Towards an attitude-inclusive understanding of environmental assessment competence in higher education

This paper brings together competence frameworks from Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Environmental Assessment (EA) teaching - including EIA and SEA - to explore how attitudes can be more fully integrated into EA competence development in higher education. While existing EA teaching frameworks primarily emphasise knowledge and skills, the attitudinal dimension - essential for ethical reflection, value-sensitivity, and sustainability-oriented action - remains largely implicit. Drawing on conceptual and pedagogical insights from both fields, we propose a model of EA competence for higher education teaching that integrates knowledge, skills, and attitudes, positioning attitudes as central rather than peripheral. We argue that by making this dimension explicit, EA teaching can more effectively prepare students to engage with EA in ways that support sustainability transitions in practice.