A Comparative International Study and Chinese Pathways for Integrating Education for Sustainable Development into the Curriculum

Abstract

In the context of global efforts to address sustainable development challenges, education has been entrusted with the role of a key driver. How to effectively integrate Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into national curriculum systems has become a core issue in education policy across countries. This article employs case analysis and policy text analysis methods, selecting Australia, England (hereinafter referred to as "the UK"), and Finland, three countries with distinct educational philosophies and governance structures, as comparative subjects. It systematically examines their differentiated paths in integrating sustainable development education into curricula. The study finds that these three countries have developed three typical models: "Cross-disciplinary Infusion" (Australia), "Cross-disciplinary Practice Guided by a National Framework" (UK), and "Implicit Integration into Transversal Competences" (Finland). The selection and evolution of these models are deeply rooted in their respective traditions of educational decentralization, the intensity of national curriculum control, and fundamental perceptions of teacher professionalism. Through an analysis of the three countries' policy texts, curriculum vehicles, implementation logics, and typical cases, this paper reveals that the success of ESD curriculum integration depends not only on top-level design but more crucially on the "supportive ecosystem" provided for schools and teachers. Based on this, the paper argues that China, in advancing related reforms, should move beyond the binary debate of "establishing an independent subject" versus "adding extracurricular activities." Instead, it should focus on constructing a flexible policy space for schools, systemically empowering teachers as curriculum designers, and promoting an intrinsic alignment between assessment culture and sustainability competencies. This approach will help explore a deeply rooted, vibrant, and locally grounded integration pathway.