Angelica Medved Faculty of Physics and Engineering Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, Belarus Tatyana Demesh Grodno Institute of Retraining and Professional Upgrading

According to UNESCO among the goals of Education for Sustainable Development are the following: to use the creative potential of the scientists and the teachers more efficiently; to work out and implement the educational programmes of retraining and professional upgrading for people working in educational institutions of different levels as well as programmes for social workers; to develop international partnership for consolidation of interaction and cooperation for sustainable development through common projects; to organize teaching staff exchange and student mobility. Declaration of International Congress of UNESCO Chairs on Education for Sustainable Development (Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, 2009)

To fulfill the goals mentioned above we need two important factors: 1. The availability of teaching staff to take part in this process and their ability: to use new educational technologies; to take part in cultural, social and educational activity of the University;

4 to take part in the international project activity; to lead healthy lifestyle; to promote nature protection, love to home town, country etc.; to facilitate and encourage public awareness by making environmental information widely available.

2. To fulfill the goals of Education for Sustainable Development we need the second factor – students Students must be ready not only to get knowledge, but to have active living position to achieve SD. Together with the students and teachers education sector is a powerful force, a communication channel for disseminating knowledge and skills. The Educational institutions should incorporate the concepts of sustainability in all academic disciplines and should take the leadership for establishing a network with primary and secondary education.

What is done in Grodno State University to promote the principles of Education for Sustainable development? For teachers : the seminars devoted to innovative educational technologies are held; the University highly appreciates international contacts and actively develops cooperation with countries near and far abroad; the active participation of the university in international projects, educational programmes, implementation of agreements and international cooperation programmes allows to develop academic mobility of students and staff in order to acquire and introduce best international practices, expand professional knowledge and skills, discuss, develop and implement project ideas and to strengthen the image of the University;

we have Centre of Chinese Language and Culture, Centre of German language and Culture, Centre of Lithuanian Language and Culture; activities promoting healthy lifestyle such as “Days of health”.

For students: Ecological competitions are held by the teachers of biological faculty for the students of other faculties Within the programme "Visiting Professor" students can listen to lectures of world-known professors and diplomats (Alferov, Zanussi) Students’ patriotic club “Motherland” Volonteer movements Students’ psychological club Club of a young family

The following actions are organized by students: «Change a cigarette for a sweet» «The youth for the clean towns and villages» «University for the children of the home town» Competitions and festivals are held among the students: the competition of essays «I’m proud of my country» the festival «The queen of fitness in Belarus» the festival «Healthy family is the future of Belarus»

students' interest in the culture, traditions and crafts of Belarus and traditions of various nations; motivation of students to the study of the ethnic roots of their land; development of student creativity, discovery of new talents; improvement of the forms and methods of moral and aesthetic education of students; formation of new traditions of the university; improvement of the forms of students’ leisure activities; students' ability to appreciate beauty. The courtyard "Studentskі Karagod" within the Republican Festival of national cultures. The organizers were guided by the following goals and objectives:

Education is an essential tool for achieving sustainability As both students and teachers are indispensable in the educational process so their role is big and their activities make great contribution for achieving sustainability.

Thank you for your attention