Ecosystem of Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education by Savannah College of Art and Design

The visualization of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education presents an intricate analytical framework examining educational systems through complex science and systems thinking. The framework analyzes educational challenges via nuanced interactions between the primary SDG 4 and other interconnected SDGs, incorporating influential agents through an innovative impact ranking system ranging from +3 as the most influential to -3 the least influential. Furthermore, three additional critical dimensions are added to each influential agent, including the sustainability pillars (social, economic, environmental), STEEP driving forces (Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, Political), and scale levels (local, regional, global). By integrating these perspectives, it reveals how educational outcomes are shaped by multiple interconnected factors and stakeholders.

The methodology combines design thinking with systems analysis to create actionable insights that allow stakeholders to identify high-impact intervention points and develop more effective strategies for achieving SDG 4 targets while considering broader sustainable development goals. This visualization serves as a strategic tool for policymakers and educators, highlighting multi-stakeholder intervention opportunities across different scales.

The overall approach aims to establish a strategic lens for understanding how diverse agents—from local stakeholders to global institutions—dynamically interact and co-create transformative strategies. The framework aims to contextualize challenges for providing quality education as a complex adaptive system problem that requires holistic and multi-faceted interventions across local, regional, and global scales.