Issue #60: August 2016

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Issue 60: August 2016

 

Message from the Global RCE Service Centre:

 

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

We have extended the deadline to submit your Annual Report to 14 September 2016, if you are nominating a project for an RCE Award! Without a nomination you have time until 15 November 2016. We have created an easy reference to log onto the system. If you are unsure about your login, check this link.

username: RCExxx

password: rce2016reporting

*xxx stands for the full RCE name in small letters.

Other new features include the interactive blueprints and tutorials. We strongly encourage you to submit your report. With the new system we will be able to better map RCE activities and identify synergies within the network and beyond. Create your report here.

If you experience any issues with access, please contact support@enablingdimensions.com. For all other issues related to reports email us at Global RCE Service Centre.

Sincerely,

The Global RCE Service Centre

 

Upcoming Events

 

Register now for the 10th Global RCE Conference!

23-25 November 2016, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
 

The Conference on 23-25 November, 2016, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia will discuss strategies to make substantial contributions to the Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

As 2017 will be an important year marking the mid-term of the GAP, the Conference also aims to reflect on the achievements and challenges of RCEs and discuss how we can accelerate our actions by engaging and working with local communities. Registration is now open until 24 October. Deadline for financial support (for RCE members only) is 23 September 2016. More details can be found here.

RCE Conference of the Americas

19-21 October, 2016, Curitiba,Brazil
 

The theme of this year’s RCE Americas meeting is "Renewable Energy and Sustainable Education". Held in parallel with a regional symposium on Low Carbon Economy, Renewable Energy and Cities, the Conference will provide a platform to discuss and launch activities that reinforce the fundamental role of education. RCEs in the region are encouraged to attend and contribute to the development of a regional strategy for the Americas, in addressing sustainability challenges through education and capacity building. The Conference also aims to create a regional action plan toward the next Americas RCE Conference and to discuss strategies toward the 10th Global RCE Conference held in November. Read more

UNESCO International Conference on Prevention of Violent Extremism through Education: Taking Action

19th-20th September 2016, New Delhi, India
 

Read more

World Teachers' Day (WTD) Forum

5-6 October 2016, Bangkok, Thailand
 

This year’s WTD theme is “Valuing Teachers, Improving their Status”. UNESCO Bangkok would like to feature stories about teachers as part of this event. Read more

You can also sign up for the UNESCO Bangkok ESD newsletter here.

Young Researchers’ South Asian Symposium on the SDGs

6-8 October, 2016, TERI University, New Delhi
 

Abstracts from doctoral, post-doctoral and researchers working in the areas of SDG 12 (sustainable consumption), can be submitted. This event is organized by ProSPER.Net member TERI University and the SDSN South Asia. Sponsorships are available for presenters from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Maldives. Apply by 1st September 2016 by sending your CV and cover letter via the head of your respective institute to. TERI UniversityRead more

1st Asian Conference on Biocultural Diversity

27-29 October, 2016, Nanao, Ishikawa
 

UNESCO, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, UNU, Ishikawa Prefectural Government, and Nanao City are organizing this event to establish an “Asian Biocultural Model” for the sustainable use of biocultural resources for community development. Read more

The 7th International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment - ICSBE 2016

16-18 December, 2016, Kandy, Sri Lanka
 

The conference is organized by ProSPER.Net member University of Peradeniya. The deadline for abstract submission has passed, however you can still register here.

For more events visit our ESD calendar.

 

Open Calls

 

Evidence-Based Policy Research Methods (EPRM) course

The EPRM course, offered by UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance aims to equip participants with the fundamental tools for designing and analysing evidence-based research. Deadline for the Spring Programme is in December. Read more

UNEP's Ecosystem Approach and Systems Thinking Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

This Award will be conferred on cities that demonstrate exemplary commitment to promoting inclusive education and lifelong learning at the local level. Read more

National Geographic supports local explorers in Asia

The National Geographic Foundation for Science and Exploration - Asia supports scientists, conservationists and explorers through its regional, peer-reviewed grant programme. Read more

Participate in the next EcoChallenge

Challenge yourself from 14-28 October to change one habit that benefits both you and the planet. Choose your challenge, invite your coworkers, friends or family to join you, and connect with other EcoChallengers. Read more

The UNESCO Learning City Award 2017

This Award will be conferred on cities that demonstrate exemplary commitment to promoting inclusive education and lifelong learning at the local level. Read more

More open calls and vacancies can be found in the CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT section on the RCE portal.

 

Latest News

 

European RCEs meet to promote social and environmental justice

On June 23-24, 2016 about 50 participants from 17 European RCEs met at London South Bank University (LSBU) to hold the annual European RCE Meeting. On the first day, overshadowed by UK’s decision to leave the European Union, European RCEs affirmed their solidarity and commitment to future collaboration to promote social and environmental justice. The three major outcomes of the conference were (1) participants agreed to hold a conference on Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to contribute to the GAP, (2) a position paper on refugees and forced migration is to be published and endorsed by the RCE network at the Global RCE Conference, and (3) Ros Wade and Detlev Lindau Bank were appointed as communicators for the European RCE network.Read more

RCE Asia Pacific meeting concludes with SDG and GAP action plans for communities, youth and higher education

About 50 members of the Asia-Pacific RCE community held the 9th Annual Meeting to share their initiatives and discuss the progress of the global RCE movement. A major goal of the event was to strategize and develop RCE action plans for the implementation of the SDGs and the Global Action Programme on ESD following the Roadmap for the RCE community. The RCE participants deliberated and agreed on two issues: 1) Develop an action plan for implementing GAP and SDGs both at the individual RCE level as well as for the Asia-Pacific RCE community for schools and youth, community, and higher education. These action plans will address the priority thematic areas of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), and Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, as well as indigenous local knowledge. 2) Develop an RCE assessment methodology and conduct self-assessments of individual RCEs.

A summary of the action plans by category is available here.

ProSPER.Net Forum: Higher Education as a mechanism to achieve the SDGs

The Forum on “Higher Education and the SDGs”, organized by ProSPER.Net, highlighted how ProSPER.Net as a network and its projects help reach the targets set forth in the SDGs. During the discussions, the panel agreed that universities should focus on modelling best practices, connect more with communities outside their campus, and emphasize collaboration rather than competition.Read more

IPBES webinar 4: Guide relating to varied conceptualizations of value

This webinar explores the multiple values of nature and its benefits to people and its contributions to a good quality of life. Read more

Links between health and biodiversity discussed at UNEA – aligning policy and practice

Unnikrishnan Payyappallimana, Research Coordinator (UNU-IAS) joined the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi to commemorate the International Day for Biodiversity. In his statement on “Strengthening and Aligning Linkages between Policy and Practice in Health and Biodiversity” he described the close link between health and biodiversity in its multiple dimensions. “Addressing these dimensions in all its complexities is essential to achieving health, wellbeing and equity,” he explained. Read more

UN launches global awareness campaign on climate action

Ranging from South African hospitals group Netcare Ltd to Dutch banking group ING, the new commitments join over 11,000 already registered on NAZCA -- the Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action, established in 2014. Read more

Asia-Pacific higher education: ‘Sydney Statement’ sets out actions for improved comparability and recognition of qualifications

30 countries agree on a plan to address the challenges facing the region’s burgeoning number of internationally mobile learners Read more

rootAbility spreads Green Office model across Europe

UNESCO Japan 2015 prize-winners rootAbility are putting sustainability at the heart of universities through their innovative Green Office Model. Read more

You can follow the laureates of the UNESCO-Japan Prize on ESD 2015 from Guatemala, Indonesia and Germany in this blog.

Taking lifelong learning for youth and adults in the Caribbean from rhetoric to action

Ministers of education, ministry representatives, education specialists and civil society representatives from 17 countries in the Caribbean came together in Jamaica, to discuss youth and adult learning and education. Read more

Two new UNESCO recommendations on education

The Recommendation on Adult Learning and Education and the Recommendation concerning TVET, were signed by the President of UNESCO’s General Conference, Stanley Mutumba Simataa, and UNESCO’s Director-General, Irina Bokova. Read more

 

ESD Books, Publications and Other

 

Knowledge and Life Skills for the Future: A Guide to Flipping the Curriculum for HEI

“FLIPCurric” is a global online practitioner’s guide, published by Geoffrey Scott (RCE Greater Western Sydney) assuring graduates keep pace with rapidly changing needs and contexts in the 21st century. Read more Watch the video

UNICEF toolkit for ‘Child Friendly City’

Cities can use the translated UNICEF toolkit that measures child friendliness – looks into perception research with children – and formulates a strategy, and can apply for the certification. Read more

Me & MyCity - innovative education for future sustainable citizens

A Finnish innovative learning concept aimed at school children, covering society, working life and entrepreneurship, the Me & MyCity learning environment is a miniature city where students work in a profession and function as consumers and citizens. Read more

Sustainable Lifestyles Toolkit for local municipalities

The Sustainable Lifestyles Toolkit was published focussing on the local level on municipalities and regions resources to influence people to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. The toolkit is part of the Mistra Urban Futures project. Read more

Getting started with SDGS in cities - a guide for local stakeholders

Jointly developed by SDSN and the German government, the report outlines how city leaders, local practitioners and policy makers can use the SDGs to guide on-the-ground planning and development. Read more

Roadmap for Localizing the SDGs: implementation and monitoring at subnational level

The report published by the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, UNDP and UN Habitat, was officially launched at the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Read more

Learning Cities’ documents and materials now available in all six UN languages

The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning has now translated all documents related to learning cities into six languages. Read more

The Barefoot Guide Connection

This is a growing collection of free Barefoot Guides in a variety of languages. It is a resource library of practical exercises, tools, workshops and more on learning and social change. Read more

 

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

If you wish to contribute to the monthly bulletin or have news, upcoming events, or publications, you would like to share, please use this form. You can mail it to the Global RCE Service Centre: rceservicecentre@unu.edu. Submissions must be made by the 15th of every month. In addition, we encourage you to continue using the RCE Portal to exchange ideas, share expertise and resources and deliberate emerging sustainability issues towards ESD implementation at a global level.

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