The Conceptualization of competencies related to sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles

The education system of Finland has been developed soundly and steadily during the past 40 years. The guiding principles have been equity and equality in education as going hand in hand with the view to promote every individual’s life-long learning. Following these principles, it has strengthened the sustainability of the system itself. This report describes the role of sustainable development and the importance of learning a sustainable lifestyle in Finnish basic (primary and lower secondary) education. It highlights the goals, values, tasks, and the conceptualization of the competencies related to sustainability in the 2014 National Core Curriculum for basic education. In addition, it describes the sustainable nature of the curriculum reform process itself. The report examines the role and the contribution of various school subjects and key aspects, such as the school culture and the learning environment, in creating a strong knowledge base on which to build the values, attitudes, skills and the will needed for sustainable lifestyle, and in promoting sustainable ways of living. The report concludes with lessons drawn from the Finnish way of enhancing sustainability in education.