From Self to World: Implementing the Enlace Metro for Inner and Relational Development in Higher Education

Higher education often prioritizes technical, scientific, and artistic skills while overlooking inner development. This paper shares insights from applying the Inner Development Goals (IDG) in higher education through a five-year case study of Enlace Metro, a university-wide pedagogical strategy at Centro Universitário Facens in Sorocaba, Brazil. Enlace Metro is a metaphorical, self-guided learning pathway set within an imaginary city divided into three zones (Me and Myself, Me and Others, and Me and the World) where each ‘metro station’ represents an IDG competency guiding students through experiential learning activities. As part of the broader Enlace System, this model promotes social, emotional, and relational development within and beyond the academic community, using a methodology that blends Awareness-Based Design and practice-based design research, including co-design workshops, surveys, prototyping, and classroom observations. Findings show that while students participated, their motivation was often extrinsic, and faculty felt unprepared to facilitate inner development learning, indicating that mandatory, self-directed activities alone are insufficient. Effective implementation requires professional development, active facilitation, and responsive interventions. This paper advocates for a pedagogical shift from individual well-being to a collective, relational approach to inner development, emphasizing the dynamic interplay between awareness and action, where real-world collaborative projects foster meaningful engagement and reflection. The study also highlights tensions between rigid institutional structures and flexible, transformative learning pathways, raising questions about how universities can support student-driven journeys aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These insights offer valuable pedagogical guidance for educators, curriculum designers, and university leaders seeking to create learning environments that integrate inner development and outer change.