Incorporating Sustainable Development Goals into an English for Global Citizenship Curriculum at an International Liberal Arts University in Japan

In the context of globalization and university internationalization, sustainability can serve as both a pedagogical goal and course content that connects English language education with other disciplines. This study reports an initiative integrating the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into an English for Global Citizenship (EGC) curriculum at an international liberal arts faculty in a private university in Tokyo. Drawing on the theoretical framework of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), the course design operationalized CLIL’s four dimensions—content, communication, cognition, and community—through six global issue modules. Using a repeated cross-sectional survey design, longitudinal student feedback collected across nine administrations from 1083 respondents was reanalyzed. Learners consistently valued SDG integration, reported perceived gains particularly in presentation, listening, and writing as well as in increased motivation and awareness of global issues, while also expressing a continuing need to strengthen speaking. Findings suggest that incorporating SDGs into university-level English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses can foster learner engagement and autonomy and contribute to sustainable, well-coordinated curriculum management. The study concludes by highlighting the importance of systematic program evaluation and stronger articulation between English and related content courses to enhance the long-term sustainability of language programs.