SK Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development: Overview and Next Steps Roger Petry Luther College, University of Regina SIAST Boardroom July 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: ● Overview of progress of SK RCE on ESD ● Draft proposal available at: ● 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: 1 st 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

1 st 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?

2 nd 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

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, ● Proposal in a wiki at: ● Inclusion as a supporter of the RCE ● Add own name and/or organization to Appendix A of proposal in wiki ● Send with contact information to ● 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 Development 339 York Lanes, York University 4700 Keele St. Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3 ● Send Letter to: Dr. Tanya Dahms Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of Regina Regina, SK Canada S4S 0A2 Phone: Fax: ● Electronic copies can be sent to:

(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 – 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)