The concept of sustainable learning is playing an increasingly important role in today’s educational landscape. In this article, we advocate an alternative approach to how higher education can contribute to this. Against the backdrop of global challenges such as climate change, social inequality and the need for sustainable development, educational institutions, particularly those in higher education, must reconsider their teaching and learning methods. In this context, the pedagogical work of John Dewey and Urie Bronfenbrenner provides valuable insights. Drawing on their experience of sustainable learning processes in numerous international social work programmes, we pose the question: ‘How can the theoretical frameworks of Bronfenbrenner and Dewey improve our comprehension of learning processes within educational settings?’ A leading thinker of the progressive education movement, Dewey argued that education should empower individuals to participate in democratic life and in continuous personal development, rather than merely transmitting knowledge. Furthermore, Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystemic approach provides a profound perspective on learning, focusing on the complexity of human learning within its environment. The concept of a ‘community of practice’ (CoP) by Lave and Wenger, together with Mezirow’s concept of ‘learning as transformation’, integrate the contextual framework for the theoretical discussions.