Significant progress in the first months of the Global Teachers for a Sustainable Future (GTSF) Initiative 

The Global Teachers for a Sustainable Future (GTSF) initiative is proud to announce remarkable progress in its first months of operation. This collaborative project, uniting six prestigious European universities, the Global Case Study Challenge and the Spanish Network for Sustainable Development, continues to make strides in reshaping higher education to foster sustainability and global citizenship. 

The GTSF initiative aims to revolutionize teaching and learning practices in higher education by integrating sustainability principles and global citizenship into home learning environments. The project is designed to empower future educators and students to become proactive agents of change, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to address global challenges. 

Key developments in the first months 

Since December, the initiative has successfully defined the general concepts, core values, objectives, learning outcomes, and skills that participants of the GTSF program are expected to achieve. The learning outcomes encompass knowledge of digital tools, economic, environmental, and social challenges, local, global, and intercultural issues, as well as an understanding of the geopolitical, historical, and social landscape. 

Defined skills include technical proficiency, adaptability, effective communication, critical thinking, and material development. The values aimed to instill are open-mindedness, cultural sensitivity, empathy and compassion, environmental awareness, and social responsibility. 

The objectives, structured through Bloom’s Taxonomy, guide students over four academic years through the stages of remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and ultimately creating. These stages focus on cultivating global awareness, understanding, engagement and leadership in education.  

The values, objectives, and skills defined in the GTSF program are specifically designed to develop student and teacher profiles ready to tackle global challenges in an interdependent world. By fostering these attributes, we aim to prepare individuals, through a three-year program, who can thrive in diverse, interconnected environments and contribute positively to global sustainability efforts. 

The Virtual Learning Platform (VLP), one of the main deliverables of the initiative, has been another of the key developments within these first months. This robust platform designed to provide educators, administrators, and learners with a secure, integrated system for personalized learning ensuring a seamless and practical educational experience, has been successfully established. Up to date, this work has consisted in setting up all necessary components and configurations to guarantee the platform’s robustness, security, and adaptability to the project’s educational needs. Additionally, we are currently working on the Virtual Facilitator certification program to further enhance the capabilities and reach of our educational offerings. 

To showcase tangible project impact, a comprehensive work plan for disseminating project results has been developed. This includes creating a distinct graphic identity for the GTSF project and launching a dedicated website where all relevant information can be accessed. These efforts are aimed at ensuring the visibility and accessibility of project outcomes to stakeholders and interested parties. 

As it continues to progress, the GTSF initiative remains committed to achieving its overarching goals of promoting sustainable education and global citizenship. We aim to create a lasting impact by equipping educators and students with the necessary tools and knowledge to foster a sustainable and inclusive future. 

Participating entities  

The GTSF initiative is a collaborative effort involving six esteemed European universities, the  Global Case Study Challenge, and the Spanish Network for Sustainable Development, each bringing unique expertise and perspectives to the project. GTSF also counts with the collaboration of the Malaysian Sultan Idris Education university, the Mexican University of Monterrey and the Colombian Network for the Internationalization of Higher Education.