Integrating Islamic Value Based Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into the Strengthening of Sustainable Curriculum in Higher Education

Nur Rahmi Sonia Sonia

doi:10.70062/incoils.v5i1.467

Authors

Nur Rahmi Sonia Sonia UIN Kiai Ageng Muhammad Besari Ponorogo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70062/incoils.v5i1.467

Keywords:

Key words: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Islamic Higher Education, Ethical Epistemology, Whole-Institution Approach, Transformative Learning, IVB–ESD.

Abstract

ABSTRACT : This study explores the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within Islamic higher education, emphasizing the synthesis between global sustainability principles and Islamic ethical epistemology. Using a mixed analytical design that combines a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of 128 publications (2015–2025) and multi-site empirical analysis across three institutional types (PTKIN, PTN, and PTS), the research identifies a paradigm shift from symbolic adoption to transformative implementation of sustainability education. Findings reveal that most ESD initiatives in Islamic Higher Education Institutions (IHEIs) remain fragmented, lacking coherence between policy, pedagogy, and ethical foundations. However, institutions that operationalize sustainability through Islamic moral values—amanah (trust), ‘adl (justice), ihsan (excellence), and rahmah (compassion)—demonstrate higher levels of institutional coherence, pedagogical innovation, and student transformation. These values not only provide ethical justification but also serve as epistemic anchors for sustainability literacy. The study introduces the Islamic Value Based ESD Operational Framework (IVB–ESD), which consists of three interdependent domains: (1) the Epistemic Core, grounding sustainability in Islamic moral philosophy; (2) the Pedagogical Core, promoting transformative, reflective, and spiritually informed learning; and (3) the Institutional Core, embedding sustainability into governance, curriculum, and community engagement through a Whole-Institution Approach (WIA). Validation through the Delphi technique confirmed the model’s theoretical robustness and practical relevance. The research concludes that Islamic higher education can serve as a laboratory for moral–ecological transformation, redefining ESD as a form of spiritual praxis that unites knowledge (‘ilm), faith (īmān), and ethical action (‘amal). The IVB–ESD model thus offers a replicable framework for global sustainability education by localizing it within Islamic epistemology and moral responsibility.

Author Biography

Nur Rahmi Sonia Sonia, UIN Kiai Ageng Muhammad Besari Ponorogo

ABSTRACT : This study explores the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within Islamic higher education, emphasizing the synthesis between global sustainability principles and Islamic ethical epistemology. Using a mixed analytical design that combines a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of 128 publications (2015–2025) and multi-site empirical analysis across three institutional types (PTKIN, PTN, and PTS), the research identifies a paradigm shift from symbolic adoption to transformative implementation of sustainability education. Findings reveal that most ESD initiatives in Islamic Higher Education Institutions (IHEIs) remain fragmented, lacking coherence between policy, pedagogy, and ethical foundations. However, institutions that operationalize sustainability through Islamic moral values—amanah (trust), ‘adl (justice), ihsan (excellence), and rahmah (compassion)—demonstrate higher levels of institutional coherence, pedagogical innovation, and student transformation. These values not only provide ethical justification but also serve as epistemic anchors for sustainability literacy. The study introduces the Islamic Value Based ESD Operational Framework (IVB–ESD), which consists of three interdependent domains: (1) the Epistemic Core, grounding sustainability in Islamic moral philosophy; (2) the Pedagogical Core, promoting transformative, reflective, and spiritually informed learning; and (3) the Institutional Core, embedding sustainability into governance, curriculum, and community engagement through a Whole-Institution Approach (WIA). Validation through the Delphi technique confirmed the model’s theoretical robustness and practical relevance. The research concludes that Islamic higher education can serve as a laboratory for moral–ecological transformation, redefining ESD as a form of spiritual praxis that unites knowledge (‘ilm), faith (īmān), and ethical action (‘amal). The IVB–ESD model thus offers a replicable framework for global sustainability education by localizing it within Islamic epistemology and moral responsibility.

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