Integrating Global Issues into Kurikulum Merdeka Development in Teacher Education: A Case Study of UPI Bandung
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59535/sehati.v3i3.531Keywords:
Global Competence, Curriculum Integration, Kurikulum Merdeka, Teacher Education, InternationalizationAbstract
Integrating global issues into teacher education curricula is essential for preparing future educators with global competence—the ability to understand global challenges, respect diverse perspectives, and act toward sustainable development. This study investigates the strategic integration of global issues into the development of the Kurikulum Merdeka at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI) Bandung. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with faculty members, program heads, and curriculum developers, supported by document analysis and participatory observation. The findings show that UPI has taken progressive steps in integrating global themes—such as sustainability, social justice, global literacy, and digital citizenship—into courses, student projects, and academic collaborations. Initiatives like Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and SDG-based community service programs highlight UPI’s commitment to global education. However, implementation remains uneven across departments, with challenges such as limited faculty training, insufficient digital infrastructure, and a lack of shared understanding regarding the importance of global competencies. The study concludes that a systemic and institutionalized approach is required to embed global literacy as a core element of teacher education. Strengthening faculty capacity, curriculum flexibility, and international collaboration will be key to ensuring that future teachers are not only locally grounded but also globally responsive.
Downloads
References
B. Boman, “Parallelization: the Fourth Leg of Cultural Globalization Theory,” Integr. psych. behav., vol. 55, no. 2, pp. 354–370, Jun. 2021, doi: 10.1007/s12124-021-09600-4.
S. Osman and R. Bashir, “Utilizing Ai Tools to Achieve Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development Goals Awareness: Cross-Cultural Collaboration in Higher Education,” Jun. 20, 2025, Social Science Research Network, Rochester, NY: 5313173. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.5313173.
B. T. Kerimbayeva, G. Z. Niyazova, A. K. Meirbekov, A. T. Kibishov, and I. B. Usembayeva, “A network communicative culture for future teachers: development of digital literacy and communicative competence,” Cogent Education, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 2363678, Dec. 2024, doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2024.2363678.
E. Vinokur, A. Yomtovian, and G. Itzchakov, “Education toward cosmopolitanism as a pathway to reducing polarisation,” Globalisation, Societies and Education, vol. 0, no. 0, pp. 1–14, doi: 10.1080/14767724.2025.2520949.
M. S. Kleine, K. Zacharias, and D. Ozkan, “Contextualization in engineering education: A scoping literature review,” Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 113, no. 4, pp. 894–918, 2024, doi: 10.1002/jee.20570.
H. Abu-Rasheed, C. Weber, and M. Fathi, “Context based learning: a survey of contextual indicators for personalized and adaptive learning recommendations – a pedagogical and technical perspective,” Front. Educ., vol. 8, Jul. 2023, doi: 10.3389/feduc.2023.1210968.
J. Southworth, “Bridging critical thinking and transformative learning: The role of perspective-taking,” Theory and Research in Education, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 44–63, Mar. 2022, doi: 10.1177/14778785221090853.
S. F. Sweet, “Using Guided Critical Reflection to Discover Deepened and Transformative Learning in Leadership Education,” Journal of Research on Leadership Education, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 600–621, Dec. 2023, doi: 10.1177/19427751221118951.
P. S. Aithal and S. Aithal, “How to Empower Educators through Digital Pedagogies and Faculty Development Strategies,” Dec. 16, 2023, Social Science Research Network, Rochester, NY: 4674876. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.4674876.
A. Saleem and P. S. Dare, “Unmasking the Action-Oriented ESD Approach to Acting Environmentally Friendly,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 2, Art. no. 2, Jan. 2023, doi: 10.3390/su15021675.
N. A. Mothafar, J. Zhang, A. Alsoffary, B. Masoomi, A. AL-Barakani, and O. S. Alhady, “Digital social responsibility towards digital education of international higher education students’ institutions: Digital culture as mediator,” Heliyon, vol. 10, no. 17, Sep. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36442.
Y. Xiong, Q. Ling, and X. Li, “Ubiquitous e-Teaching and e-Learning: China’s Massive Adoption of Online Education and Launching MOOCs Internationally during the COVID-19 Outbreak,” Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, vol. 2021, no. 1, p. 6358976, 2021, doi: 10.1155/2021/6358976.
S. Rochmat, M. N. Rokhman, D. Widiyanto, and A. Murdiyastomo, “The Role of Universities on Improving Literacy, Numeracy, and Character Education at Schools,” presented at the 9th International Conference on Education Research, and Innovation (ICERI 2021), Atlantis Press, Dec. 2022, pp. 488–497. doi: 10.2991/978-2-494069-67-1_55.
G. M. Finn, J. Tai, and V. D. Nadarajah, “Inclusive assessment in health professions education: Balancing global goals and local contexts,” Medical Education, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 88–96, 2025, doi: 10.1111/medu.15535.
S. Aririguzoh, “Communication competencies, culture and SDGs: effective processes to cross-cultural communication,” Humanit Soc Sci Commun, vol. 9, no. 1, p. 96, Mar. 2022, doi: 10.1057/s41599-022-01109-4.
K. Jayadi, A. Abduh, and M. Basri, “A meta-analysis of multicultural education paradigm in Indonesia,” Heliyon, vol. 8, no. 1, Jan. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08828.
M. Alenezi and M. Akour, “Digital Transformation Blueprint in Higher Education: A Case Study of PSU,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 10, Art. no. 10, Jan. 2023, doi: 10.3390/su15108204.
T. Zhou and J. Colomer, “Cooperative Learning Promoting Cultural Diversity and Individual Accountability: A Systematic Review,” Education Sciences, vol. 14, no. 6, Art. no. 6, Jun. 2024, doi: 10.3390/educsci14060567.
A. E. Lansing et al., “Building trust: Leadership reflections on community empowerment and engagement in a large urban initiative,” BMC Public Health, vol. 23, no. 1, p. 1252, Jun. 2023, doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-15860-z.
C. C. Chinedu, A. Saleem, and W. H. N. Wan Muda, “Teaching and Learning Approaches: Curriculum Framework for Sustainability Literacy for Technical and Vocational Teacher Training Programmes in Malaysia,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 3, Art. no. 3, Jan. 2023, doi: 10.3390/su15032543.
F. Braesemann, V. Lehdonvirta, and O. Kässi, “ICTs and the urban-rural divide: can online labour platforms bridge the gap?,” Information, Communication & Society, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 34–54, Jan. 2022, doi: 10.1080/1369118X.2020.1761857.
G. Chen, “Integrating Digital Cultural Detective Games with Social Emotional Learning to Foster Cultural Sensitivity and Intercultural Empathy among Bilingual Kindergarten Teachers: A Mixed-Methods Study,” Apr. 28, 2023, Research Square. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2781249/v1.
Á. Amorós Molina et al., “Integrating the United Nations sustainable development goals into higher education globally: a scoping review,” Global Health Action, vol. 16, no. 1, p. 2190649, Dec. 2023, doi: 10.1080/16549716.2023.2190649.
A. McGill, R. McCloskey, D. Smith, and B. Veitch, “Establishing Trustworthiness in Health Care Process Modelling: A Practical Guide to Quality Enhancement in Studies Using the Functional Resonance Analysis Method,” International Journal of Qualitative Methods, vol. 22, p. 16094069231183616, Oct. 2023, doi: 10.1177/16094069231183616.
P. Kumar and S. Somerville, “Exploring in-person self-led debriefings for groups of learners in simulation-based education: an integrative review,” Adv Simul, vol. 9, no. 1, p. 5, Jan. 2024, doi: 10.1186/s41077-023-00274-z.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Boby Yasman Purnama, Kasful Anwar Us, Fridiyanto Fridiyanto

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles published in Socio-Economic and Humanistic Aspects for Township and Industry (Sehati) are made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Under this license:
-
You are free to:
- Share — Copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.
- Adapt — Remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
-
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and provide a link to the license. You must indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
Most read articles by the same author(s)
- Meira Dwi Indah Purnama, Kasful Anwar Us, Fridiyanto, Digital Education at UIN Sunan Gunung Djati: A Review of Regulation, Leadership, and Institutional Development Toward World-Class University , Socio-Economic and Humanistic Aspects for Township and Industry: Vol. 3 No. 3 (2025): Socio-Economic and Humanistic Aspects for Township and Industry
- M. Thontawi, Kasful Anwar Us, Fridiyanto Fridiyanto , Sri Kadarsih, Global Issues in Early Childhood Education at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia Bandung Toward World Class Education , Socio-Economic and Humanistic Aspects for Township and Industry: Vol. 3 No. 3 (2025): Socio-Economic and Humanistic Aspects for Township and Industry
- Ade Sofa, Kasful Anwar Us, Fridiyanto Fridiyanto , Strategies for Improving Education Quality Management Towards World-Class Education , Socio-Economic and Humanistic Aspects for Township and Industry: Vol. 3 No. 3 (2025): Socio-Economic and Humanistic Aspects for Township and Industry
- Sri Kadarsih, Kasful Anwar Us, Fridiyanto Fridiyanto , Strategies for Enhancing Education Quality Through Digitalization Towards World Class Education at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia Bumi Siliwangi’s Partner Schools , Socio-Economic and Humanistic Aspects for Township and Industry: Vol. 3 No. 3 (2025): Socio-Economic and Humanistic Aspects for Township and Industry







