Implementation of Vocational Education and Training for Sustainable Development Through Cooperation Between Research and Practice

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework for sustainable development, yet companies encounter significant challenges in their implementation. Vocational education and training for sustainable development (VETSD) is crucial in equipping individuals and organizations to address these challenges. This paper examines the integration of VETSD within the vocational education and training system in Germany and the role of universities in this process. Based on the authors’ experiences with pilot projects through the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), the paper presents these projects as a form of design-based research (DBR) that fosters collaboration among practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to develop innovative solutions. The article is structured into five sections: (1) a definition of design-oriented research in vocational education, (2) characteristics of pilot projects within DBR, (3) an overview of pilot projects focusing on “Vocational Education for Sustainable Development” from 2012 to 2023, (4) presentation of two projects from the federal programm “Sustainability in the occupation” (Nachhaltig im Beruf), and (5) reflections on the collaboration between science and practice. This examination illustrates how VETSD can be effectively integrated into vocational education and training, fostering sustainable practices in enterprises.