Education for Sustainable Development – reforming a university Chalmers as an example Marie Arehag Kaliningrad

A minute of individual reflection....then talk with your neighbours! Is Sustainable Development applicable in higher education? Brainstorm and take notes!

Switch perspectives! Is higher education an asset to Sustainable development? Brainstorm and talk in your small group! This is an example of a central quality of SD: – The ability to switch perspectives.

Education for Sustainable Development, ESD two different approaches Introduction of new learning ”stuff”? Institutional change of higher education?

New learning ”stuff” Introduction of environmental science 70ies-80ies. Knowledge about: –Environmental impact –Instruments to control impact –Measures taken to reduce impact –Preventive actions (further back in the cause-effect chain) Broadening to knowledge about ecologically, socially and economically sustainable development 90ies-2000ies.

Lessons learnt and decisions taken Education about the environment and SD is compulsory in the professional programmes for ALL engineers and architects – it is not to be restricted to separate educational programmes! Education about the environment and SD should neither be given only as a separate course, nor only as integrated parts in courses: both ways are necessary!

Structure, educational content learning ”stuff” Descision about requirement (Environmental science) 1985 Optional environmental theme in several educational programmes Ongoing discussion about the content and quality of the requirement since 2004.

The present situation at Chalmers ”Chalmers – for a sustainable future” All newcomers (undergraduate and Master- students) are given a one hour welcoming lecture on SD Five weeks requirement of Environment and SD in all undergraduate programmes Five Master programmes with emphasis on SD Several elective courses and project /exam work within SD Several research schools

But, what are the needs of… … today’s students to prepare for shaping a sustainable world? They will be professionally active till 2050, when Planet Earth is to be sustainable.

ESD-project Attached to Chalmers UNESCO-chair in Education for Sustainable Development (held by Prof. John Holmberg) Nine goals/action lines Yearly Budget: 50 k Euro + parts of 150 k Euro, the regular undergraduate development budget for Chalmers ESD

The task is to develop an organisation that handles ESD at Chalmers, resulting in a suggestion that: 1.Guarantees and continuously enhances quality in Chalmers basic courses in SD (the compulsory 7,5 ECTS courses). 2.Guarantees and continuously enhances quality of SD content in other courses. 3.Gives effective support to those who order (programme directors) SD courses.

The task is to develop an organisation that handles ESD at Chalmers, resulting in a suggestion that: 4. Gives effective support to students when choosing SD courses. 5. Gives effective internal and external information about ESD. 6. Gives effective cooperation with internal and external (foremost Gothenburg University) stakeholders within ESD.

The task is to develop an organisation that handles ESD at Chalmers, resulting in a suggestion that: 7. Gives a good meeting place for Students and for teachers with interest in the area. 8. Supports further education of non-teaching personnel within the SD area. 9. Supports the development of a campus reflecting Chalmers initiative for SD

ESD reform work One responsible person is appointed for each goal Some examples of projects that aims towards the goals: Inventory of content and quality of compulsory courses Resurce group for integration of SD in other courses and in educational programmes A collection of good examples Seminars on quality with programme directors and course examiners Sustainable Campus-project together with the estate owners

Institutional change of the university, prerequisites Continuous support from the top management Organisational platform Legitimacy in the organisation – key actors

Institutional change of Chalmers Central theme in the strategy of Chalmers from 2004 Organisational platform from 1989 Chalmers Environmental Initiative - investment 10 M Euro on 7 new professors : They became key actors throughout the University

Chalmers present vision and strategy ”Chalmers – for a sustainable future ” (Chalmers’ vision looking towards 2020)

Platform: Centre for Environment and Sustainability - of crucial importance Carry the history through ups and downs Neutral platform for collaboration between departments within Chalmers and Gothenburg University, with industry and society Attracts critical mass and complementing perspectives for interdisciplinary collaboration; without self- interest. Recurring follow-ups and inventories about education and research.

Lever the change process Draw upon other change processes, e.g.: The Bologna process National evaluation of educational programmes 2006 CDIO, new concept for engineering education Downswing in student demand/ recruitment

Nurse the change process Invite people to contribute. Give credit to the contritutors. Share the concern with different actors within the university: programme directors students, SD-teachers, other teachers, study councellors… Establish structural nodes where the change sticks

Structural node: Programme description A clear description of the whole programme with intended learning outcomes and a programme design matrix - to ensure continuous learning throughout the programme. Another structural node: A set of evaluation questions to follow-up on the ESD quality

International ESD conferences in Göteborg Knowledge and learning for a sustainable society Göteborg, Sweden, June, 2001 (EU summit) Learning to Change our World International consultation on education for sustainable development Göteborg, Sweden, 4-7 May 2004 (after WSSD in Johannesburg) Vision for a common blueprint on Education for Sustainable Development Göteborg, November 10-12, 2008 Engineering Education for Sustainable Development (EESD) Göteborg, Sweden, September 2010

ESD workshops in Göteborg Drivers and Barriers for Implementing Learning for Sustainable Development in Higher Education 7-9 December Organised by: Centre for environment and sustainability in Göteborg Drivers and Barriers for Learning for Sustainable Development in Pre-School, School and Teacher Education March Organised by: Göteborg University and City of Göteborg: The role of early childhood education in a sustainable society 2-4 May Organised by: Göteborg University and City of Göteborg: Right to Knowledge October Organised by: Göteborg University, Adult education organisations and Museum of world culture.

The real challenge for higher education remains: Learning to know Learning to do Learning to be Learning to live together Transformative learning!