The past few years have seen a marked turn toward evidence-based management and development of educational systems, nationally and internationally. In the context of a systematic, international and national monitoring of education indicators are increasingly drawn on to generate scientific data which provide insights into the capabilities of educational systems. The goal of our research project is the development of a set of indicators on education for sustainable development (ESD). This indicator set is to enable gathering information regarding the development of ESD activities and the conditions under which ESD is practiced. The indicator set is being developed in an expert consultation process and will be examined regarding its relevance and practicability via case studies with selected ESD participants, who hold various positions within the formal education system. The indicator study also contributes to answering current questions of transfer research.

Research collaborators are the units Educational Sciences/Futures Research, Freie Universität Berlin (Germany), the Interfaculty Working Group for General Ecology (Interfakultäre Arbeitsstelle für Allgemeine Ökologie), Universität Bern (Switzerland) and Environmental Education Forum Vienna, Austria (Forum Umweltbildung Wien).