Integrating Green Skills Education for University Students in Southeast Asia

1. Introduction 

The global transition towards a net zero economy is reshaping the labor market structure in Southeast Asia (ASEAN). Under optimal conditions, this transition could create 30 million green jobs across the region by the end of the decade. However, this opportunity is at risk of stalling as the talent supply fails to keep pace with actual demand. Globally, only one in eight workers currently possesses at least one green skill. The supply-demand disparity is evident as the hiring rate for workers with green skills is 29% higher than the workforce average. Forecasts indicate that without timely intervention, one in five green jobs will be left unfilled by 2030. In this context, higher education institutions (HEIs) in Southeast Asia play a pivotal role, not only in providing knowledge but also in reshaping training curricula to equip the future workforce with comprehensive green skills.

2. Identifying "Green Skills" and the Shortage in Southeast Asia

Green skills are not merely technical skills related to environmental technology or emissions measurement techniques. They also encompass transversal non-technical skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, and systems thinking oriented towards sustainability. Nevertheless, current labor market realities reveal a significant disparity. In Southeast Asia, surveys involving over 12,000 employers show that although graduates are highly rated for their teamwork and ethics, they consistently lack environmental awareness and critical thinking. This shortage poses a major risk, but at the same time, it presents a massive economic opportunity. Analyses indicate that aligning education with the labor market needs for future skills (including digital and green skills) could generate nearly US$900 billion in additional economic value for the ASEAN region by 2035.

3. Implementation Practices 

Recognizing the urgency of the issue, ASEAN has been implementing various legal frameworks and action programs. The "ASEAN Work Plan on Youth 2021-2025" is structured around five core priority areas: (1) Education, (2) Health and Well-being, (3) Employment and Opportunity, (4) Participation and Engagement, and (5) ASEAN Awareness, Values, and Identity. The plan places a particular emphasis on empowering youth leaders and organizations to spearhead projects that address challenges within the green economy. Given this five-pillar structure and the imperative to bridge the gap between "Education" and "Employment," it is essential that ASEAN youth be equipped with a robust 21st-century skill set to ensure their future readiness. 

Consequently, the ultimate success of ASEAN's policies relies heavily on the capacity of universities to embrace and integrate green skills into their academic curricula. Higher education institutions serve as more than just providers of foundational knowledge; they act as launchpads that translate strategic orientations into practical competencies. This role ensures a seamless transition from the classroom to the green labor market, thereby cultivating a generation of human resources capable of shouldering the region's sustainability goals. At the national level, many member states have already taken significant legal strides. In Vietnam, the National Green Growth Strategy for the 2021-2030 period mandates the integration of green growth content into educational programs and training activities at all levels of education. A prime example is the GreenEdAsia project coordinated by Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education (HCMUTE). Supported by an €800,000 budget from the ERASMUS+ program, the project bridges Asian and European universities to develop comprehensive curricula on renewable energy and the circular economy.

Additionally, the SETY project, organized by the Institute of Policy, Innovation and Interdisciplinary Sciences (IPIIS) and sponsored by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Southeast Asia (RLS SEA), aims to enhance research capacity in socio-ecological transformation, community development, and social sustainability. The exchange programs and hands-on experiences offered at the SETY scientific summer camp actively inspire youth, boosting their confidence in adopting green skills and ecological lifestyles.

Similarly, Thailand is actively promoting the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economic Model, employing technology and innovation to transform its economy, develop sustainable tourism, and enhance university management. Mahidol University has pioneered the SDGs + Mobility MaPs project, integrating design thinking to engage students in establishing practice centers for green agriculture and bioclimatic technology for local communities. Consequently, 78% of students at leading Thai universities possess a high level of understanding of environmentally friendly practices thanks to the systematic integration of these concepts into the curriculum. In Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), through the TUNE project, has standardized the design of sustainability courses based on five critical lenses: environmental performance, carbon and resource efficiency, societal contribution, lifecycle considerations, and green job potential. Meanwhile, the Philippines is a pioneer with the Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016, which mandates the formulation of a human resource development plan for this sector, while also proposing the "Dark Green Schools" accreditation model backed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Besides intra-regional efforts, international cooperation also plays a crucial driving role. A prime example is the SCOPE-HE programme, funded by the European Union with a budget of 9.3 million Euros. Concurrently, initiatives such as the GREENSEA project, coordinated by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), are modernizing master's degree curricula, thereby building a generation of educators capable of maintaining the project's sustainability.

4. Conclusion

Despite positive signals, the integration of green skills education in Southeast Asia still encounters systemic barriers, including difficulties caused by departmental silos, insufficient funding, and a lack of institutional support. In particular, the ambiguity in macro-level policies shifts the burden of innovation squarely onto the shoulders of individual educators. They must develop their own teaching materials and struggle with a lack of facilities, leading to inconsistencies in training quality. Developing green skills education for university students in Southeast Asia is the key to forging a regional economy that is prosperous, inclusive, and resilient to climate change. Although policy frameworks have begun to take shape and numerous groundbreaking educational initiatives are underway, the road ahead still demands deeper cohesion among governments, academia, and the private sector. Investing in green skills education today is the ultimate guarantee for a highly skilled workforce, ready to meet the challenges of the green economy tomorrow.

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