SK Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable

Development: Overview and Next Steps

Roger PetryLuther College,

University of Regina

SIAST BoardroomJuly 25, 2006

Presentation Overview

● Background on Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCEs)

● Material summarized from: Mobilising for Education for Sustainable Development: Towards a Global Learning Space based on Regional Centres of Expertise, prepared by Zinaida Fadeeva and Yoko Mochizuki for the UNU-IAS

● Available from: http://www.ias.unu.edu/binaries2/RCEreport.pdf

● Overview of progress of SK RCE on ESD● Draft proposal available at: http://142.3.35.101/RCE/

● Next steps in advancing the SK RCE

U.N. and Education for Sustainable Development

● December 2002, United Nations General Assembly adopts resolution to launch Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) from 2005 – 2014

● United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) initiates new program on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in 2003– Includes promotion of Regional Centres of Expertise

on Education for Sustainable Development (RCEs)– 3 initial RCEs in 2004 (Greater Sendai Area, Japan;

Rhine-Meuse region, Europe; Toronto, Canada)– Currently 9 RCEs and adding 9-10

Underlying Features of RCE Model

● Education as an ongoing process that includes both formal and informal education

● Centrality of institutions of higher education (IHEs) in ESD

● ESD programs must be locally relevant and culturally appropriate

● Enable collaboration among local organizations engaged in ESD and between global RCEs

● Integrating knowledge for ESD

Focus of RCE on Regional Sustainability Issues

● Goal of integrating environmental, social and economic perspectives simultaneously

● This integration is accomplished by:● Identifying challenges of sustainability faced by a

region● Examining how each learning activity initiated by

the RCE addresses particular sustainability challenges

● Integrating what is learned back into traditional disciplines (e.g., use of local examples in science, mathematics, etc.)

Core Elements of RCEs

● Governance and sustainability of RCE (vision, goals, assessment, reporting)

● Collaboration (vertical, horizontal, and lateral)

● Research and development in ESD (documentation, innovation, efficiency)

● Transformative education (in relation to sustainable living and livelihoods in region)

SK RCE on ESD Time-line to Date

● February, 2005: presentation of RCE concept at the University of Regina by Charles Hopkins, UNESCO Chair at York University coordinating RCEs in region

● August 25, 2005: individuals and organizations brought together to explore RCE concept for prairie region of SK

● November 2-4, 2005: 1st draft RCE proposal developed for second visit by Charles Hopkins to U of R and U of S

● December 2005, identification of ESD themes for region from earlier workshops

● February to May 2006: drafting of RCE governance structure

● June 2006: establishment of RCE Technology Group ● July 2006: circulation of complete draft of RCE proposal

– opportunities for edits, addition to supporter list, and formal letters of support

1st RCE Workshop: August 25, 2005(Luther College, University of Regina)

● Large Group Discussion:– What is Education for Sustainable Development? What

might a Regional Centre of Expertise look like?– How might we structure a regional centre of expertise to

facilitate educational activities for sustainable development and collaboration among formal, informal, and non-formal sectors of education in our region?

● Small Group Discussion:– What interest does your organization have in education

for sustainable development and how might creating a regional centre of expertise help your organization?

– How would you describe your organization's capacities in education for sustainable development and the kinds of resources it could potentially offer in creating a regional centre of expertise?

2nd RCE Workshop: November 3, 2005 (University of Regina)

● “How Regional Centres of Expertise are Taking Shape on our Planet” presentation by Charles Hopkins, UNESCO Chair, York University

● Small-group Discussion:– In reviewing the RCE proposal overview, do you see

there being any additional elements required?– What do you see as current or emerging issues in

sustainability in our region that might be identified in the proposal?

– Is there any initiative(s) in education for sustainable development that you might like to see included in the proposal?

● If so, would the long-term outcomes set out in the proposal for the Regional Centre of Expertise accommodate the initiative(s)?

SK RCE Regional Description

● Initial focus on the prairie region

● Corridor between Regina and Saskatoon following Louis Riel Trail (Highway 11)

● Includes rural areas and towns (e.g., Craik Sustainable Living Project)

Regional Vision of ESD

● ESD aims to promote regional reflection and discernment to identify and pursue paths to sustainability

● These paths:● lead to ongoing improvements in quality of life● sustain healthy ecosystems● promote active environmental stewardship, social justice,

and intergenerational equity.

● ESD requires literacy and a capacity to critically and creatively reflect on sustainability challenges

● ESD requires an integrated, interdisciplinary, and problem-based approach that is locally relevant and culturally appropriate

SK RCE Approach to ESD

A Regional Approach● Importance of rural communities re. rapid, small-scale

innovation, scalability, and diversity of livelihood approaches● Potential of relationships between communities (e.g. rural and

urban, human and non-human)● Recognition of ecological opportunities and constraints

A Strengths-Based Approach● add value to existing knowledge and educational activities for

sustainability in region● role of service, facilitation, and networking

An Institutional Approach● Organizations have significant resources to contribute to ESD● Intentional inclusion of diversity of organizations (e.g.

educational, households, First Nations, faith-based, professions, government, market, non-profit/civil society)

Regional Issues in ESD Identified by the SK RCE

● 2 Cross-cutting themes:● Sustaining rural communities● Educational Approaches for Regional ESD

● 6 ESD Issues:● Climate Change● Health● Farming and Local Food Production, Consumption, and

Waste Minimization● Reconnecting to Natural Prairie Ecosystems● Supporting and Bridging Cultures for Sustainable Living

and Community Building● Sustainable Infrastructure including Water and Energy

SK RCE Organizational Structures

● RCE Facilitation Group(RFG): board with representation of key institutional stakeholders, maintains formal links to U.N.U. RCE initiative, facilitates policies where needed, provides administrative and financial support

● Theme Area Working Groups (TAWG): six coordinating working groups linked to each RCE issue; identifies and facilitates 1)initiatives in respective issue area (IN)2)local centres of expertise (LC)

● RCE Technology Group (RTG): helps develop and maintain an RCE Web based networking structure at regional level

SK RCE Governance Structure

TAWG1

TAWG4TAWG3

TAWG2

TAWG6

TAWG5

RTGRFG

IN6

LC4

IN3

LC3IN2

LC2

IN1

LC6

IN5

LC5

IN4

LC1

GLOBAL RCEs

Transformative Expectations/ESD Outcomes of SK RCE

● Literacy and access to quality basic education for all within the region

● Identification of key issues of sustainability and sustainability projects in the region

● Open networks for knowledge sharing

● Public awareness about sustainability in the region

● Ongoing opportunities for collaborative work on ESD projects

● Integration of sustainability into formal education curricula

Further ESD Outcomes

● Formal linkages promoting ESD between organizations

● Identification of current research in ESD and coordination of new ESD research projects

● Development and incorporation of science and technology for ESD

● Acknowledgment and celebration of success

● Ongoing advocacy for ESD outcomes

● Ongoing documentation of RCE activities

● Ongoing measurement and evaluation of RCE initiatives

Next Steps In Advancing the SK RCE: (1) Submission of SK RCE Proposal

● Any further edits needed by July 26, 2006 for proposal submission by July 31, 2006.

● Proposal in a wiki at:http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/sk_rce_on_esd/sk_rce_on_esd

● Inclusion as a supporter of the RCE● Add own name and/or organization to Appendix A of

proposal in wiki● Send e-mail with contact information to

roger.petry@uregina.ca

● Add details of ESD initiatives you are engaged in in any of the 6 issue areas (section 7)

Provide an Official Letter of Support for the SK RCE

● Address letter to:Charles Hopkins United Nations University Chair for Education for Sustainable

Development339 York Lanes, York University4700 Keele St.Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3

● Send Letter to:Dr. Tanya DahmsDepartment of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of ReginaRegina, SK Canada S4S 0A2Phone: 306-585-4246Fax: 306-337-2409

● Electronic copies can be sent to:Tanya.Dahms@uregina.ca

(2) Development of Web based Networking Structure for the SK RCE

● $1600 of funding received from the U of R Technology Innovation Fund for computer hardware (February 2006)

● $4,666 funding through Student Employment Experience--Province of Saskatchewan and Luther College, U of R campus (May, 2006)

● RCE Technology Group established and Ph.D. student hired (May, 2006)

● Student evaluation of Content Management Systems (CMS's); Drupal Selected (June, 2006)

● Created Linux server (Ubuntu distribution) and Drupal installed; priorizing of CMS modules to be used (July, 2006)

Outcomes of Proposed RCE Web Based Networking Structure

● Facilitation of working of RCE regional structures (RFG, RTG, TAWGs) including:– capacity for ongoing cataloging, researching, and

archiving of Education for Sustainable Development projects in the region and RCE regional activities

– postings of new initiatives, developments, seminars, and meetings

– sharing of research (such as educational methods) and other ESD documents (such as curricula) developed in the region, and

– opportunities for informed communication to the public on sustainable development issues of high importance to the region

Next Steps for SK RCE Web Based Networking Structure

● Meeting with SK RCE members (Aug. or Sept. 2006) to:– demonstration of possible technological features that

can be implemented by the chosen Content Management System

– identification of priority functions to be implemented

● Refinement of Web Based Networking Structure by RCE Technology Group based on User Feedback (Fall 2006)

● Gradual implementation of new features identified by RCE users available in CMS (medium term)

● Development of specific technologies to facilitate Local Centres of Expertise on ESD within communities (long term)

(3) Creation of SK RCE Regional Structures

● Requests for SK RCE members willing to serve in SK RCE formal structures (anticipating approval of SK RCE proposal in the Fall 2006)

● 6 Theme Area Working Groups– Based on expressed interest and/or existing ESD

initiatives within each theme area– Identify interest from fall ESD workshop

● RCE Facilitation Group (RFG)– fulfill representative functions identified– build on capacities and interest within the SESDWG and

the RCE

● RCE Technology Group (RTG)– include new members identified from August/September

RTG Consultation

Common Tasks of SK RCE Structures

● Identify existing capacities and interest of members of TAWGs, RFG, and RTG

● Prioritize tasks as outlined in SK RCE proposal for each group and set initial time lines

● Provide ongoing documentation of each group's activities

● Facilitate and provide resources for advancing existing and new local and regional ESD initiatives

● Identify any gaps and/or need for external resources (human, financial, in-kind) that emerge– make these needs known to RCE members– make use of resources available through other global

RCEs and U.N.U.

(4) Fall ESD Symposium (October 27, 2006)

● Event being organized by the Saskatchewan ESD Working Group (coordinated by John Barker of SCIC)

● Potential for building on important ESD themes identified by the SK RCE:– Education for Sustainable Livelihoods in SK

● builds on overarching RCE theme of sustaining rural communities

● addresses U.N.U. RCE focus on transformative education using a sustainable livelihoods model

● potential for an integrative theme for large group activities and panels

● extensively developed and applied model– See http://www.livelihoods.org

– 6 educational theme areas identified by the SK RCE● can have panels and small groups on specific themes● provide awareness of local ESD initiatives

Concluding Thoughts

● Significant opportunities for students to learn from development of SK RCE:– allows interdisciplinary, theoretical and applied

research with local and global relevance– worthwhile identifying opportunities (both scholarly

and/or employment) to help students facilitate development of RCE structure

● Broader relevance to higher education:– from the perspective of the social sciences and

humanities:● potential practical application of insights from

earlier transitions in modes of production (e.g., emergence of industrial production) and role of formal education institutions in these transitions (e.g., the Royal Society)