Green Futures: Exploring Sustainable Curricula in UAE Private High Schools

Author First name, Last name, Institution

• Vania A. Llerena Velásquez, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Campus
• Zeina Hojeij, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi CampusFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter

Source of Publication

Impacts of Capstone Projects for Future Ready Graduates Design Implementation and Evaluation

Publication Date

6-18-2026

Abstract

The United Arab Emirates has articulated ambitious sustainability targets, such as Net Zero 2050 and the Paris Agreement, yet sustainability education remains uneven across private high schools. This study proposes pathways to embed sustainability across the curriculum using the Triple Bottom Line framework, integrating social, environmental, and economic dimensions. A mixed-methods survey gathered responses from 104 participants. Findings show strong student appetite for sustainability but comparatively low self-assessed knowledge and limited curricular presence. Respondents emphasized the value of interdisciplinary, real-world learning. School authorities expressed support for integration but identified key barriers, including insufficient teacher training, limited time, and the absence of a standardized framework. The results indicate a clear implementation gap between national ambitions and classroom practice. Applying the TBL framework, the paper advances practical recommendations that enable project-based, locally relevant sustainability work.

DOI Link

10.4018/979-8-3373-5312-8.ch013

ISBN

[9798337353128, 9798337353142]

Publisher

IGI Global Scientific Publishing

First Page

349

Last Page

368

Disciplines

Education

Keywords

Sustainability (0.86) | Futures contract (0.6) | Curriculum (0.56) | Triple bottom line (0.49) | Business (0.37) | Economic growth (0.37) | Sustainability science (0.37) | Political science (0.37) | Value (mathematics) (0.37) | Key (lock) (0.33) | Sustainability organizations (0.33) | Social sustainability (0.33) | Sustainable development (0.33) | Economics (0.3) | Public relations (0.29) | Sustainable consumption (0.28) | Public economics (0.26) | Engineering (0.26) | Environmental resource management (0.25) | Private sector (0.25) | Environmental Sustainability Index (0.25)

Scopus ID

105043987978

Recommended Citation

Llerena Velásquez, Vania A. and Hojeij, Zeina, "Green Futures: Exploring Sustainable Curricula in UAE Private High Schools" (2026). All Works. 8304.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/8304

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no