Education

Education holds a paramount relationship with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as delineated by the United Nations in 2015. It is not only recognized in its standalone form in SDG 4, which strives to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”, but also serves as an enabler of other SDGs, highlighting its cross-cutting impact across multiple facets of development. It acts as the foundation stone of knowledge, fostering an understanding of complex socio-economic dynamics that are critical for the attainment of other goals.

Consider, for instance, how education impacts SDG 1 - No Poverty. The increased earning potential offered by quality education is a powerful tool in breaking the poverty cycle. Similarly, in relation to SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being, education is instrumental in driving better health outcomes by fostering understanding of healthy lifestyles, disease prevention, and the benefits of timely medical intervention.

Addressing the climate crisis (SDG 13) also necessitates education, as it prepares individuals to understand the intricate relationships between human activities and their environmental impact, and to seek sustainable solutions. Moreover, achieving gender equality (SDG 5) is intrinsically tied to education, as access to quality learning opportunities for girls and women empowers them, promotes their participation in decision-making processes, and helps in overturning deeply entrenched societal biases.

Quality education also fosters innovation and infrastructure development (SDG 9), as it equips individuals with the technical and creative skills necessary to devise advanced technologies and infrastructures. Moreover, education fosters peace and justice (SDG 16) by promoting a culture of peace, non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity.

In this multifaceted role, education serves as a catalyst in the process of sustainable development. However, these interconnections necessitate that education systems themselves are made more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. The challenges of the 21st century, such as the digital divide and the increasing need for lifelong learning, require urgent attention to ensure education continues to play its role effectively. Education is the key that unlocks the potential of all other SDGs, making its universal attainment not just a goal, but a pre-requisite for a sustainable future.

Elsevier, International Journal of Educational Development, Volume 44, September 01, 2015
This paper examines the effect of age of marriage on women's schooling outcomes for 36 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa and South West Asia. We employ an instrumental variable approach to account for the endogeneity of early marriage driven by socio-economic and cultural factors. Our results show that delaying early marriage by one year is associated with an increase of half a year of education in Sub-Saharan Africa and nearly one third of a year of education in South West Asia as well as a lower likelihood of dropping out from secondary school of 5.5% in South West Asia.
This report, conducted by Elsevier in collaboration with SciDev.net, contributes to the understanding of sustainability science as a research field and the dialogue between science and society in sustainable development. The report is relevant to all 17 SDGs as it underlines the inter-disciplinary nature of sustainability science and the impact that has on the success of the SDGs. The report helps to advance SDG 4 Quality education and SDG 10 Reduced inequalities.
This article ties to SDG 3 & 4. This article explores the role of schools in supporting unaccompanied young refugees in critical psychosocial transitions concerning processes of socialisation, integration and rehabilitation upon resettlement.
This report offers practical advice and sparks of inspiration for creating child labour free zone, which are issues covered by Goal 4, Goal 8, and Goal 12
Elsevier,

Sustainability in Higher Education, Chapter 2, 2015, Pages 21–49

With the increasing importance of sustainability education, this chapter analyses the competence requirements of sustainability managers and the different learning formats that best support competence development. It aligns to goal 4 (quality education).
A compilation of good practices gathered from desktop research or submitted by UN Global Compact participants in response to a call to share actions and initiatives that their companies are undertaking to respect and support children’s rights, focusing on Goal 4 and Goal 8.
This report calls on business to promote entrepreneurship among young people and to support and invest in youth-owned enterprise, which are issues covered in Goal 4 and Goal 8.
Elsevier,

Navigating Academia, A Guide for Women and Minority STEM Faculty, 2015, Pages 155-168

This chapter advances SDG 4, 5, and 10 by exploring the known reasons why African-Americans do not pursue or persist in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in general and in computing sciences in particular.
This article ties to SDG 3 & 4. In this Review, evidence for mental health interventions in schools in accordance with a public mental health approach spanning promotion, prevention, and treatment was provided.

Pages