Integrating the sustainable development goals into early childhood teacher education: A case study in Spanish universities

The integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into teacher education is crucial to promote sustainability-oriented competencies, including environmental and energy sustainability awareness, from early stages of learning. This study examines how SDGs are incorporated into Early Childhood Education (ECE) degree programs at public and private universities in Castilla y León, Spain, during the 2023–2024 academic year. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on 274 publicly available course guides and the official ECE curriculum established by Royal Decree 37/2022. Using MAXQDA software and a double-blind coding process, references to the SDGs were classified across four dimensions: sociocultural, environmental, economic, and general sustainability. Results reveal a predominant emphasis on sociocultural aspects, accounting for approximately 77% of all SDG-related references, mainly linked to cultural diversity, human rights, and gender equality. In contrast, the environmental dimension represents less than 10% and economic dimension below 6%, indicating a clear underrepresentation of these areas. Although environmental sustainability content, particularly associated with climate and responsible use of natural resources, increases in later years of the programs, economic sustainability is virtually absent. The University of León and the University of Valladolid show the greatest diversity in SDG coverage. Additionally, the analysis identifies notable mismatches between the sustainability content addressed in initial teacher training and that established in the official ECE curriculum. Overall, the study highlights the need for a more balanced integration of sustainability in ECE teacher education. Strengthening environmental, climate, and energy-related literacy in initial teacher training emerges as a key challenge, underscoring the importance of stronger institutional commitment and policy alignment to enhance the role of higher education in advancing the objectives of the 2030 Agenda.