Message from the Global RCE Service Centre:

Dear colleagues and friends

As 2013 draws to a close, we would like to express our best wishes for a joyous start to 2014. This December 2013 bulletin is coming to you somewhat later than usual due to the holiday break. Our sincere apologies for the delay.

We would also like to take this opportunity to remind those of you who attended the 8th Global RCE Conference in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2014 that the Post-Conference Survey will only be open for an additional day. Please rate the conference via this brief online survey before end of day 8 January, 2014:https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RCEGlobalConference.

With much appreciation,

The Global RCE Service Centre

 

Upcoming Events

 

Space Still Available: Earth Charter Initiative One-Week Programme on "Education and Values for Sustainable Development with the Earth Charter

20-24 January 2014

Are you an educator or do you work in the education field? Is sustainability important to you or your community, school, organization, or company? Join other educators for a one week intensive program which will provide you with ideas, resources, and skills for implementing Education for Sustainable Development [ESD] in your work environment.

Under the framework of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair on Education for Sustainable Development with the Earth Charter and the United Nations Decade on Education for Sustainable Development, this programme offers an opportunity to deepen understanding on the role of education in fostering a culture of sustainability. The programme introduces the concept of sustainable development and its implications for education, learning, and change. It explores practical methods for introducing the values of sustainability, in a holistic and integrative approach, to schools and classrooms. Find out more about registering for the programme by clicking here:http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/pages/Education%20and%20Values%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20with%20the%20Earth%20Charter.

COPERNICUS Alliance Conference “Leadership in a Changing World: Higher education, sustainability and the new Global Action Programme on ESD”

10-11 January 2014

The COPERNICUS Alliance - a European network of higher education institutions for sustainable development - is pleased to share programme information and to invite participation in an international conference that it is organizing early in the new year. The Conference will focus on global platforms, institutional development and student leadership for sustainable development in higher education. It asks questions such as:

1. Q. What have been the major changes and shifts in higher education towards sustainability over the last ten years?
2. Q. What does the future hold for universities and colleges engaged with this agenda?
3. Q. What role will the new Global Action Programme on ESD play in advancing change for sustainability in higher education?
4. Q. How do we extend the circle of the committed and build partnerships for change?
5. Q. How do you understand transformation for sustainable development in higher education?

Keynote speakers include: Dr. Alexander Leicht (UNESCO ESD, France); Mahesh Pradhan (UNEP – GUPES, Kenya); Dr. Geoff Scott (Sustainable Futures Leadership Academy, Australia); Prof Javier Benayas (ARIUSA and CRUE-CADEP, Spain); Dr Lorna Down (University of West Indies, Jamaica); Jamie Agombar (NUS, UK); Felix Spira (RootAbility, Germany); Dr. Zoe Robinson (Keele University, UK); Prof Clemens Mader (COPERNICUSAlliance, Germany); and, Prof Daniella Tilbury (UNESCO M&E Group for the DESD and COPERNICUS Alliance, UK).

For further information, please download the Conference brochure here.

Youth Unite for Voluntary Action 2014 (YUVA Meet 2014)

3-4 February 2014

The annual youth initiative ‘Youth Unite for Voluntary Action 2014’ (YUVA Meet 2014) will be held from 3-4 February 2014 in Delhi, India as part of Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS: http://dsds.teriin.org/2014/). YUVA Meet aims at enabling youth to voice their opinions on a variety of sustainability issues and this year’s YUVA Meet will focus on the theme of “Innovation for a Sustainable Future – Transforming Learning into Action”.

Taking this opportunity, UNU-IAS will be organizing RCE Youth Session on 5 February 2014 in conjunction with YUVA Meet. We hope that this will give us an opportunity to follow up on some action points that were discussed during the thematic session on Youth during the Global RCE Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. All applications and requests for travel support should have been sent in by the end of December 2013. If you have further questions, please contactrceservicecentre@ias.unu.edu.

ISCUS - International Students Conference on Urban Sustainability

24-25 February 2014

TUNILIVRE-Curitiba and its partners: the RCE-Curitiba-Paraná and the UTFPR-University Tecnological Federal of Paraná-Studio Cities & Biodiversity Project are very pleased to invite the colleagues of all RCEs to the ISCUS - International Students Conference on Urban Sustainability, which will take place in Curitiba - 24 and 25 February 2014. Please check the main information at the site http://www.unilivre.org.br/iscus/ as well as the themes to be focused. Other details will be add to the site soon. The International Students Conference on Urban Sustainability (ISCUS) aims to provide an opportunity for students from different countries to exchange knowledge and promoting research. By gathering presentations from undergraduate and graduate students on case studies, research and practical experiences on subject matters, it will also encourage the strengthening of international networking between students and the institutions.

1st Regional Conference on Campus Sustainability

7-9 April 2014

The 1st Regional Conference on Campus Sustainability (1RCCS) will be organized by Universiti Malaysia Sabah with the collaboration of Universiti Malaya, Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT) and Palawan State University. Organizers welcome all delegates to this beautiful state of Malaysian Borneo.The conference will focus on a broad range of topics related to campus sustainability. The conference organizers invite posters and papers relevant to the theme of the conference “Building Sustainability Edge through Institutional Strategy”. More information is available here: http://www.ums.edu.my/ecomc/.

Latest News

Call for Collaboration: RCE Greater Western Sydney ICT-enabled regional farm sustainability

The RCE-GWS has provided a small amount of seed funding for a research project on ICT enabled regional farm sustainability. The RCE is now looking to partner and collaborate with a European region interested in similar work. The aim of the project is to study the process from seed and crop selection to the time the produce is delivered to market and purchased by a customer. To read more about the project and possible avenues of collaboration, download:here.

Climate Change Awareness-Raising Campaign

Many of you have indicated the usefulness of the UNFCCC Climate Change and ESD Campaigns in your regions. Following up on this priority, please consider action that has been developed in collaboration with the UN Alliance on Climate Change Education, Training and Public Awareness - a participatory climate change awareness-raising campaign. We would greatly value your opinion, and invite you to take a few minutes to fill the following surveyhttps://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UNClimateAllianceSurvey. The first page of the survey gives a little more information on the subject, while on the last page respondents can subscribe to a newsletter to be the first to hear about the campaign they have helped create!

Call for Papers: Eco-thinking, A Journal for the RCE Network

With the launch of the Eco-thinking journal in 2014, RCE British Columbia's aim is to describe and support research respondent to a variety of international programme developments and contexts where the global RCE network resides. Research around ‘eco-thinking’ can be labeled under various genres: environmental education, global education, indigenous education, health education, eco-justice education, and of course education for sustainable development (ESD). However, what truly matters is that a broad range of perspectives and paradigms are described that critically inform our work as educators and as researchers within the RCE network. The journal aims to describe a range of possibilities that exist around the various contexts for research in this: ‘eco-thinking’ broadly defined.

RCE British Columbia is now accepting manuscripts and ideas for its inaugural ‘launch’ issue -- exclusively from the Global RCE network. Submissions are encouraged that highlight diversity in cultural perspectives, methods and contexts. Manuscripts (or general inquiries) should be directed to the editor (Dr. David Zandvliet / dbz@sfu.ca) and all submissions considered for the launch are due to the editor by January 31st, 2014. You can find out more about the new journal by downloading this document: here

First Call for Papers: ESD RCE London Conference June 10th 2014

RCE London is calling for paper submissions to be presented at the first ESD London event on June 10th 2014. This conference will bring together educationalists, NGOs and employers to promote and share good subject based and interdisciplinary practice across a wide range of areas, from both the natural sciences and the social sciences. There are opportunities to share practice and to present papers at the event which will showcase ideas and projects from leading NGOs and businesses which are working towards sustainability goals. 'Promoting Employability, Society and the Environment: a curriculum for sustainability' is for all course leaders and lecturers across HE and FE colleges who are interested in sustainability with the main aim of developing a wide community of practice which will inspire and engage participants in promoting a sustainable future for all. This invitation can be extended to colleagues who wish to participate as delegates or wish to offer to present papers on the day. Further details can be found at: http://www.esdlondon.co.uk/.

Handbook of Sustainable Water Use: High level inputs welcome

The Handbook of Sustainable Water Use is a prime publication with a focus on approaches, methods, projects and other practical initiatives which illustrate how water resources can be used more sustainably. To be published by Cambridge University Press, one of the top scientific publishers, the preparations for the Handbook are well advanced, and complementary inputs from high level research teams are being sought, in areas related to sustainable water use and management. The book will be launched in the summer of 2104. Expressions of interest for the submission of papers at advanced stages of production, and which can be finished in a short time, should be sent to: beids@beids.de.

Call for Papers: World Symposium on Sustainability at Universities (WSSD-U-2014)

The World Symposium on Sustainability at Universities (WSSD-U-2014), which will be held in Manchester, UK on 3-5 September 2014. This will follow-up a highly successful event held in Rio de Janeiro last year, parallel to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). Organizers are seeking contributions from suitably qualified academics, research groups and students working in the field of sustainable development as a whole, and concerned with research on sustainability, on curriculum greening and campus activities, in particular. This Call is also meant to engage colleagues undertaking practical initiatives and projects aimed at promoting sustainable development at universities, or where universities transfer information and know-how to developing countries. WSSD-U-2014 will offer a good platform for those undertaking local, national and international projects to showcase how higher education institutions are putting the principles of sustainable development into practice. Interested people and organizations should submit an abstract as soon as possible, but no later than 30th January 2014. Further details WSSD-U-2014, including on how to submit an abstract and how to register can be seen here.

New Publications and Resources

 

This is a publication of UNU-IAS RCE Global Service Centre.

Please send your comments, suggestions and materials to rceservicecentre@ias.unu.edu

Visit the ESD Programme's News and Events page regularly for up-to-date news and event information.