RCE Penang - 2018

WORKSHOP & SEMINAR: Nurturing Autonomous Sejahtera Learners through ESD
Basic Information
Title of project : 
WORKSHOP & SEMINAR: Nurturing Autonomous Sejahtera Learners through ESD
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Penang
Contributing organization(s) : 
RCE Penang
RCE Tongyeong
Gyeongsang National University (GNU)
UNESCO ICHCAP
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Professor Dr Munirah Ghazali
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
E-mail: 
munirah@usm.my
Name: 
Assoc. Prof Dr Aswati Hamzah
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
E-mail: 
aswati@usm.my
Name: 
Ms Wan Sharipahmira Mohd Zain
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
E-mail: 
wansharipahmira@usm.my
Format of project: 
Manuscript
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
No
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
Korea, South
Location(s): 
RCE Tongyeong, Gyeongsang National University & UNESCO ICHCAP
Ecosystem(s):

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL(SDG), ETHICS & CELEBRATING DIVERSITY
Target Audience:
Community, Higher, Teacher Ed., Youth (Informal)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
RCE Tongyeong, located on the southern coast of the Republic of Korea, a fishing town with a population of about 130,000, Tongyeong City has a rich natural, cultural and historical. RCE Tongyeong has a robust set of activities that include
:
• Creating a network of educational institutions, breaking down walls between non-formal and informal institutions and improving educational programs in each group;
• Training for quality improvement and diversification of educational programs;
• Creating a one-stop on-line learning information centre;
• Yearly educational challenges, such as campaigns for civil education to make a sustainable Tongyeong and hosting learning events and academic seminars; and
• Support for educational tourism programs with lodging and learning.
RCE Penang is one of the first seven pioneering Regional Centers of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development launched in Nagoya in 2005. Specific roles and objectives for RCE Penang as outlined by UNU IAS are as follows:
• Develop and promote sustainable development training opportunities for school teacher, teacher’s educators and school administrators.
• Develop and ESD strategy guide for local authorities
• Increase volunteer opportunities around sustainable development
• Coordinate the compilation of current ESD practices across Penang and neighboring states to share and generate regional ESD good practices and
• Cultivate sustainable development competencies in the existing workforce
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) entails 17 Goals constructed on the succession of the Millennium Development Goals, while including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – to tackle issues that are commonly associated with one another.
The SDGs work in the spirit of partnership and pragmatism to make the right choices to improve life, in a sustainable way, for future generations. They provide clear guidelines and targets for all countries to adopt in accordance with their own priorities and the environmental challenges of the world at large.
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) or SDG Goal 4, aims to empower each individual and a country's citizens to acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes and sound virtues to form a sustainable future. ESD involves key issues in sustainable development to integrate in the process of constructing and implementing the educational agenda within teaching and learning processes encompassing all aspects of individual and community development.
Various initiatives are being executed by stakeholders at international and local levels to support SDGs through ESD. UNESCO ICHAP, Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCE) Tongyeong & Penang, Gyeongsang National University (GNU) and School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia (SES -USM) are among the strong supporters for ESD.
UNESCO ICHCAP, an International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP) was established as a UNESCO category 2 center in 2011. Working within the framework of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, they operate information and networking programs to support UNESCO’s strategic plans among the forty- eight Member States of the Asia-Pacific regions, with the ultimate goal of promoting the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals through intangible cultural heritage.
Contents
Status: 
Completed
Period: 
July, 2018
Rationale: 
The awareness and discussions among the international communities are still lacking to materialize SDGs. There are yet countless challenges to conquer. A prominent hindrance in realizing SDGs results from cultural diversity and differing social economy status. It is imperative that these gaps be closed to ascertain the success of SDGs.
Therefore, this project aims at providing an international platform towards an international collaboration among Higher Education, research centers and community in imparting the knowledge of SDGs through ESD. The project will encompass three main programs. First, RCE Penang & RCE Tongyeong fellows will conduct a workshop for the local school teachers from Tongyeong city. The workshop will engage the community in understanding SDGs by nurturing autonomous dispositions among the teachers. It is hoped to lead the teachers to be agents of change for SDGs through ESD.
Second, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, will host a mini seminar on the theme: SDG, ETHICS & CELEBRATING DIVERSITY. This project is carried out in collaboration with the School of Educational Studies, USM, Penang. The discussion will focus on ethics across disciplines that would provide an understanding and shared values from different cultures in dealing with diversity (SDG Goals 16 and 17). Postgraduate students and lecturers from both universities will share their perspectives on SDG, ETHICS & CELEBRATING DIVERSITY. The papers presented will be compiled for publication.
Thirdly, RCE Penang and the School of Educational Studies would like to initiate a research collaboration and networking with UNESCO ICHCAP that is known for its profound local wisdom in sustaining intangible cultural heritage as UNESCO ICHCAP focuses their work on educating public & communities of Asia Pacific towards safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. This project could also lead to prospective teacher trainings for the betterment of ESD practices in the aspect of intangible cultural heritage.
Objectives: 
• to generate knowledge in the areas of promoting awareness and understanding in dealing with cultural diversities across disciplines
• to initiate and formalize research collaborations with GNU, ICHCAP
• to strengthen the networking and research on ESD among all parties (RCE TY, RCE Penang, SES, GNU & ICHCAP)
Activities and/or practices employed: 
Workshop, Seminar, Academic & Research Visit
Key messages: 
• to generate knowledge in the areas of promoting awareness and understanding in dealing with cultural diversities across disciplines
• to initiate and formalize research collaborations with GNU, ICHCAP
• to strengthen the networking and research on ESD among all parties (RCE TY, RCE Penang, SES, GNU & ICHCAP)
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
A JOINT COLLABORATION BETWEEN
RCE PENANG, UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA
SCHOOL OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA RCE TONGYEONG, SOUTH KOREA
GYEONGSANG NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, SOUTH KOREA UNESCO ICHCAP, SOUTH KOREA
References and reference materials: 
File v4Proposal Teachers Workshop Korea.docx
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Indirect
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Direct
Theme
Curriculum Development 
Indirect
Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development – Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 3 - Building capacities of educators and trainers 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Empowering and mobilizing youth 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
Direct
Update: 
No