The UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Lifestyles was awarded to Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences in 2015 and renewed in 2019 and 2023.
The UNESCO Chairs Programme mobilizes expertise of higher education and research institutions to address the interdependent challenges of today’s increasingly complex world. It was established in 1992 with the vision to advance an integrated system of research, training and activities in diverse fields by building university networks and encouraging inter-university cooperation through the transfer of knowledge and expertise across borders.
Since 2015, HINN has held a UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Lifestyles and coordinated its associated International Partner Network.
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The Centre for Collaborative Learning for Sustainable Development, in consultation with the international advisory board for HINN’s UNESCO Chair, has identified six priority action areas for the third phase of this work. 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.
For more information about the new UNESCO Chair period (2024-2027), please read our flyer.
About Robert J. Didham
Robert J. Didham (Ph.D.) became the current holder of the UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Lifestyles in 2021. He is also the director of CCL and an associate professor at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. With a background in community-based sustainable development, public participation and social learning, Robert has extensive experience in interdisciplinary research and capacity building projects. He has coordinated multi-country research on education for sustainable development, sustainable consumption, and adaptation planning, and he has led policy support projects for several national governments. Previously, Robert was the senior coordinator for capacity development and education at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), based in Japan, where he worked extensively throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
International Partner Network of the UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Lifestyles
Africa
- Kenyatta University, Environmental Studies and Community Development, Kenya
- Rhodes University, Environmental Learning Research Centre (ELRC),
- South Africa University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- Youth Education Network (YEN), Kenya
Asia
- The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), Kazakhstan
- Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan
- Okayama University, Japan
- Swechha, India
- Universiti Sains Malaysia, Regional Centre of Expertise Penang, Malaysia
Europe
- Aarhus University, Denmark
- Free Consumers Association, the Netherlands
- South East Technological University, Ireland
- International Environment Forum, Switserland
- Leuphana University Leuneburg, Germany
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway
- Setubal College of Education, Portugal
- St. Angela’s College, Ireland
- Strategic Design Scenarios, Belgium
- Technical University of Berlin, Germany
- UN Environment, France
- UNESCO, France
- University of Helsinki, Department of Education, Finland
- University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
- University of Malta, Malta
- Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge, Norge
- Uppsala University - SWEDESD, Sverige
- VIVES University College, Belgium
- Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
- Wageningen University and Research, Nederland