The Global Meeting lead by UNESCO is organised for member states and partner organisations to share progress on the implementation of the ESD for 2030 Roadmap, efforts made in mainstreaming ESD at national level and discuss action points for the Network in 2024-2025.
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN) UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Lifestyles (ESL), Robert J. Didham was invited by UNESCO to discuss INNs contribution to ESD.
Robert J. Didham was a panelist in Session VI-D: ‘Stepping up ESD agenda in Higher Education: A Call for Action’, organized by UNITAR and IAU. Charles Hopkins, UNESCO Chair on Reorienting Education towards Sustainability, York University, Canada and Hilligje Van’t Land, Secretary General, International Association of Universities (IAU) joined Didham in the panel to explore possible approaches to transforming higher education so that HEI’s can fully play their role in enabling societies to move towards more sustainability and inclusion through the provision of quality, holistic, trans-disciplinary education, problem-oriented research and community engagement.
International Partner Network of the UNESCO Chair
During his time in Tokyo, Didham will also meet with several members of the International Partner Network of the UNESCO Chair on ESL. These are Dr. Dorcas Beryl Otieno, UNESCO Chair on Higher Education Development for a Green Economy and Sustainability (HEDGES) at Kenyatta University, Kenya, Daniel Fischer, UNESCO Chair in Higher Education for Sustainable Development at Leuphana University, Germany, Alicia Jimenez, Director of Programmes at the Earth Charter International (ECI) Secretariat in Costa Rica, Hiroki Fujii, UNESCO Chair on Reorienting Teacher Education at Okayama University, Japan, Dr. Masahisa Sato, Professor at Tokyo City University, Japan and former member Machtelijn Brummel, Dutch Point of Contact Interreg Europe, the Netherlands.
Together they will discuss ways to contribute further to education as a catalyst for positive change and how to contribute to the priority action areas of the UNESCO Chair on ESL. The UNESCO Chair was renewed for a third period in 2023 and work towards the six action areas will begin from January 2024.
INNs UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Lifestyles
INN’s UNESCO Chair, has identified six priority action areas. These action areas are:
1) Research and concept development,
2) Higher Education institutional strengthening,
3) Innovative learning processes,
4) Capacity building and competency development,
5) Partnership and cooperation, and
6) Advocacy and information dissemination.
Through these action areas, we aim to reach a diverse range of stakeholders while focusing on continued development of innovative learning processes for fostering a transition to sustainable lifestyles. While research, capacity building and education activities remain important operations of the UNESCO Chair, we also place significant emphasis on our roles in promoting South-South and North-South collaboration, partnership building, continued cooperation with UNESCO programmes, as well as advocacy and outreach efforts.
Background for the ESD-Net Global Meeting
The ESD-NET global meeting highlights country progress on education for sustainable development via initiatives, trends, and innovations for Agenda 2030 and focusses on sharing the implementation and progress of the ESD for 2030 country initiatives, trends and innovation in the context of Agenda 2030 and discuss action points in 2024-2025.
Some key objectives include:
- Discussing how ESD for 2030 strengthens the quality and relevance of education in the context of transforming education,
- Developing systemic education responses (national and regional) to current sustainable development challenges, and
- Strengthening multi-stakeholder engagement within the implementation of ESD for 2030.
Contact information:
Centre director at the Centre for Collaborative Learning for Sustainable Development
- robert.didham@inn.no
- Phone
- +47 62 59 79 63
Email: CCL@inn.no