Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

AACTE will be posting information on the work of national network of higher education disciplinary associations who have joined forces to further the goals of UNESCO?s Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. The Decade?s main goal is to ?integrate the values inherent in sustainable development into all aspects of learning to encourage changes in behavior that allow for a more sustainable and just society for all? (UNESCO?s 2003). Based on UNESCO?s objectives, the efforts of the network will focus on advocacy, communication, and networking directed at helping educators include sustainable development concerns and goals in their programs. Key action themes for the decade are gender equality, health promotion, environment, rural development, cultural diversity, peace & human security, sustainable urbanization, and sustainable consumption.

The network, known as the Higher Education Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability (DANS), will be working on developing curricula, professional development, standards and cross-disciplinary projects to address UNESCO?s four major thrusts of education for sustainable development, which are

• The promotion and improvement of high quality, relevant basic education;
• The reorienting of existing education policies and programs to address the knowledge, skills and values inherent to sustainability in a holistic and interdisciplinary manner;
• The development of public understanding and awareness of the principles of sustainable development, and;
• The development of specialized training programs to ensure that all sectors of society have the skills necessary to perform their work in a sustainable manner.

The Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability (DANS) is coordinated by Deborah Rowe, President of the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development And Co-Chair of the Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium. For more information, useful resources and ongoing projects on education for sustainable development visit the following sites:

www.uspartnership.org

http://www.aashe.org

www.heasc.net

http://www.playagreaterpart.org/

Top of page