Connecting Education for Sustainability and Cultural Competency: An Educational Toolkit — Version 0.1

This toolkit, presented as a “living document” (Version 0.1), explores the practical and theoretical intersections of Cultural Competency (CC) and Education for Sustainability (EfS) within higher education. Originating from an internally funded project at King’s College London, the paper argues that the capacity to relate across difference (CC) and the capacity to address the climate crisis (EfS) are mutually reinforcing goals that should be integrated into curricula rather than taught in isolation.The toolkit distils research findings into actionable strategies for educators, moving beyond abstract “best practices” to focus on situated, local, and responsive teaching. Key pedagogical shifts proposed include the adoption of a “Pedagogy of Care” that embraces vulnerability to rebuild trust, the use of interdisciplinary collaboration to navigate complexity, and the implementation of experiential assessments that challenge traditional grading structures. This document invites educators to test, modify, and iterate on these strategies to foster a transformative educational paradigm committed to social justice.