Sustainable Development Goals Inclusion in Nutrition and Dietetics courses at the University of Chile: What happens in the classroom?

Abstract

Formation for sustainability is key to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in higher education institutions, which have the mission to prepare professionals who are responsible for the future. The Nutrition and Dietetics program contributes to the SDGs through its graduate profile focused on promoting healthy eating (SDGs 2 and 3) and responsible consumption (SDG 12). At the University of Chile, this program has made progress in incorporating sustainability into its curriculum; however, its transfer to the classroom is unknown. The objective of this study was, through direct observation of classes, to show how sustainability and the SDGs are considered in the teachinglearning process.The results show a consistent allusion to this topic, but there is a lack of greater visibility of the SDGs, and their integration with professional work could be improved. In the theoretical classes, the need for teacher capacitation and sensitization is more evident, in addition to the strengthening of the class structure. Classroom observation allows us to investigate aspects for improvement and shows that, with micro-curricular adjustments and training, the transfer of the SDGs to the classroom can beeffective.