The Revista Española de Educación Comparada (Spanish Journal of Comparative Education, REEC), came into being in the year 1995 with the mission of serving as the scientific mouthpiece for the research and work carried out by the educational comparativists integrated in the Sociedad Española de Educación Comparada (Spanish Society of Comparative Education, SEEC), who constitute its principal readers. The publication’s creation represented the realization of one of the primary scientific objectives expressed in articles 3 and 4 of the SEEC statutes, ratified in November of 1994. Since the founding of the journal, the Universidad Nacional de Educación Comparada (UNED) has provided editorial and infrastructure support for the REEC, assuming the role of co-editing institution. The essentially international nature of the discipline of Comparative Education along with the increasing affinity and overlapping of epistemological objectives and challenges of comparative academics at home and abroad – due to the phenomenon of globalization – have led to a decisive expansion of the initial objectives of the REEC, in terms of research and publishing, and of the publication’s target audience. As a result, this periodical does not focus solely or even preferentially on the analysis of comparative epistemology in the Spanish context, but rather it purports to study the construction of comparative knowledge on a European and world-wide scale. The REEC is therefore fully committed to welcoming studies by domestic and foreign researchers working in the comparative discipline, these researchers being recipients of our journal as well. While articles are occasionally published in French or Portuguese, the primary languages of the REEC are Spanish and English.   

The essential objective of the REEC is to contribute to the theoretical and practical development of the field of Comparative Education in a manner that is at once interdisciplinary, global, national and international. Its work focuses especially on the analytical analyses of epistemological developments in the complex comparativist science in our current era of globalization, governance, postmodernism and post-colonialism. The essential goal and ultimate aspiration of the academic and editorial work carried out by those involved in the REEC is the forging of a world society that may benefit from a democratized, inclusive, humanitarian and exacting education, one that achieves a balance between the constant technological innovations  of a connected society, on the one hand, and, on the other, the strength and solidity afforded by  a cultural wisdom accrued through tradition. It is also paramount that we find a balance between the demands of a global society and the as yet vital role of school cultures that are specifically national. The REEC wishes to offer its pages to, and invite contributions from, all those scholars who share these objectives and concerns and who would strive to perfect the theoretical and practical contributions that we can make to current world education and to a global society articulated around the ideas of solidarity, professionalism and morality.     

The REEC adheres to a proven editorial policy that is detailed in the Regulations of this journal. Some of its noteworthy elements are the joint efforts carried out by authors, editors and reviewers in assuring the smooth workings of the REEC; the editorial practice of the double-blind peer review; and a rigorous publishing ethic designed to detect and root out any possible editorial misconduct.

Acknowledgement – Non Commercial (by-nc): Generation of derivated Works is allowed as long as a commercial use is not developed. The original work cannot be used with commercial aims.

Announcements

Socially sustainable universities and human rights education: A necessary binomial to face the challenges of the 2030 agenda

2025-02-04

Socially Sustainable  Universities and human rights education:  A necessary binomial to face the challenges of the 2030 Agenda  Editors: Esther Prieto Jiménez (UPO); Guillermo Domínguez Fernández (Cátedra Iberoamericana de Educación en DDHH)

On the verge of the last five years established by the United Nations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals set out in the 2030 Agenda, it seems clear that, as none of the 17 global goals to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all people (UN, 2015) have been fully achieved since they were first formulated in 2015, it will be difficult to respond to all of them in this last 5 years.

Undoubtedly, during this decade, the 2030 Agenda has been established as a framework of reference, understanding sustainability both as an individual and global commitment in which different dimensions converge: environmental protection, sustainable and balanced economic development which leads to achieve a social well-being, with a shared awareness and commitment, including people in the most vulnerable situations in order to achieve justice and a greater equity and quality of life for everyone. Therefore, sustainability relates to social challenges, taking into consideration that they can only be addressed through systemic changes in social regimes (Loorbach et al, 2017).

Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, highlights the importance of education as a fundamental tool to promote a worldwide sustainable development. She states that Education for Sustainable Development is crucial to help people understand the interconnection between global and local challenges; and to provide the necessary skills and knowledge to face these challenges effectively at all levels of education. Finally, she calls on all stakeholders, including governments, civil society and private sector to collaborate in building a more sustainable and fair future for everyone (UNESCO, 2020).

In this context in which all institutions need to assume their responsibility for Sustainable Development, several authors highlight the importance of universities as key agents of change due to their capacity to produce and promulgate knowledge, foster innovation and development and promote social transformation through education and research (Mendoza, 2016; Alba, 2017; Bohne et al, 2019).

This monograph emerges in this scenario and considering the strategic moment to carry out a process of self-criticism and define new common global challenges, as well as to respond the following questions, among others:

  • What role do universities currently play in educating, advocating and fighting for Human Rights and Socially Sustainable Development?
  • What inspiring practices are being developed in universities to respond to the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda in education, research and transfer?
  • What are the new challenges that universities must face to become more socially sustainable entities and to attend people in situations of vulnerability in the framework of Human Rights?
  • What cooperation or internationalisation policies are being developed in higher education to favour the common commitment to face global challenges?
  • Are universities prepared to respond to the arising socio-educational challenges, having Human Rights and Sustainable Development as a reference?
  • How can Comparative Education and Supranational Education be the best ally to face this common and global social challenges?

    Deadline: July 15, 2025

    Publication date: January 2026

Read more about Socially sustainable universities and human rights education: A necessary binomial to face the challenges of the 2030 agenda

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No. 46 (2025): Comparative epistemological and methodological views in postmodern times
Published: 2024-12-28

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