Education for sustainable development and global citizenship (ESDGC): the implications for higher education institutions in the Russian Federation

This paper outlines the key challenges facing Higher Education policy with respect to Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC) as it is known in Wales, and as Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) elsewhere in the UK and internationally. Methodological considerations will be presented from a cross-institutional research project in the UK to evaluate the specific contribution being made by Higher Education to ESDGC through a study focused on the area of curriculum design, delivery and assessment. This paper argues that it is the students' actual and intended behaviours with respect to ESDGC that matters rather than the location of ESDGC within the curriculum, and that higher education policy and curriculum review in the UK to date could be criticized for not really considering the benefits and effectiveness of ESDGC approaches, but focusing on superficial awareness raising and promotion of ESDGC activities. The paper asks questions about the state of play with respect to ESDGC in the Russian Federation, and the opportunity for coordinated and collaborative international research.