Education for Sustainable Development
Education for Sustainable Development is explicitly mentioned in the 2030 Agenda:
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“By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.”
For a more sustainable world, individuals must be empowered to take informed decisions and responsible actions for environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society for present and future generations. Quality education and lifelong learning are thus crucial to achieve sustainable development. Because of this, the Alliance established a cross-cutting working group on Education for Sustainable Development.
Thanks to the activities and efforts of this group, ASviS signed a memorandum of understanding with the Italian Ministry of Education, University and scientific Research (Miur), through which parties commited to collaborating for the promotion and diffusion of information and training initiatives on sustainable development, and to spreading a culture of sustainability in Italy. The working group is also currently collaborating with the Ministry for the launch and management of Italy’s “Sustainability Education Programme”.
ASviS also works with the “Network of universities for sustainable development” (RUS), established by the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI).
Moreover, the Alliance’s activities have focused on:
- launching the national ASviS-Miur Contest “Let’s score 17 Goals. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” for the most creative projects contributing to the awareness or achievement of one or more SDGs. The year 2018 will see the contest’s second edition;
- the release of a 120-minute e-learning course on the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs (for more information: info@asvis.it). Through the course, ASviS intends to support the process initiated with the Ministry’s launch, in October 2016, of the National plan for teacher training, especially for what concerns the development of global citizenship competencies;
- establishing three Master’s degree programs: a LUMSA Master in Management for the SDGs, a Master in Journalism with a sustainable development specialization at the University of Bologna, and a Master in Global Economics and Social Affairs at the University of Venice “Ca’ Foscari”;
- gathering and classifying the education material provided by its member organisations, filed thematically and made available for schools.