The study forms part of a multidisciplinary research collaboration involving academics from Interior Designand Computer Science, examining sustainability integration within higher education and design pedagogy. Positioned within the context of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the research contributes to ongoing discussions surrounding sustainability competencies, curriculum transformation and pedagogical innovation within contemporary higher education. The research is currently being developed by the Interior Design Department and has been published as a preprint through Research Square, while also being under peer review for possible publication in Discover Education, part of the Springer Nature Group. Focusing on interior design education, the study examines how sustainability is integrated, experienced and operationalised within studio-based learning environments. In particular, it contributes to ongoing discussions surrounding SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by exploring how sustainability competencies can be more effectively embedded within curriculum structures, pedagogical practices and design learning environments.
