International Science Day is celebrated annually on 10 November, and against the backdrop of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the theme: “Unlocking tomorrow’s solutions, today” is particularly significant.

Science as the foundation for sustainable development

The 2030 Agenda has served as a global framework for the purposeful promotion of human progress through seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since 2015. However, international analyses show that progress remains uneven, especially in countries of the Global South. Constraints in financing, capacity development, and institutional collaboration frequently hinder the achievement of sustainable development goals. This reality underscores that sustainable development will not be possible solely through technological interventions; success will only be achieved if both the human and educational dimensions are also taken into account.

Against this backdrop, this year’s theme invites the global community to reflect on how scientific thought, education, and culture work together as drivers for sustainable development. The focus, therefore, shifts from a structural view of science as an institution to an epistemic and pedagogical understanding of science as social practice. The latter refers to the active deployment of thought, judgment, and creativity as tools for change. This perspective emphasises that scientific knowledge does not arise in isolation, but is always integrated into educational and cultural contexts, and that the ability to unlock new solutions is dependent on the quality of the formative processes through which scientific thought is learned, lived, and internalised.

The role of education within the sustainable development environment

With the above in mind, education emerges as the foundation on which sustainable development is based. Within the framework of the 2030 Agenda and in particular the fourth SDG (quality education) as well as the ninth SDG (industry, innovation and infrastructure), a mutually reinforcing whole emerges: Quality education lays the intellectual and moral foundation for innovation, while innovation gives education practical and social meaning by transforming knowledge into solutions.

Yet the value of education extends beyond technical competence. This includes the development of critical thinking, ethical judgment, and social responsibility – skills that can only be developed through purposeful teaching. So teachers don’t just impart knowledge and information; they facilitate the cultivation of insight, judgment, and responsibility. When teaching is based on reflection and inquiry, it becomes the pedagogical tool through which tomorrow’s solutions take shape today.

This understanding of education as a catalyst is directly tied to the integrated nature of the SDGs. Progress in any of the other goals – such as health, equity or climate action – is ultimately determined by the quality of education people receive. The definition of SDG four refers to inclusivity, equitable participation, and lifelong learning opportunities as core characteristics of quality education, while also emphasising the value of cultural diversity and linguistic accessibility. In this way, teaching becomes not only a mechanism for economic mobility, but a space for cultural sensitivity and epistemic justice – both conditions for sustainable scholarship practice.

The multidimensional nature of sustainable development

Within this milieu, it becomes clear that sustainable development requires not only technological capacity, but also cognitive, cultural and linguistic sustainability (in other words, the ability to learn and innovate within one’s own language and value frameworks). Language is a carrier of identity, values, and self-confidence. When learners practice science in their preferred language of understanding, it creates greater accessibility and cognitive depth. Language-aware teaching connects new knowledge to existing frames of thought, transforming learning into a cultural affirmation.

Die Stand van Afrikaanse Onderwys report (AON-2025) emphasises explicitly that the success of Afrikaans schools stems from a calling and living out a culture of excellence. This ethos advocates education as a community responsibility. Education, in this context, represents not only the transfer of skills but also the formation of judgment and value-oriented thinking. When students work with scientific concepts, they develop a critical mindset as outlined by author Peter E Facione, which includes systematic evaluation of evidence, consideration of alternative explanations, and ethical reflection in decision-making. In this way, science becomes not merely a collection of isolated facts, but a methodology for thought and responsible action that integrates knowledge, application, and moral judgment.

At the same time, the French historian Michel Foucault reminds us that knowledge does not arise in isolation, but instead functions within social and power structures. In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic decision-making are redefining scientific practice, education must equip learners to analyse these epistemic forces critically. Such an approach allows us to ask: Who produces knowledge? What assumptions lay the foundation for the use of technologies? How is our understanding of what is considered the truth structured? By critically considering these questions, learners are not only cognitively equipped but also ethically and socially aware. The latter is an essential condition for sustainable knowledge practices in a technology-driven world.

The value of science expos as an educational initiative

The practical application of these principles becomes evident in informal education initiatives, such as science expos. In South Africa, science expos emerged in 1980 from Dr Derek Gray’s vision to provide scholars with the space to work independently on scientific research outside the formal curriculum. Over time, it has evolved into a dynamic learning ecology where young people can learn, live, and internalise science. By undertaking projects in their own language, learners experience both epistemic access and cultural affirmation simultaneously. It is a practice of informal learning that not only deepens knowledge but also cultivates a love of science.

When learners undertake self-designed projects, they move away from memorisation to exploration, discovery, and application. These experiences develop subject knowledge, life skills such as planning, self-reliance, and communication, as well as critical mindsets and reflective consciousness. Science expos further connect formal and informal learning, theory and practice, and knowledge as a domain with skill as action. They strengthen community formation within a scientific culture that nurtures curiosity, responsibility, and human dignity.

In this sense, science expos embody the essence of International Science Day and even more so this year’s theme: Unlocking tomorrow’s solutions today by creating opportunities where young people can think, reason and discover in their own language. These experiences make knowledge not only understandable, but also meaningful and human – an act of education that simultaneously promotes knowledge, love of science, and sustainable development.