1. Education for Sustainable Development in European Higher Education Jos H.A.N. Rikers (OUNL) Geert R. de Snoo (Leiden University) Rietje C.E. van Dam-Mieras (UNESCO Chair on ESD OUNL & Leiden University) European Seminar on Sustainable Development Minsk, 16-19 March, 2011

2. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201122 EfSD in European Higher Education Presentation: Regional context: 27 member states in EU Main trends: European Higher Education Area

3. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201133 H.E. & SD in Europe - 1 Regional context –Premise: need for paradigm shift –European policies and strategies Lisbon Bologna –Shortlist of ESD practices in EHEA

4. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201144 H.E. & SD in Europe - 2 Main trends: Approaches in the European context –On Curricula and the learning process: From EoSD to EfSD –Research –On the institutional level Integrating SD in E: Learning for Sustainable Development Copernicus Alliance –Social and community engagement Regional Centers of Expertise OPEDUCA project

5. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201155 Regional context - 1 Premise: One of the biggest challenges Human kind ever faced is to get Human behavior in line with the wish of continuous presence on Planet Earth. Since the Club of Rome report we have 40 years of experience that solutions within the existing framework do not exist. It is now time for a paradigm shift

6. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201166 Paradigm shift?? Globalization exceeds the traditional frames of reference societies have. Hence finding solutions needs new frameworks based on the diversity so significantly present in different cultures & economies around the globe.

7. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201177 Regional context - 2 European policies and strategies Lisbon Strategy (March 2000 - 2010) To ensure the current EU wealth and to ensure growth through a competitive knowledge economy ? How to redefine wealth ? How to redefine growth ? Is a knowledge economy sustainable Midterm Review: 2004 European Union and its Members States have clearly themselves contributed to slow progress by failing to act on much of the Lisbon strategy with sufficient urgency. This disappointing delivery is due to an overloaded agenda, poor coordination and conflicting priorities. Still, a key issue has been the lack of determined political action

8. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201188 Regional context - 3 European policies and strategies Bologna Process (Declaration June 1999) Harmonization of the European Higher Education policies and create an European Higher Education Area (EHEA) by 2010 So far the discussion was on instruments and not so much on paradigm shift and the role of universities as change agents (Anne Corbett, 2008, GUNI Report Higher Education in the World 4)

9. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201199 Regional context - 4 European policies and strategies: the role of universities How can universities become change agents? A search for practices might indicate the direction?!

10. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201110 Regional context - 5 Studies on innovative practices show: EEAC, 2005 Governance is of strategic importance to make the shift. Agenda 21 approach of capacity building, ownership & civil society engagement on all levels is not taken up in EU countries.

11. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201111 Regional context - 6 Inventory of innovative practices in ESD: EC, DG Education & Culture, 2008 Different geographical levels Different scales of implementation Innovation in content Innovation in delivery method Innovation in forging new partnerships & networks Innovation at the institutional level Let’s have a closer look at the trends….

12. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201112

13. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201113 Main trends 1.Curricula and the learning process 2.Research 3.Mainstreaming SD in Higher Education 4.Social & community engagement

14. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201114 Main trends - 1 On Curricula and the learning process From EoSD to EfSD United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (2005): EfSD: An instrument for capacity building for individuals, groups, communities, organisations and countries to make judgements and choices in favour of Sustainable Development

15. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201115 From Education on SD to for SD Learning on SD Discipline based Fragmented Learning for SD Disciplinary Multi-disciplinary Trans disciplinary Local Regional Global Formal / Informal & Non-formal learning

16. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201116 Main trends - 2 Research From RoSD to RfSD

17. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201117 From Research on SD to for SD Research on SD Discipline based Fragmented Symptoms oriented Research for SD Disciplinary Multi-disciplinary Trans disciplinary Local Regional Global Knowledge generation Discipline based Universities Complexity Societal context

18. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201118 From Research on SD to for SD Research for SD is: Comprehensive Root level oriented Systems approach Future oriented

19. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201119 Main trends - 3 Integrating SD in Education Governance at institutional level

20. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201120 Integrating SD in Education - 1 Learning for sustainable development needs to be integrated in the whole H.E. system on course level curriculum level institutional level Institution – society interaction

21. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201121 Integrating SD in Education - 2 To assure SD integration include assessment criteria in: Accreditation QA cycle. Example: The AISHE instrument International exchange and collaboration to support this: The Copernicus Alliance

22. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201122 The AISHE instrument - 1 AISHE Assessment Instrument for Sustainability in Higher Education (Dr. Niko Roorda c.s.) “The instrument covers all relevant issues related to the complexity faced in integrating sustainability in higher education”

23. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201123 The AISHE instrument - 2

24. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201124 The AISHE instrument - 3

25. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201125 Main trends - 4 Social and community engagement Regional Centers of Expertise OPEDUCA project

26. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201126 Social & community engagement – 1 Regional Centers of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development

27. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201127 Social & community engagement - 2 Regional Centers of Expertise Four principles –Governance and management of the RCE –Transformative education –Research & development –Collaboration In Europe 26 Global 85 www.ias.unu.edu/research

28. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201128 Social & community engagement - 3 OPEDUCA project The OPEDUCA concept is developed by a group of teachers, schools, universities, companies and experts Combines formal and informal learning Uses the “real world” as a learning environment

29. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201129 Conclusions A firm basis in EU policies A firm basis in HE engagement Very diverse policies on national level Sustainable Development is present in words, but no paradigm shift has taken place so far

30. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201130 Recommendations European QA in HE mechanisms should be updated with SD criteria (e.g. AISHE model) European universities should engage in a SD Annual report H.E. institutions to engage in sustainable regional development (e.g. RCEs) EU subsidy programs should stimulate EfSD initiatives EU subsidy programs should stimulate European wide collaboration and networking (e.g. Copernicus Alliance)

31. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201131 Thank you for your attention Contact: jos.rikers@ou.nl

32. Jos H.A.N. Rikers Minsk March 201132