1. Rationale
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) occupies a prominent place in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015. Indeed, ESD is integral to achieving all of the SDGs, as stated in the UN General Assembly’s 72/222 resolution. Teachers play the important role in the global pursuit of ESD. In UNESCO's new ESD promotion measure, “ESD for 2030” (2020–2030), the expansion and development of ESD teacher education is emphasized as a priority action area.
Recognizing the critical importance of teachers in the context of SDGs, Okayama University, the only UNESCO chair on ESD in Asia, launched the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Core-to-Core Programme (Type B. Asia-Africa Science Platforms) (2017–2019). It established core research exchange institutions for ESD teacher education and their academic network in Asia and contributed to building capacities of the next generation of researchers. Subsequently, the University obtained a grant sponsored by the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO (2018–2020), and developed the “Asia-Pacific Framework of Teacher Education for ESD” and a guide for the effective dissemination of the framework in collaboration with 34 institutions in 16 countries across the Asia-Pacific region. The framework currently comprises a programme guideline for developing ESD teacher education in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as its research and educational achievements.
The European and North American core institutions involved in this research exchange are UNESCO chairs on sustainability and/or have excellent achievements in teacher education for ESD. However, the sharing of existing resources and experiences remain limited to each region, and common measures to expand the resources globally have yet to be in its process. To overcome this situation, it is necessary to expand the international collaboration of these core institutions globally.
2. Objectives
The overall objective of this research exchange is to share the resources and experiences of teacher education for ESD and propose a global framework of teacher education for ESD in collaboration with a core institution in the Asia-Pacific region (Japan), core institutions in Europe (Germany, Norway and Slovenia) and North America (Canada), sub-core institutions in Africa and Latin America and other cooperating institutions around the world. In the process of developing and disseminating the framework, independent and continuous international research exchange institutions will be established around the globe through coordination with UNESCO regional offices and cooperation between institutions. Moreover, this research exchange aims to develop joint graduate education programmes at graduate schools and capacity building programmes for young researchers intended to support their career development. To promote global brain circulation, the provision of short- and long-term exchange programmes for students and young researchers will help foster the leaders of the next generation of researchers.
3. Specific objectives and activities
3. 1 Joint Research
This joint research seeks to enhance the “Asia-Pacific Framework of Teacher Education for ESD” jointly developed by 34 institutions in 16 countries in the Asia-Pacific region into a global framework that can be used worldwide. To this end, the following joint researches will be conducted:
1) develop ESD pre- and in-service programmes (Research 1);
2) create effective guides for the dissemination of these programmes (Research 2); and
3) develop indicator frameworks for a whole-institution approach to ESD in respect to programme quality (Research 3).
Regarding Research 1, scientific literacy about SDGs subjects such as climate change, renewable energy, biodiversity, disaster prevention, sustainable consumption and supply and poverty reduction, and knowledge of teaching professions – is typically connected to the teaching of these subjects. The research team consists of a core institution in the Asia-Pacific region (Okayama University, Japan), core institutions in Europe (Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany; Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway; and University of Ljubljana, Slovenia) and North America (York University, Canada), sub-core institutions in Africa and Latin America and various cooperating institutions around the world.
3. 2 Seminar and Symposium
In line with the implementation of joint research, international seminars will be held once at each other core institution. Symposia will also be held at the conference of the ESD international meetings held by UNESCO. Seminar and symposia will discuss and share the results and progress of the joint research, ESD joint education programmes at graduate schools and capacity building programmes for young researchers intended to support their career development. The academic performance of young researchers will also be enhanced by establishing opportunities for mutual research exchange.
3. 3 Researcher Exchange
In addition to conducting joint research and seminars/symposia, the “Teacher Education for ESD World Report” summarizing the results and progress of this research, will be published in order to disseminate the research findings and practices of ESD teacher education around the world. A book series entitled “Teacher Education for ESD” will be published based on these reports. Furthermore, short- and long-term exchange programmes for students and young researchers will be promoted by the core, sub-core and cooperating institutions. These exchange programmes will enhance academic achievement while facilitating the development of an international advanced academic network of teacher education for ESD.