Students’ awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards the sustainable development goals at the University of South Africa

Purpose University students’ awareness, knowledge and attitude towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) contribute to their implementation and localisation. Understanding students’ perspectives in open and distance e-Learning institutions (ODELs) is crucial. This study aims to examine variations in students’ SDG knowledge and awareness across socio-economic characteristics, their engagement in SDGs and their identification of opportunities, gaps and priorities for implementation. Design/methodology/approach An online survey ( n = 1,009) gathered responses from students across various socio-demographic variables. Descriptive and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis Test statistics were used to examine differences. Findings Students recognised the importance of SDG knowledge across all levels ( p < 0.05, except for gender). The expectation for increased SDG content in the curriculum was high. A significant difference ( p < 0.001) in these expectations was found across all variables except gender. However, involvement in SDGs and participation in related platforms and workshops was marginal to non-existent. These results guide universities in promoting SDGs to enhance sustainability-focused education strategies. Originality/value The article outlines measures universities can take to evaluate their contributions towards SDGs implementation, particularly in open and distance learning institutions.