2024 DOCTORAL CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS Exploring the SHAPE Disciplines: Collaboration, Innovation and Diversity in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: Unearthing Bound Roots: Problematising Characteristics Hindering Transformative Education for Sustainable Development in British Further Education

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) stands as a symbolic cornerstone in addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by global sustainability crises in environmental, social and economic spheres. In the context of the British Further Education (FE) sector, educators recognise the imperative of embedding ESD principles within curricula and pedagogical practices, however, evidence suggests that its integration within FE institutions’ taught courses remains nonetheless sparse (Education and Training Foundation, 2021). Transformative education is understood to be hindered by the complex interplay of institutional dynamics and sector-specific pressures that FE presents (Smith & Duckworth, 2022); the same could therefore be supposed of the transformative nature of ESD.

This presentation synthesises existing literature to problematise the barriers hindering the effective integration of ESD in UK FE institutions, drawing on preliminary readings for doctoral research. Encompassing concepts of prevalent disciplinary silos, instrumentalist qualification-focused agendas, insular institutional constraints and FE's perceived role as a site for workforce socialization, the systemic barriers to transformative ESD within FE shall be illuminated. By critically examining the intersection of ESD principles and the haecceity of FE, this presentation aims to provide insights for practitioners, policymakers, researchers and any other interested parties seeking to advance sustainability education in post-compulsory education contexts.