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Another E for ESDGC?

Another E for ESDGC? Convergence of Employability, Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Agendas in Higher Education Dr Carl Peters Dean of the School of Education University of Wales, Newport. The HE Environment. Some drivers... Employability Internationalisation

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Another E for ESDGC?

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  1. Another E for ESDGC? Convergence of Employability, Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Agendas in Higher Education Dr Carl Peters Dean of the School of Education University of Wales, Newport

  2. The HE Environment Some drivers... • Employability • Internationalisation • Sustainable Development & Global Citizenship • Buoyant Economy (WAG) • Social Justice (WAG) Question Is it possible to co-deliver our commitment to these?

  3. ESDGC in context • In Wales we have a constitutional commitment to sustainable development in all aspects of the government’s work including higher education policy • Two overlapping advisory groups (for SD and for GC) came together to give ESDGC – Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship • United Nations Decade for Education for Sustainable Development – UN DESD 2005 -

  4. The WAG Action Plan for ESDGC suggests five themes for ESDGC: • The links between society, economy and environment and between our lives and those of people throughout the world; • The needs and rights of both present and future generations; • The relationship between power, resources and human rights; • The local and global implications of everything we do; and • The actions that individuals and organisations can take in responding to local and global issues.

  5. Education for Sustainable Development “Enables people to develop the knowledge, values and skills to participate in decisions about the way we do things individually and collectively, both locally and globally, that will improve the quality of life now without damaging the planet for the future” www.esd-wales.org.uk

  6. Education for Global Citizenship “Enables people to understand the global forces which shape their lives and to acquire the knowledge, skills and values that will equip them to participate in decision-making, both locally and globally, which promotes a more equitable and sustainable world” www.esd-wales.org.uk

  7. Global Citizenship/Global Dimension (DfES 2004) • Global Citizenship – Gaining the knowledge, skills and understanding of concepts and institutions necessary to become informed, active, responsible citizens. • Conflict resolution – Understanding the nature of conflicts, their impact on development and why there is a need for their resolution and the promotion of harmony. • Diversity – Understanding and respecting differences and relating these to our common humanity. • Human rights – Knowing about human rights including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. • Interdependence – Understanding how people, places, economies and environments are all inextricably interrelated and that choices and events have repercussions on a global scale. • Social justice – Understanding the importance of social justice as an element in both sustainable development and the improved welfare of all people. • Sustainable development – Understanding the need to maintain and improve the quality of life now without damaging the planet for future generations. • Values and perceptions – Developing a critical evaluation of representations of global issues and an appreciation of the effect these have on people’s attitudes and values.

  8. Global Citizenship (Oxfam 1997)

  9. Welsh Assembly Government Higher Education Funding Council for Wales Other Higher Education Institutions UK / EU/ Global influences Higher Education Institution Local Authority National Union of Students Higher Education Wales Awards, league tables and accreditation

  10. Search terms used Welsh Curriculum Audit 2009 Demography/population Policy/ Administration Employment/ unemployment Pollution Poverty Social cohesion Resources- depletion or conservation Health Social Environmental Labour/ Human rights Sustainable Development & Global Citizenship Diversity Products and services Equity/ Justice Cultural diversity Global warming, emissions, acid rain, climate change, ozone Bribery/ corruption GNP, productivity Finances Resource use/exhaustion (materials, energy, water) Economic Production/consumption patterns Developmental Economics

  11. Recent Actions in HE • Strategy for Action • Sustainability Champion • Higher Education Network Group • Environmental Management Systems • Curriculum Audit • Baselining Tool • Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE)

  12. Employability Skills • Qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of: • Initiative and personal responsibility; and • Decision-making in complex and unpredictable professional or equivalent contexts Adapted from the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications

  13. Generic employability skills • Ability to read, write and communicate clearly • Critical thinking (concrete and abstract) • Problem solving and systems thinking • IT competencies • Ability to work alone and with others • Ability to manage self • Ability to innovate and develop • Creativity • Decision-making • Understanding customer needs

  14. HEA, ESD and Employability • HEA ESD Project since 2005 (UN Decade of ESD starts) • www.heacademy.ac.uk/esd • Sustainability Literacy as a focus in employability • HEA Projects • Neil Gordon – Hull • Marcus Grant – UWE • Zoe Robinson – Keele • Sarah Sayce – Kingston • Arran Stibbe – Gloucestershire • Stephen Stirling – Plymouth

  15. NUS Research Project 2011 Four Nations study First year students 5763 Respondents Representative sample of types of institutions Mostly state-funded higher education institutions Will be repeated

  16. Key Findings • “employers anticipate a need to employ staff with skills for sustainability literacy in a future workplace” • “Scotland and Wales lead the UK in understanding the impact of ESD with • national baselining studies completed” • “overwhelmingly, skills in sustainable development are viewed as significant for employability and over 80% of respondents believe these skills are going to be important to their future employers” • “63% of respondents would sacrifice £1,000 from their salary to work in a • responsible company” • “skills in sustainable development are slightly more relevant to students from Scotland, where there is a history of national policy in ESD” • “Partnership with business will raise awareness of the employability significance of skills in sustainable development among students, helping SD gain further foothold within the curriculum”

  17. Q26. Thinking of your own personal view, how relevant is it to you thatthe following skills are developed through your university education?

  18. Greening Business education: Enhancing employability and sustainability • Dr Zoe Robinson • School of Physical and Geographical Sciences • Research Institute for Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics • Keele University CELT Masterclass, Newport, March 9th 2011

  19. Sustainability literacy “Education is critical for promoting sustainable development and improving the capacity of the people to address the environment and development issues". (Earth Summit, 1992) The ability to take steps towards building a more sustainable self, community, society and world requires far more than knowledge about sustainability – it requires sustainability literacy (Stibbe and Luna, 2009) Sustainability literacy = skills, attitudes, competencies, dispositions and values www.sustainability-literacy.org GRADUATES = FUTURE LEADERS….

  20. Sustainability Literacy (HEA 2006) • An appreciation of the importance of environmental, political and economic contexts of each discipline • A broad and balanced foundation knowledge of sustainable development, its key principles and the main debate within them, including its contested and expanding boundaries • Problem-solving skills in a non-reductionist manner for highly complex real-life problems • Ability to think creatively and holistically and to make critical judgements • Ability to develop a high level of self-reflection (both personal and professional) • Ability to understand, evaluate and adopt values conducive to sustainability • Ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice; in sustainable development, only transformational action counts • Ability to participate creatively in inter-disciplinary teams • Ability to initiate and manage change

  21. Common skills? • Critical thinking • Problem solving • Decision making • Systems thinking • Working autonomously • Working with others • Creativity • Personal responsibility • Communications (oral & written) • Relevant IT competencies

  22. Messages • We shouldn’t see these agendas as completely separate, make the links in & between strategies • Help strategy leads work together • Remind people that we are already developing these skills but make them explicit • Don’t let the language get in the way, translate and interpret terms • Use problem-based learning more

  23. Links • www.sustainability-literacy.org • www.esci.keele.ac.uk/sfs • www.heacademy.ac.uk/esd

  24. Diolchynfawr Thankyou Dr Carl Peters Dean of the School of Education University of Wales, Newport

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