Purpose This study aims to assess the level of awareness of Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) students at Bukidnon State University (BukSU) regarding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, it examined whether significant differences in awareness exist based on academic year level and number of major subjects completed, and proposed student-informed interventions to enhance SDG engagement. Grounded in Constructivist Learning Theory and the Global Goals Framework, the study sought to identify curricular gaps, determine key leverage points for intervention and contribute to the empirical literature on SDG integration in public administration education in the Southeast Asian context. Design/methodology/approach A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were gathered from 200 BPA students selected through stratified random sampling, with 50 respondents from each of the four year levels, using a validated 5-point Likert scale questionnaire adapted from Kioupi and Voulvoulis (2020). Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey tests were applied using SPSS 26.0, with eta-squared computed for effect sizes. Qualitative data from open-ended questions were analyzed thematically using NVivo 12, following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase framework. Methodological triangulation, expert validation and pilot testing ensured reliability (a = 0.87) and validity. Findings BPA students demonstrated a moderate overall SDG awareness (M = 3.31, “Much Aware”). Awareness increased significantly with academic progression, from first-year students (M = 2.11) to fourth-year students (M = 3.98). One-way ANOVA confirmed statistically significant differences across year levels and subject-load groups (p 0.01, ?² = 0.60). Social-oriented goals such as No Poverty and Quality Education scored highest, while environmental and partnership goals including Life Below Water and Climate Action ranked lowest, indicating curricular gaps. Three qualitative themes emerged: demand for early and integrated curricular inclusion, preference for active and competitive learning formats and value of experiential community-embedded learning. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to one institution, constraining the generalizability of findings to other universities or disciplines. The use of self-reported Likert data introduces social desirability bias, despite mitigation through anonymization and behavioral anchors. Additionally, the cross-sectional design captures awareness at a single point in time rather than tracking individual development longitudinally. These limitations suggest the need for multi-institutional, longitudinal research designs and objective knowledge assessments in future studies. The findings nevertheless underscore the need for discipline-specific SDG literacy benchmarks and theoretically grounded curriculum frameworks in public administration education across the ASEAN region. Practical implications The study provides actionable guidance for curriculum designers, academic administrators and faculty in public administration programs. It recommends embedding SDG modules in first-year foundational courses, mapping course syllabi to specific goals and scaffolding learning progressively across the four-year program. Pedagogically, the adoption of active learning strategies such as policy simulations, SDG hackathons and legislative council role-plays is encouraged to bridge the gap between conceptual awareness and practical application. Institutionally, universities are urged to forge partnerships with local government units and civil society organizations to provide students with field-based, service-learning experiences aligned with SDG implementation. Social implications Equipping future public administrators with strong SDG literacy has direct implications for local governance and sustainable development in the Philippines. Graduates who deeply understand the SDGs are better positioned to localize global targets into community-level programs, coordinate multi-stakeholder partnerships and design evidence-based policies addressing poverty, inequality, environmental degradation and poor governance. By strengthening SDG education at the undergraduate level, universities contribute to building a generation of public servants aligned with the 2030 Agenda. This holds particular significance for underserved communities in Mindanao, where effective governance and sustainable development outcomes are critically needed. Originality/value This study offers one of the first empirical examinations of SDG awareness progression within a BPA program in a Southeast Asian context, addressing a significant geographical and disciplinary gap in the sustainability education literature. Unlike prior studies that compare awareness across disciplines, this research investigates awareness development within a single program across academic year levels, identifying specific curricular leverage points for intervention. The mixed-methods approach, combining validated quantitative measurement with student-informed qualitative insights, produces a replicable framework and benchmarking instrument applicable to similar public administration programs regionally and globally seeking to align undergraduate education with the 2030 Agenda.
Dante Abragan Damit (Thu,) studied this question.