This session is part of an ESD-Net 2030 webinar that will take place on Thursday, 30 March 2023, 13:00-15:00 CET.
Register here and select Session C. On the day, you will be automatically allocated to the breakout room associated with the session selected.
Starting in 2004, the OPEDUCA Project sought to bind the knowledge and action of education, industry, science and regional governments for sustainable development through collaborative real-world learning. This OPEDUCA concept onsiders ongoing learning processes on future defining themes like a tread throughout and beyond the formal system (from primary up to and including higher education), basing education on sustainable development. It enables a transition process on the human scale through transdisciplinary learning in direct cooperation with sources of knowledge and experience in daily regional society. Regions that base a local-to-global sphere for sustainable development through which youngsters are empowered to learn anytime, anyplace, through any device, with anybody on themes that define their and our common future.
Workshop description: After a short introduction and a compromised presentation of ESD-based education building on 20-year participatory studies and work in daily practice, we will open up to concretely question the concept and perceived ESD-blockades such as curricula, assessments, teacher capacity, school leadership, and the cacophony of ‘educational priorities’ screaming for attention. We will see how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), information and communications technology (ICT), environmental education, and reading, writing and mathematics have merge into ESD-based education, as well as exchange on how it is also home to philosophy and positive psychology. Together we will observe an education that is no longer in need of cuddly add-on projects and external support that drains schools’ own capacity, one going far beyond a whole school approach and truly placing the interests and development of our youth as the paramount goal of ESD.
The workshop will invite participants to develop a true local-to-global learning space for all, unleashing the transformative power of ESD from within, also by exploring crucial topics such as what it truly means to put the student central, how to effectuate entrepreneurship and honor creativity, welcome diversity and a multitude of cultures and arts, apply transdisciplinary education and re-establish and professionalize teachers and school leaders.
Target audience: Teachers, school leaders and staff (focus on secondary and post-secondary), industry management and staff in corporate social responsibility (CSR), human resource management (HRM) and learning and development, governmentstaff (e.g., national, regional, city, town, municipal, etc.) involved in policy development, societal transition and/or sustainable development.
Facilitator:
An economist from the origin, Jos Eussen worked in industry for over 20 years in various sectors, most production-oriented (petrochemical, metal, wood, media, automotive) until he grew more “astonished than angry” around 2004, observing how development changes for youngsters appeared to decline. Since then, he has been involved in the world of ESD for nearly 20 years, collaborating on the ground with schools and educators to connect upper policy development and major industries’ maneuvers with a ‘boots on the ground’ mentality. He presently lectures Sustainable Development and is developing a new transdisciplinary course that integrates all faculty disciplines towards future defining themes at Maastricht University, cooperating with schools, industry, governments and scientists in around 40 regions worldwide as part of The OPEDUCA Project he founded in 2007. For his work through The OPEDUCA Project (2007-2017) Jos received a Doctorate at Maastricht University following several more years of in-depth study of regional multidisciplinary alliances, learning theories, cooperative knowledge development, the transformation of school-based education and the professionalization of teachers.