Mandatory Education for Sustainable Development in Russian Universities – what is it and future perspectives

Victor Ionov & Ksenia Shelest

BUP Teachers Training Course

“Education for Sustainable Development:

Five years in the UNESCO Decade"

Visby, Sweden 1-3 June 2009

National Educational System

Legal policy documents in ESD

Law of Russian Federation № 12-FZ from 13.01.1996 “About Education” (with last changes/ additions of 2009)

Law of Russian Federation № 125-FZ from 22.08.1996 “About High and Postgraduate Professional Education” (with last changes/ additions of 2009)

Legal policy documents in ESD

Law of Russian Federation № 51-FZ from 10.04.2000 “About Federal Programme of Education Development” (with changes of 2007)

Decree of the Government of RF № 751 from 04.10.2000 “National Doctrine of Education in Russian Federation till 2025”

- General directions of the Educational system development, realization of programs and events, expected results and monitoring

Legal Foundations for ESD

Decree of Ministry of Education №393 from 11.02.2002 “About Conception of Russian Education Modernization for the period till 2010”

Main aim of Russian Education Modernization is creation of the mechanisms of sustainable development of the educational system.- Legal, organizational and economic mechanisms- State and public cooperation for SD principles implementation in educational system

Basic Principles of ESD

Inter-disciplinary approach and connection of disciplines in educational programs

Increasing of humanitarian contest in educational teaching plans

Inter-faculty integration in the realization of teaching plans and educational programs

Problem-oriented approach in teaching Principles of ecological safety and SD

included almost in all courses

Qualification Requirements for ESD

To know basic integrative principles of SD To have overview about policy and strategies of

SD and Local Agenda 21 To be aware with methodology of decision-

making process for SD To practices with information systems for support

of decision-making process To be acquainted with strategic planning and

management skills

Main directions of SD implemented in educational programs

Formation of SD ideas and principles in different field of human activities (industry, transport, etc);

Crisis management and quality changes approach in mutual development of society and nature;

Meaning and importance of SD on the local, national, regional and global levels;

Implementation of Local agenda 21 on all levels in different regions of the country

Main directions of SD implemented in educational programs

Instruments of SD management and decision-making process (information systems support);

Monitoring of the process of transition towards SD criteria, indicators;

Capacity building and civil society principles development;

Transition process to SD in Russia– problems and achievements.

Education for Sustainable Development in NW Russia

Universities participated in BUP Courses

«The Baltic Sea Environment»/ «Environmental Science» - 10

«A Sustainable Baltic Region» - 8«Sustainable Water Management» - 6«People of the Baltic» / «BSR» - 2«Sustainable Community Development» - 2«Environmental English» - 1«Environmental Management» - 1

Students participatedin BUP Courses

«The Baltic Sea Environment»/ «Environmental Science» - 279

«A Sustainable Baltic Region» - 206«People of the Baltic» - 54«Sustainable Water Management» - 65«English for Environmental Science» - 10«Sustainable Community Development» - 27«Environmental Management» - 60

St.-Petersburg State University

Today St.-Petersburg University has:

over 30 000 students more than 4.000 PhD students around 400 senior doctoral students over 1000 Professors over 2000 PhD (Associate Professors and

Candidates of Science/Art)

Programs in 68 specialties & 24 fields of higher professional education

Science and Education

8 Educational - Research Centers

19 Faculties at University

13 Scientific Research Institutes and Centers

Faculties involved in Education on SD

Faculty of Biology and Soil Science Faculty of Geography and Geoecology Faculty of Geology Faculty of Chemistry Faculty of Economics Faculty of International Relations Faculty of Law Faculty of Management Faculty of Psychology Faculty of Sociology Faculty of Applied Mathematics

and Control Processes

Faculty of Geography and Geoecology at St. Petersburg State University

Physical and Evolutional Geography Regional Studies and International Tourism Economic and Social Geography Regional Diagnostics and Political Geography Biogeography and Wildlife Conservation Geomorphology Climatology and Environment Monitoring Land Hydrology Oceanology Cartography Geoecology and Nature Management Ecological Safety & Sustainable Regional Development

Faculty of Geography and Geoecology at St. Petersburg State University

In 1997 Department of Ecological safety & Sustainable Regional development was established by University and Research Center of Ecological Safety of Russian Academy of Science at the Faculty of Geography and Geoecology. This new department is a truly interdisciplinary subdivision, as it has professors from different departments (ecologists, geologists, lawyers, economists), who take an active part in training of students.

Additional Education

Interdisciplinary Master Programs New Bachelor programs Training courses for public authorities

and private companies Summer / Winter Schools

for Russian and foreign students Research, funded by Russian government

and other sources

Environmental NGO at St.Petersburg State University

“St.Petersburg Society of Naturalists” - scientific environmental organization

“Green Team” “Center of Clean Water” “Researchers of Baltic Nature” “Local Agenda 21 team” (LATEAM) Interregional Ecology club of students, PhD

and pupils of the Baltic - Ladoga Region Association of Youth Journalists-Ecologists Acad. Obruchev’s Club of young geologists

International Cooperation in Education for SD

Division of International Baltic and Arctic projects

(DIBAP)

North-West Russian Center of The Baltic University

Programme

Scientific research projects

International Cooperation in Education for SD

Cooperation Programme on Sustainable Development and

Environmental Managementbetween

St. Petersburg State University and

University of California, Berkley (USA)

Cooperation Programme on SD and EM with University of California, Berkley

Short-term Professional Training Program on

”Sustainable Development and Environmental Management” (2 weeks)

14 Interdisciplinary Moduls

Autumn Sessions (1-2 days Seminars)

International Conference on ”Education for Sustainable Development”

St. Petersburg State University of Refrigeration and Food Technology

2004 - The Conference on SD experience in the Universities of Russia, Ukraine and Byelorussia, funded by Civic Environmental Program (CEP)

During the Conference a survey about pedagogical difficulty due to the particularities of SD was conducted

Then the questionnaire analysis was done, and a problem tree of the reasons for pedagogic difficulty of implementation of sustainable practices was prepared.

The main problem of SD course is a lack of prepared teachers and methodology.

SD in Education – Novgorod case

SD in Education – Novgorod case

Higher Education - Novgorod State University prepares experts in natural and human sciences

Basic Ecological Education - the subject Ecology" is included in to the educational process at the university, in secondary professional educational establishments and comprehensive schools.

Additional ecological education system –extra-mural ecological schools, study groups in secondary schools.

BUP in Novgorod State University

Within BUP the following courses on SD are given for students of different faculties.

Within the limits of the educational standards

the course on “Sustainable Development of Humanity” was introduced as a federal state component.

SD Collaboration with Novgorod Authorities

In 1996 the Government of Novgorod region,

Novgorod State University and Moscow branch of Harvard Institute of International Development developed

“The Strategy for transition of Novgorod region to sustainable development”.

SD in Education – Petrozavodsk case

Petrozavodsk State University

Petrozavodsk Pedagogical University

The Northern Water Problems Institute

Karelian Research Center of Russian Academy of Science

The goal of ESD in Petrozavodsk

The specific unique feature is the continuity of the study process from school to university, postgraduate school and young scientists, taking into the educational circle also school teachers, as the high quality environmental education basis in secondary schools.

The main goal is to conduct the environmental education for sustainable development preparing well-educated young generation of scientists for High School and Academy Science.

Study-Scientific Center “Water resources of Karelia”

The SSC in NWPI was organized in 2002 with support of Russian Academy of Sciences.

The main activities: Study expeditions on research vessel “Ecolog” Field expedition – camps in summer Sampling methods on hydrochemistry, hydrobiology,

etc. Analytic laboratory works Results analyzing for course and diploma works Seminars, conferences, workshops International cooperation and programs Study-methodological books publication

Education from Children to Teachers

Environmental education: from theory to practice

Water environment of

Karelia: study, use

and protection

Ecological

investigations of

natural waters in

Karelia

Cooperation with local Authoritiesin Education for SD

2009 - Agreements between St.Petersburg Universities and Committee for Nature use, Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety, City of St.Petersburg

for organization of Movement of Environmental Volunteers

practical students training and works in the field of oil spills response operations and birds cleaning and rehabilitation on the highly

protected natural areas

On future perspectives

Muhammad Yunus, Fredspristagare, Nobel Lecture 2006 in Oslo:

“It is extremely difficult to change mindsets once they are formed. … We can reconfigure our world if we can reconfigure our mindset”.

Citation from: ESD Milestones on the International on Agenda Carl Lindberg Member of UNESCO’s High Level Panel on the UN Decade 2005-2014 on ESD

On future perspectives

Carl Lindberg. Education for Sustainable Development – a necessity for shaping the future:

“Sometimes the concept (of sustainable development) will be met with ironical remarks. Then we can remember that this was also the case with the concept democracy hundred years ago”.

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