Strengthening Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Through Organizational and Structural Approaches to Continuous Professional Development: Insights from Initiatives of the District Government of Arnsberg

The urgency of global sustainability challenges increased policy attention to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), particularly in relation to Sustainable Development Goal 4.7, which calls for the systematic integration of sustainability competences across education systems. This article examines how organisational and structural approaches to continuous professional development (CPD) can support the institutionalisation of ESD beyond individual teacher training. The article adopts a case-based analytical approach drawing on programme documentation and evaluation data from two initiatives coordinated by the teacher training department of the District Government of Arnsberg in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany: the Erasmus+ consortium EFFORT-A, which links international mobility with school development processes, and the regional programme WIRkstatt Zukunft, which implements the Whole School Approach through modular training and school-based consultancy. The analysis indicates that multi-level governance, structured networking, leadership engagement, and formal contracting mechanisms are associated with the integration of ESD within school cultures, curricula, and organisational routines. Challenges are identified regarding resource allocation, policy coherence, and the long-term sustainability of project-based formats. The article concludes that sustained ESD implementation requires CPD systems that combine international perspectives with regionally anchored support structures and align individual professional learning with institutional development strategies, offering recommendations for policymakers and educational leaders.