Systems Thinking for T‐Shaped Sustainability Education: A Viable Systems Approach (vSa)

Sustainability represents a complex and evolving paradigm calling for competences necessary for a deep understanding of the interdependencies among human, environmental, economic, and cultural dimensions. Along with a review of the literature and an analysis of official guidelines from leading international institutions, this study assesses key references for the competences necessary for sustainability education. Findings show that systems thinking is globally recognized as a key competence for sustainability and a core element of education programs. However, an overarching reference framework capable of enhancing coherence and synergy across global education initiatives is still lacking. To address this gap, the paper puts forward a ‘T-shaped’ framework, rooted in the viable systems approach (vSa), in which systems thinking can be regarded as a meta-competence within education for sustainability, for it provides an overarching cognitive and methodological framework that enables the integration, interpretation, and effective application of the widely acknowledged key competences for sustainability.