for RCEs based at universities.

By 2008 and since 2006, every year more than ten new RCEs have been officially acknowledged by the United Nations University. Specially for those new RCEs coming in the next years, which can learn from reading about different management structures and different challenges experienced by different RCEs. For already established RCEs, RCE case studies are useful not only for learning from other RCEs but also for getting in contact with RCEs with common interests and initiating common projects.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of a whole‐person approach to educating for sustainability (EfS), with a focus on persons' identity, motivation and higher order dispositions. To propose that approach as an alternative to the prevalent focus on specific capabilities and competencies in higher education for sustainability. The paper brings to bear psychological research on the development of critical moral consciousness, research on dispositions for learning in higher education, and field research on spiritually inspired service‐learning.

In this paper, critical analysis is undertaken on the discourses that represent two fields of study in order to explore the application of the theory of the ontogenesis of “critical moral consciousness”. The model is applied to two discrete areas to consider implications for higher education – field research on grass‐root Baha'i‐inspired service‐learning and EfS, and students involved in design education.

The findings suggest that a whole‐person approach to EfS may yield more fruitful societal and personal benefits than traditional, and predominantly, behavioural approaches.

The paper only refers to two case studies. One case study is of a faith based organisation used to represent a whole‐person approach to EfS in a social context. It could be that the findings of this case are influenced by perceptions of religious activity (for both authors and readers). The second case study is of a particulate discipline area – design. Whilst the findings represent learners in the design context, it may be that learners in different contexts have different (or similar) results.

Sustainability has now become a common orientation for learning. The paper contributes conceptual understanding of the types of dispositions higher education needs to foster, as well as congruent pedagogies, in order to nurture human motivations necessary to advance sustainability. In particular, there is a need for EfS to focus on the cultivation of critical moral consciousness and higher order dispositions as a specific orientation towards studies, work, and social interactions.

The purpose of this paper is to review and highlight some recent examples of embedding education for sustainable development (ESD), within science and related curricula in ways that are meaningful and relevant to staff and students and reflect on different embedding strategies and discourses.

A review of recent selected UK and international teaching and learning practice drawing on an expert workshop and link to wider debates about student competencies and embedding ESD in the curriculum.

There are a number of practical ways of bringing sustainable development into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related subjects. Successful implementation requires linking teaching activities to the core activities of the STEM discipline. Reformist approaches to curriculum re‐orientation are more likely to be successful than calls for radical, transformational models.

Embedding ESD into the core curricula of STEM subjects is potentially difficult. This paper highlights practical ways of doing this which can be adopted and introduced within the mainstream of STEM curricula and have a greater chance of being taken up than bolt‐on approaches.

The treatment of ESD in STEM subjects is relatively under‐developed compared to social sciences, humanities and subjects allied to environment. The economic and social significance of STEM subjects means that STEM‐related subjects are integral to sustainable development and therefore STEM education must be re‐oriented to sustainable development.

The purpose of this paper is to share the experience of Universiti Sains Malaysia in promoting the sustainable development agenda through its leadership role in the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Penang using an “inside‐out approach”.

This paper describes the institutional structure, policies and programme within the campus, and activities carried out with the surrounding community to promote sustainable development.

Being part of the RCE network provides various reciprocal benefits. One, it provides a greater opportunity and an impetus for the university to transform itself into an agent of sustainable development. Two, it serves as an excellent platform for the university‐community partnership programme which brings the two closer together. Three, it improves the university's reputation and allows it to participate in regional and global discussions on sustainability and the sustainable development agenda.

This paper provides an example of establishing and promoting education for sustainable development through university research, teaching and learning as well as community engagement.

The format of the main discussion is offered as a potential model for adoption by others engaged in education for sustainability.