RCE Penang - 2022

Empowering Students' Leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via Intergenerational Learning and Knowledge Transfer 2022
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Empowering Students' Leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via Intergenerational Learning and Knowledge Transfer 2022
Contributing organization(s) : 
Universiti Sains Malaysia
RCE Tongyeong
Dong Won High School
RCE Yogyakarta
Universitas Gadjah Mada
Minister of Higher Education
Penang State Education Department
Penang Education Council
Penang State Government
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Dr. Japareng Lalung
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Name: 
Wan Sharipahmira Mohd Zain
Organizational Affiliation: 
Centre for Global Sustainability Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Name: 
Nur Syazwana Hamzah
Organizational Affiliation: 
Centre for Global Sustainability Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Name: 
Dr. Ardhya Nareswari
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Yogyakarta
Name: 
Ms. Jina Kim
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Tongyeong
Name: 
Dr. Nik Norma Nik Hassan
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Name: 
Dr. Asyirah Abdul Rahim
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Name: 
Dr. Rabiatul-Adawiah Ahmad Rashid
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Name: 
Sharifah Nurlaili Farhana Syed Azhar
Organizational Affiliation: 
Centre for Global Sustainability Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Format of project: 
Report, PowerPoint
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Thursday, September 8, 2022
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
Malaysia
Location(s): 
Penang
Address of focal point institution for project: 
RCE Penang,
Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS)
Level 5, Hamzah Sendut Library
Universiti Sains Malaysia
11800, USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Ecosystem(s):
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
RCE Penang is not a physical centre or building but a network of individuals, organisations and groups committed to building a more sustainable future through education and learning. Our network includes partners from the voluntary, public, education and business sectors, who work together to develop and implement innovative ESD projects and programmes in Penang. Since RCE Penang is one of the seventh RCE of 170 RCEs worldwide, it has been promoting international partnerships with other RCEs with a similar mindset.

The program involved intergenerational learning and knowledge transfer between SDGs content experts, RCEs Youth from Penang, Tongyeong and Yogyakarta and school students via an online program focusing on Sustainable Development Goals with three themes that are Good Health and Well Being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4) and Life on Land (SDG 15).
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
RCE Penang works in partnership with key stakeholders to bring about change for sustainability at the community level. Student leadership in sustainability cannot be achieved if it depends on a single stakeholder. One of the proven strategies for developing students' leadership is collaboration. In line with the 21st-century learning competencies, it is essential to empower students to transfer knowledge related to sustainability to the younger generation especially using intergenerational learning and knowledge transfer. Thus, it is necessary for students in the Asia Pacific to play a leading role in SDGs and share with other students around the globe through RCE Centers.

Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
March, 2022
Rationale: 
This project focuses on three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) themes, Good Health and Well Being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4) and Life on Land (SDG 15). The aim of SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being, is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages. The coronavirus causing COVID-19 has infected more than 500 million people and killed more than 6.2 million worldwide. However, the most recent estimates suggest that the global number of excess deaths, directly and indirectly, attributed to COVID-19 could be as high as three times this figure. The pandemic has firmly disrupted essential health services, shortened life expectancy and worsened inequities in access to essential health services between countries and people, threatening to undo years of progress in some health areas. For SDG 4, Quality Education is essential, whereas most education systems in the world have been severely affected by education disruptions and have faced unprecedented challenges. School closures brought on by the pandemic have had devastating consequences for children's learning and well-being. Thus, with SDG 4, students will be more aware of equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities. In SDG 15, Life on Land, the focus is to maintain sustainable forest and natural resource management, commitments and instruments designed to protect, restore and sustainably use forests and biodiversity.
Objectives: 
-To develop student leadership for building a sustainable society through education, focus on the following themes, which are Good Health and Well Being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4) and Life on Land (SDG 15).
-To promote Penang as a state in Malaysia that is actively engaging students in promoting SDGs at the school level
-To strengthen the collaboration between industry and school in cultivating an innovation ecosystem for creating knowledge, talent development and product excellence.
-To create leaders who can transform their knowledge for a sustainable society
-To empower students to be the leaders in promoting SDGs
Activities and/or practices employed: 
This ESD project focus on how RCEs address local sustainable development challenges while cultivating the priority action area 4: Empowering and mobilising youth in the ESD 2030 Roadmap. These ESD projects also have the potential to leverage partnerships and funding for other projects or programmes within an RCE network. At the early stage of this project, RCE Penang identified the SDG Experts and three RCE youth volunteers from three RCEs which are RCE Penang, RCE Tongyeong and RCE Yogyakarta, to educate youth and school children on SDG 3, SDG 4 and SDG 15. Then, we conducted an online meeting to introduce the SDG content experts to the RCEs Youth selected members. After that, the youths had several discussions with content experts to learn and empower their knowledge of the SDGs. Finally, we organised an online program for youth and school students to educate and raise awareness focusing on SDG 3, SDG4 and SDG 15 as well as SDG 2030. The program recording was also available on Facebook: RCE Penang at USM, to continuously promote and educate the public on SDGs.
Size of academic audience: 
500
Results: 
The project was successfully implemented on Saturday, 27 August 2022. The online program will involve intergenerational learning and knowledge transfer, while the video competition focuses on empowering students' leadership in sustainability. The project was funded by grants from the Penang Education Council, which aims to promote ESD at the national and international levels. By highlighting this SDG, students are more aware of preserving and conserving the world as an essential global resource for future sustainability. All the themes were chosen as its very close to students' life experiences and dynamic for empowering students about ESD and SDG. Students' videos will be published via Facebook as a competition based on SDG content, leadership initiatives, and creativities.

Lessons learned: 
This program provides a collaboration opportunity for students in Malaysia to share and exchange ideas on sustainability related to specific themes. Students can also exchange ideas and learn about sustainability across generations with other RCEs centres while promoting Malaysia as a country that actively engages students in promoting SDGs at the school level. The program enables students to relate SGDs with their curriculum, especially in Science and Mathematics
Key messages: 
All the themes were chosen as its very close to students' life experiences and dynamic for empowering students about ESD and SDG.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
RCE Penang will make this program a flagship program among inter-RCE

Funding: 
Penang Education Council: MYR 12,200

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon Final Poster Am PPST 2022.jpeg (140.27 KB) Science &Technology Awareness Programme 2022: Empowering Students' Leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via Intergenerational Learning and Knowledge Transfer 2022 RCE Penang
Image icon Final Poster Webinar PPST 2022.jpeg (167.06 KB) Free Online Program Empowering Students' Leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via Intergenerational Learning and Knowledge Transfer 2022 RCE Penang
Image icon Final Poster Video Competition PPST 2022.jpeg (140.65 KB) Video Competition: Empowering Students' Leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via Intergenerational Learning and Knowledge Transfer 2022 RCE Penang
Image icon Screenshot 2022-08-27 095751.png (1.06 MB) Webinar Empowering Students' Leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via Intergenerational Learning and Knowledge Transfer 2022 RCE Penang
Image icon Screenshot 2022-08-27 100912.png (943.34 KB) Webinar Empowering Students' Leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via Intergenerational Learning and Knowledge Transfer 2022 RCE Penang
Image icon Screenshot 2022-08-27 102138.png (1.16 MB) Webinar Empowering Students' Leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via Intergenerational Learning and Knowledge Transfer 2022 RCE Penang
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Indirect
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Indirect
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Direct
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 
Indirect
SDG 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 
Direct
SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 
Indirect
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Indirect
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Indirect
SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries 
Indirect
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Indirect
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Direct
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 
Direct
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Direct
SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Indirect
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Direct
Theme
Disaster Risk Reduction 
Indirect
Traditional Knowledge  
Indirect
Agriculture 
Direct
Arts 
Indirect
Curriculum Development 
Direct
Ecotourism 
Indirect
Forests/Trees 
Direct
Plants & Animals 
Direct
Waste 
Direct
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes