Progress on Developing a Saskatchewan

Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for

Sustainable Development

Roger PetryLuther College,

University of Regina

CSC BoardroomJuly 25, 2006

Presentation Overview

● Origin and Structure of 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: http://www.ias.unu.edu/binaries2/RCEreport.pdf

● Overview of progress of the proposed Saskatchewan Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (SK RCE on ESD)

● Draft proposal available at: http://142.3.35.101/RCE/

U.N. and Education for Sustainable Development

● 1992 Earth Summit recognizes critical role of education in achieving sustainable development (SD)

● Chapter 36 of Agenda 21 addresses reorienting formal and non-formal education towards sustainable development

● December 2002, 57th Session of United Nations General Assembly adopts resolution to launch Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) from 2005 – 2014

Context of RCE Development

● United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) initiates a new program on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in 2003

● UNU-IAS seeking to (1) provide intellectual and conceptual reflections on challenges of ESD and (2) assist in actual implementation of ESD initiatives implements 6 program areas

● Promotion of Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCEs) is one of these program areas

Four Major Educational Components for DESD (UNESCO)

1. improve access to quality basic education

2. reorient existing education to address sustainable development

3. develop public understanding and awareness of sustainable development

4. provide training programs for all sectors of private and civil society

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

RCE General Functions

● RCEs Promote Partnerships for Sustainable Development

● Reorient Education Towards Sustainable Development

● Increase Access to 'Quality' Education that is Most Needed in the Regional Context

● RCEs Deliver “Trainer’s Training” Programs

● RCEs Lead Advocacy and Awareness Raising Efforts

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)

Current Global Development of RCEs

● 3 initial RCEs in 2004:● Greater Sendai Area RCE in Japan● Rhine-Meuse region RCE (includes parts of the

Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium)● Toronto RCE

● Currently 9 RCEs in total

● Adding 9-10 RCEs this year● SK RCE on ESD proposal being brought to the

United Nations University in September, 2006, with decision this fall

SK RCE on ESD Time-line

● 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: 1st 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 and hiring of Ph.D. Student

● Funding from U of R Technology Innovation Fund, Luther College, and Province of Saskatchewan

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

Governance Outcomes of SK RCE Structure

● Transparency● Accountability and Stewardship● Flexibility● Facilitation● Autonomy and Self-determination● Democracy● Human Justice● Leadership● Participation● Strategic Planning and Timely Decision Making● Reflection and Discernment● Decentralized/Grassroots Decision Making

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

TAWG1

TAWG4TAWG3

TAWG2

TAWG6

TAWG5

RTGRFG

IN6

LC4

IN3

LC3IN2

LC2

IN1

LC6

IN5

LC5

IN4

LC1

GLOBAL RCEs

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

Important Next Steps (needed by July 26, 2006)

● Further editing of RCE proposal

● Proposal in a wiki at:http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/sk_rce_on_esd/sk_rce_on_esd

● Inclusion as a supporter of the RCE● Add own name and/or organization to Appendix A of

proposal in wiki● Send e-mail with contact information to

roger.petry@uregina.ca

● 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

Development339 York Lanes, York University4700 Keele St.Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3 Canada

● Send Letter to:Dr. Tanya DahmsDepartment of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of ReginaRegina, SK S4S 0A2 CanadaPhone: 306-585-4246, Fax: 306-337-2409

● Electronic copies can be sent to:Tanya.Dahms@uregina.ca