New SDG Accord report shows institutions are stepping up to meet the Sustainable Development Goals

22nd September 2025

The 2025 SDG Accord progress report, launched during Global Goals Week, shows that institutions are making progress towards the SDGs despite persistent challenges in some areas such as learning and teaching.   

The report draws on self-reported data from 207 institutions across 34 countries who have signed up to the SDG Accord. By asking institutions to self-assess and reflect on their sustainability progress over the past 12 months, the analysis offers unique insights into how the global university and college sector is contributing towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

For the first time, the 2025 report explores an operational theme in more detail to better understand the trends and challenges behind the topline maturity rankings. This year's thematic spotlight is on learning and teaching.

Progress at the whole-institution level

Most signatories are on their way to embedding sustainability at a whole organisation level: 69% ranked their sustainability practice as Developing or Established, and 78% reported having an up-to-date sustainability policy or action plan endorsed by senior leadership.

However, TVET providers, in this case referring to colleges and polytechnics, generally assessed themselves as less mature than universities.

Support needs and priority areas

When asked about internal and external support needs, budget and funding came out top, mirroring similar priorities identified in last year’s report.
Institutions once again identified the same three priority areas for the coming 12 months as they did last year: Quality Education (SDG 4), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).

Spotlight on learning and teaching

When specifically asked about learning and teaching, 43% of institutions rated their organisational maturity as Developing compared to Established (32%) and only half estimated that only a quarter or less of courses address the environmental, social or economic pillars of sustainability or lacked the data to say.

Staff development is also limited, with 61% reporting that a quarter or fewer of their teaching staff have received at least basic sustainability-related training or reported that they did not know.  Meanwhile, assessment practices remain underutilised as drivers of change: only 14% of institutions report that they often or consistently test student’s sustainability knowledge and skills. Institutions identified a number of barriers to integrating sustainability into learning and teaching, including a lack of time for educators to engage in sustainability-related professional development or integrate sustainability into existing curricula.

Despite the challenges cited, a number of case studies highlight how institutions are leading the way with bold and transformational approaches to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Examples include the use of AI to screen curriculum materials for SDG keywords to facilitate mapping, experiential learning in the community, online learning platforms and networks to share effective SDG practices.

Recommendations

The report includes recommendations for policy makers, sector bodies, networks, universities and colleges with a particular reference to this year’s focus theme, learning and teaching. The recommendations are:

- Policymakers can drive transformative change by embedding sustainability within professional teaching standards and national frameworks and increasing funding support mechanisms for the sector.

- Sector bodies and education networks can strengthen peer learning,  highlight effective practice and encourage cross-sector collaboration. There is a particular need for tailored support for TVET institutions who often identify as less mature in embedding Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

- Universities and Colleges should focus on whole organisation approaches to embedding ESD. The report highlights some particular areas including investment in professional development for teaching staff and tools to map and monitor SDG integration within curricula. 

Tove Hubbard, EAUC’s sustainability programme manager, said:

“There are reasons to be optimistic about these findings. Against a challenging financial backdrop in many countries, we had more institutions reporting than ever before and the majority ranked their SDG practice as either developing or established.

At the same time, we’re mindful of the high percentage of institutions citing budget and funding challenges as the top types of support needed, pointing towards signs of pressure.

With five years to go until the target date for the SDGs, we particularly urge national policymakers and sector bodies to support institutions in developing whole organisation approaches to Education for Sustainable Development.

Through the SDG Accord, I see a real opportunity for universities and colleges to celebrate their own effective practice with others and borrow examples of successful models."

Read the full report and recommendations.