The paper aims to examine the crucial role of vocational education and training (VET) in promoting sustainable development and equipping learners with the skills required for green and digital transitions. It presents the GreenTeach Erasmus+ project (Code 2024-1-BG01-KA220-VET00024643), a comprehensive framework designed to integrate sustainability into VET curricula, aligning with principles of environmental stewardship and resource efficiency.
The GreenTeach approach emphasises a whole-institutional strategy, addressing five key dimensions: training, teachers, stakeholders, funding, and strategy. GreenTeach ensures learners acquire technical knowledge and transversal skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, essential for sustainable practices by greening curricula and training programs. The initiative also highlights the pivotal role of teacher professional development in delivering high-quality green education, fostering a
mindset shift among educators and students alike.
Collaboration with stakeholders, including industry partners and policymakers, is central to GreenTeach, ensuring alignment with the regional and national green policies of Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, and Romania. The framework also addresses the strategic challenges of implementing green initiatives, providing actionable recommendations for VET institutions to develop and effectively monitor greening strategies. Drawing on case studies and peer reviews, this paper demonstrates how GreenTeach supports the transition to a sustainable economy, particularly in key sectors such as construction and energy. The initiative’s structured approach to policy advice and practice sharing underscores its potential to drive systemic change within VET systems.
In this framework, GreenTeach represents a transformative model for integrating sustainability into vocational education, empowering learners to contribute to a greener future. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and capacity building, this initiative sets a benchmark for excellence in green VET, aligning with global sustainability goals and the evolving demands of the labour market.
Keywords: Green Skills, Teacher Professional Development, Sustainability-Driven Curriculum, Vocational Education and Training (VET)
How to cite this paper:
Tramonti, M., & Dochshanov, A. (2025, May). GreenTeach: Advancing Vocational Education through a Sustainability-Driven Curriculum. In “The Future of Education” International Conference Proceedings. https://conference.pixel-online.net/files/foe/ed0015/FP/4282-CDEV7414-FP-FOE15.pdf
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