Unlocking transdisciplinarity through entrepreneurship didactics: Illustrations of a whole-institution approach to education for sustainable development

Many Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are eager to help create the sustainability citizens of tomorrow (Kövesi et al., 2019; Rieckmann et al., 2017), but the academic and professional structures create impermeable divides that hinder the necessary transdisciplinary (learning) processes (Dorst, 2018; Max-Neef, 2005).

To further the advancement of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), UNESCO recommends transdisciplinary didactics through a whole-institution approach (Rieckmann et al., 2017). While a whole-institution approach is well-argued for, it is not clear what it should look like in practice or how it should be initiated or implemented. Recent research highlights challenges in finding the right didactic “formula” for building the students’ competences towards the Sustainable Development Goals. (Østergaard, 2018, 2021)

By presenting two coursework cases from VIA Design & Business as practical examples of UNESCOs concept of a whole institution approach, this chapter argues that entrepreneurship didactics is the key that unlocks transdisciplinarity required for ESD.

This chapter is a multiple case study of how VIA Design & Business is shaping the workforce of the future through transdisciplinarity. It is intended to be both an inspiration and illustration of how a transdisciplinary approach can be applied through entrepreneurial didactics to education innovation towards sustainable development.