Social & Emotional Learning and the Inner Development Goals
Emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-leadership are key future skills in the modern workplace. The Terra Institute’s “Social & Emotional Learning” training teaches practical ways to strengthen and apply personal and social skills in daily work—benefiting leaders, employees, and the entire organization.
In an increasingly dynamic and challenging work environment, social and emotional skills are becoming more important. Beyond technical expertise, abilities like self-leadership, empathy, and resilience are essential for successful collaboration, sustainable leadership, and managing change.
The Terra Institute has long focused on these future topics, offering training formats where these skills are not only taught theoretically but also experienced, practiced, and reflected upon.
The Inner Development Goals (IDGs) provide a framework for personal, social, and societal growth. They empower people to develop the inner skills needed to actively shape a sustainable future—such as self-reflection, critical thinking, empathy, communication, courage, and goal orientation. IDGs offer concrete guidance for personal maturity, values-based action, and sustainable leadership.
To develop these skills, the Terra Institute uses the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) approach. SEL describes learning processes in which people learn to interact with themselves and others consciously, empathetically, and responsibly. It strengthens key skills like self-awareness, self-regulation, relationship-building, decision-making, and compassion—vital for both individual well-being and effective organizational collaboration.
The IDGs aim to bridge the gap between organizational learning capacity and the requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They provide a framework for developing the inner competencies necessary to drive sustainable transformation in organizations and support SDG implementation.
A recent example: From September 1–5, 2025, the Terra office in Innsbruck became a lively learning space for exactly these future skills. Under the guidance of Julia Wlasak, Hanna Thaller, and Arno Van Droogenbroeck, the Terra Institute Austria team organized a five-day course for leaders and professionals from the Labor Market Service Katowice (Poland) on innovative SEL methods. Building on the IDG framework, the course combined experiential learning, reflection, and exchange. Topics included emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and relationship-building—integrated into a holistic approach that inspires, motivates, and connects.
Activities included mindful city walks, intensive reflection sessions, exchanges with partner organizations, and nature experiences. Participants explored IDGs, practiced self-regulation techniques, reflected on leadership behaviors, and developed actionable ideas for their work context. Themes such as emotional intelligence, sustainable relationship management, participatory teaching, and responsible leadership were not just taught theoretically but experienced directly. Encounters with social initiatives and inspiring moments in nature rounded off the program, showing that future skills emerge where people open up, experiment, and learn together.
Participant feedback showed lasting impact—whether through interactive methods in the seminar room, moving exercises in nature, or joint reflection in the park.
“Standing in the mountains, you realize: you are just a human—small, transient, and part of something much bigger. These peaks will remain in a hundred years. We will not.” – Participant
Future Needs Inner Strength
Our world is changing rapidly. Whether it is the climate crisis, social tensions, or constant connectivity and information overload—challenges are complex and emotionally charged. This makes it all the more important to equip people in education and leadership with skills that foster connection, resilience, and agency.
Inner strength is not a “soft skill,” but a key competency for the future.
One sentence was mentioned particularly often: “I’m not only taking methods with me, but above all a new mindset”—and this perfectly reflects what the training aims to achieve.
All participants are still deeply impressed. The mountains of Tyrol are fantastic, the entire course was consistently rated positively by everyone, and I personally enjoyed it very much—even though I am more of a technical type.
The Terra Institute is part of the global RCE Network (Regional Centres of Expertise) on Education for Sustainable Development, initiated by the United Nations University. As a recognized RCE, we are committed to actively shaping sustainable development through innovative educational formats, networking, and transformative learning processes—regionally and beyond.
Curious?
Especially in times of change, leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and inner clarity are crucial. The Terra Institute’s Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) training supports leaders in acting more consciously, shaping relationships effectively, and guiding change with empathy and resilience.
“Organizations become future-ready when people strengthen their inner capacities and, from them, develop responsibility and the will to shape change.”
👉 If you would like to strengthen future skills in your organization with our formats, reach out to us! We offer our training as tailor-made, modular workshops or as an in-house format.
Author
Julia Wlasak
Master in Global Studies & MBA in Sustainability Management
Julia has many years of expertise in sustainability at universities (including a focus on Education for Sustainable Development) and in companies (sustainability, climate, and education strategies). She is a lecturer at the University of Salzburg.
Questions? Contact: j.wlasak@terra-institute.eu
