UNESCO Chair Newsletter October 2024

Welcome to the October 2024 edition of the York University UNESCO Chair newsletter!

Two weeks ago, the Summit of the Future at the beginning of the 79^th UN General Assembly brought together more than 130 heads of state and 3,000 delegates from around the world for four days in New York. The Summit created momentum to pave the way for global peace and prosperity, restore our planet, promote digital transformation and protect human rights as we are in a pivotal moment in history.

While the adoption of the Pact for the Future, is a huge success for the power of our multilateral system, unfortunately, the crucial role of education and the potential of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as a key enabler of all 17 SDGs has been widely overlooked despite numerous efforts by the global education community. If you would like to know more, you can find different perspectives regarding the hopes and actual outcomes from a perspective of higher education in University World News.

Last, but not least, we would like to wish all educators a Happy World Teachers’ Day on 5 October 2024. Find out more about the celebrations at UNESCO.

Please see the monthly list of events and opportunities below and feel free to share this newsletter with your network. Thank you for your interest!

Warmly,

Charles Hopkins & Katrin Kohl, UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability, York University Canada

During the Summit of the Future in September 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new Pact for the Future by consensus. Despite last minute interventions by the Russian Federation on the morning of the adoption, the global community was able to come together in the end for the greater good to accelerate the SDGs in the remaining years until 2030. This Pact for the Future, with a Declaration on Future Generations and a first-ever global effort on governance for artificial intelligence, the Global Digital Compact, is a groundbreaking agreement by 193 member states to create tangible actions for a better future ahead.

SDSN High-Level Pre-Summit of the Future

UNESCO-UNITAR event during the Action Days

At the High-Level Pre-Summit of the Future at Columbia University, the UNESCO Chair team spoke at the global launch of the new Ages of Globalization Online Course. The course will take learners and educators on a virtual journey through time on an immersive educational adventure, addressing the world’s sustainability challenges. Throughout the course, students will meet world leaders online for live conversations.

The Course is based on the UNESCO Publication on Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives (2017), highlighting sustainability competencies and the learning dimensions.

UNESCO and UNITAR held an official side event at the United Nations Headquarters. York University President Rhonda Lenton and UNESCO Chair Charles Hopkins spoke at the launch of a new certificate programme under the title Leaders in Higher Education Alliance and Programme – For Accelerating Sustainability Transformations (LEAP-FAST).

Higher education – through UNESCO Chairs and the CIFAL Global Network – is a critical enabler for accelerating progress on sustainable development. The initiative engages higher education leaders in a process of collective reflection on how to advance sector transformations and strengthen partnerships.

The UNESCO Chairs and Partners Forum under the title Transforming knowledge for Africa’s future is currently taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Some 500 participants from UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks with their university and community partners are directly engaging with the new Pact for the Future and defining the actions for teaching and research to be taken by higher education. In line with UNESCO’s Futures of Education, participants are aiming to contribute to the hopes of forging a new social contract for education.

York UNESCO Co-Chairs Charles Hopkins and Katrin Kohl convened a session on financing for sustainable development, addressing new ideas to overcome the obstacles in global education investment. Both are also set to speak in the session on achievements and future possibilities for exchange with Africa, hosted by UNESCO Chair Miki Sugimura of Sophia University Japan.

On 21-23 October 2024, the International University Social Responsibility Summit invites university presidents and leaders, higher education policymakers and administrators, higher education researchers, university teachers, graduate students, staff of international organizations, members of higher education professional associations, and other stakeholders from all over the world to jointly discuss the issues of higher education transformation and sustainable development, share their research and practical experiences, and provide insights for the transformation of higher education and the achievement of sustainable development.

York’s UNESCO Co-Chair Katrin Kohl is invited to give a keynote on her views on imagining universities for shared futures at the International Summit. UNESCO Chair Charles Hopkins will contribute his perspectives to a round-table panel discussion on educational transformation. In-person registration is open now!

On 22-24 November 2024, the International Association of Universities (IAU) will hold the International Conference under the theme University Values in a Changing World in partnership with Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. This year, the values that appear intrinsic to the very essence of universities and that are deeply embedded in diverse cultures and traditions, are at the centre of discussion. Speakers, representing higher education institutions from all four corners of the world will have a say in the discussion.

Building on the data from the Higher Education Policy Observatory, the Policy Insight 17 Do countries recognize foreign higher education qualifications? highlights differences between countries and income groups regarding the ratification of conventions and the adoption of policies for the recognition of qualifications. On 2 October 2024 at 1 pm CEST/7 am EDT, a webinar will feature a panel discussion on progress made and concrete next steps to advance this agenda.

There is a focus on the purpose and role of education in times of unprecedented uncertainty. Societies may face a stark choice between remaining unsustainable or “radically changing course”. Education is crucial for the transformative change needed but only if education can itself be transformed.

On 15 October 2024 at 8 am EDT, drawing on his new book, Stephen Sterling, Emeritus Professor at the University of Plymouth, will outline ten crucial issues hindering an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as part of the IAU Webinar Series on the Futures of Higher Education.

Teacher education must foster climate stewardship and a sense of responsibility to the more-than-human-world. Join a virtual conversation on climate education for teachers and nature-based storytelling on 16 October 2024, 7-8 pm EDT.

The 1^st UNESCO International Forum on the Futures of Education under the theme Renewing the social contract for education will take place in Suwon, Republic of Korea, on 2-4 December 2024. This event will provide a platform for member states and the global community to strengthen dialogue in relation to the Futures of Education. Find out more.

Since COP 26 in Glasgow in 2021, the Office for Climate Education (OCE) has been holding an annual TeachersCOP to highlight to global politicians and decision-makers the work of teachers, the challenges they face and the key role they play in the global climate response.

If you wish to apply for an opportunity to present at COP29 in Azerbaijan, submit your project in line with the four pillars of the Greening Education Partnership – greening schools, greening curricula, greening teacher training, and greening communities – by 3 October 2024

This is an opportunity to contribute to an upcoming MDPI Special Issue, launched by Iveta Silova and Victoria Desimoni from Arizona State University (United States) as well as Carrie Karsgaard from Cape Breton University (Canada). This issue explores activism. The editors invite papers that address a multiplicity of youth activisms from a range of global contexts. Submissions by scholars and activists from the Global South as well as those belonging to marginalized communities are particularly welcomed. Find out more.

Contributions to the NORRAG Blog Series are also appreciated by Iveta Silova and Victoria Desimoni from Arizona State University (United States) as well as Carrie Karsgaard from Cape Breton University (Canada). They invite submissions of blogs or vlogs that can speak to a wider global audience. Youth who are not often heard in academic spaces are encouraged to submit their contributions, including from contexts where activism is culturally not accepted, criminalized, or unrecognized. Find out more.

The UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education is seeking good practices from universities and colleges that are advancing their students’ employability. Institutions that tackle the challenge of student employability in an innovative, effective, and inclusive way, especially supporting underrepresented and marginalized groups, are encouraged to take part in a survey by 15 October 2024. 15 selected examples of good practice from across the globe will be highlighted in a global UNESCO Report.

UNESCO invites schools, students, and teachers from around the world to join the #GreeningEducation movement!

Create a photo or a short video showcasing the innovative ways your school or university is embracing sustainability and be featured in a global UNESCO campaign. Whether it’s eco-friendly buildings, green curricula, or community projects, your story is welcomed to inspire others to take action! Share your story on or before 31 October 2024. 

Our research partners, the Jungle School Gombak Malaysia, operated in partnership with the International Islamic University Malaysia have won another round of awards with iCan in 2024 for their innovations in elevating Indigenous knowledge in the curriculum and for opening Indigenous learning to Non-Indigenous learners of all ages. The school has now obtained 20 international awards for their unique approaches. Huge congratulations!

The Accelerating Climate Change Education in Teacher Education (ACCE-TE) Project is offering funding to support the creation and sharing of open-access case studies of existing programs or practices focused on climate change education for pre-/in-service educators. Proposals are expected by 25 October 2024. Find out more about the grant.

Delivered by the Regional Centre of Expertise on ESD (RCE) Scotland in partnership with the British Council and the University of Edinburgh, Learning for a Sustainable Future MOOC has already attracted more than 17,000 participants from 160 countries. The course has a focus on education and learning, supporting those who want to bring some of the activities and issues covered into their own educational practice. The next edition of the course will run from 7 October to 10 November 2024. You can register for free!

AI competency framework for students

AI competency framework for teachers

The International Centre for UNESCO ASPnet (ICUA) in Hainan Province, China, is hosting a campaign on youth innovation. This initiative calls on each child and youth worldwide to Be an Explorer, Protect our Planet. As one of the global education experts, UNESCO Chair Charles Hopkins shared a message with students.