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What is the future we
want, and what role does education have to play in its development?
The Environmental
Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) has gone some way toward
answering these questions by way of a Manifesto for
dialogue, collaboration and action Post Rio+20. Following its UK-wide consultation held
between November 2012 and May 2013, the EAUC has released a Manifesto in response
to the Rio+20 outcome document, ‘The Future We Want’. The Manifesto serves as a call to action across
the UK, seeking cross-sectoral collaboration for the strengthening of education
within sustainable development.
The Manifesto suggests seven mechanisms for government and
civil society by which they can strengthen UK delivery of educational commitments
towards The Future We Want. These are
proposed within four areas: governmental
responsibilities, formal learning, informal learning, and emphasising the
connection between ESD and the economy. Most focus on improved dialogue,
collaboration and coordination between government, NGOs, educational
institutions, community groups and businesses.
Manifesto’s 7 mechanisms for government and civil society
Governmental responsibilitiesFormal learning (education and training sectors)
- Better coordination of efforts and collaboration between governments and across government departments on formal and informal learning for sustainable development
- Improvement of dialogue between the education sector, civil society and government departments
- Enabling education sectors to develop an appropriate curriculum to meet current and future sustainability challenges through a realignment of funding with The Future We Want in mind
- Six curriculum change recommendations including: teacher training, incentives from education quality enhancement bodies, national curricula objectives, Natural Environment White Paper implementation, student involvement in curriculum design and interdisciplinary learning opportunities
- Three institutional change recommendations including: institutional leadership in SD, strengthened links between education institutions and local communities, support for young people not engaged in formal further education
Informal learning
- Increased collaboration between NGOs and formal education providers
- ESD and Economy Connections
- Increased collaboration between governments, NGOs, business and education sectors to ensure young people are sufficiently prepared for the opportunities and challenges of a Green and Fair Economy
At the launch
on 17 December, 2013 at the House of Commons, more than 80 people from these
different sectors, and representing all forms of education, gathered for an
event hosted by Joan Walley MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Select
Committee. Speakers included the Shadow
Schools Minister, Kevin Brennan MP, and a number of individuals providing ‘witness
accounts’ of ways that education can support sustainable development. These ranged from primary school pupils and
NGO representatives to university youth ambassadors and a Director from HEFCE.
During this portion of the launch, the University of Bristol’s Education for
Sustainable Development (ESD) Coordinator Aisling
Tierney gave a presentation. Aisling presented ways in which the ESD unit helps support
University lecturers and professors to incorporate aspects of ESD into their
teaching. Following the witness accounts, all attendees
participated in a round table discussion about how and why they can commit to
taking the agenda forward.  |
| Cabot Institute at Big Green Week educating the public about overfishing and climate change |
The Cabot Institute can do its part in the fulfilment of the
Manifesto through the Informal Learning route, which calls upon Higher
Education Institutions (HEIs) to support community learning about sustainable
development. Cabot pursues continued engagement with the
public to share the university’s latest research on risks and uncertainty
in a changing environment. Examples include Cabot’s participation the Festival
of Nature and planned activities surrounding Bristol’s position as the 2015 European Green Capital. Such initiatives continue to help to raise awareness
within the wider Bristol area on topics including climate change, natural
hazards, food and energy security and human impacts on the environment.
This blog was written by Terra Sprague, Research Fellow, Graduate
School of Education.
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| Terra Sprague |