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ASEAN higher education
and sustainable development
Prof. Dr. Supachai Yavaprabhas, Director, Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization:
Regional Center for Higher Education and Development
T
he human rights community believes that sustainability
is attainable through and supported by peace, justice and
democracy. Economic educators define sustainability as
‘living on the interest rather than the principal’. For the education
community, education is an important tool linking knowledge to
environmentally, socially and economically sustainable develop-
ment.
The idea of education for sustainable development (ESD) has been
explored since the concept of sustainable development (SD) was first
endorsed at the UN General Assembly in 1987. However, ESD was
initiated and driven from outside of the education community, espe-
cially by international political and economic forums. To respond
to this challenge, it is necessary to raise awareness of education as
the key to sustainability within the education community. The role
of higher education (HE) in particular has long been considered
fundamental to reducing the threat to sustainability.
What kind of sustainable development are we talking about?
According to UNESCO, the highest per-capita rates of consumption
take place in the most educated nations. Clearly, more education is
not sufficient to lead societies to sustainability. We need to clarify
what dimensions and goals of sustainable development we specifi-
cally seek to achieve for the future direction of HE.
Before 1997, the conceptual framework of HE in Southeast Asia
(SEA) was predominantly drawn up and implemented for the sake of
economic growth. As a result of quantitative expansion, HE curric-
ula in the last two decades have generated ‘growth with inequity’.
Therefore, HE
about
sustainable development and HE
for
sustainable
development need to be equally integrated and involve the dimen-
sions of ecological and socio-economic sustainability in the coming
decade’s higher education framework.
In SEA, three pillars of SD – economic development, social devel-
opment and environmental protection – have been reaffirmed in the
agendas of The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in
promoting the ASEAN Community 2015, which comprises ASEAN
Political Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community and
ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. In line with this, the region needs
to define SD in more specific dimensions. One of the questions to
start with is: “What is to be sustained and what is to be developed?”.
Scholars and practitioners have sought to sustain nature, economy
and community.
1
To achieve these targets, a parallel demand to be
developed is HE. In the roadmap to the ASEAN Community 2015,
however, the issue of HE and sustainability has not been empha-
sized. The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization:
Regional Center for Higher Education and Development (SEAMEO
RIHED) roadmap for the harmonization process in higher
education in SEA is designed to redress the balance.
Empowering sustainable development with higher
education
An important element in the achievement of sustainability is
human capital. The level of expansion of HE influences the
expansion of human capability, which is the essential basis
for serving SD goals. How HE contributes to sustainable
development can be seen as a tool for the creation of social
opportunitieswhich enhance human capability in its ecologi-
cal, economic and socio-cultural aspects.
2
However, the
questionhas long been askedwhether raised living standards
and egocentricity as a result of education lead to increased
economic exploitation of natural resources. The goal of
higher education for sustainable development (HESD), there-
fore, needs to involve not only knowledge and principles of
SD, but values of SD as well as learning skills (how to do,
to know, to be and to live together). A reoriented curricu-
lum in HE will address and contribute to sustainability, to
activate and increase awareness of environmental protection,
economic productivity and effective consumption as well as
community ties and social well-being.
To drive HE as a tool to promote better long-term
values and attitudes toward SD, it is necessary to
approach the issue of regional sustainability in terms
of process and methods of implementation at both
national and regional levels. The following stages are
proposed for HESD in Southeast Asia:
Stage 1: Preparing for HESD
The essential first step in implementing and promoting
HESD is to build and develop awareness within educa-
tional communities and the public at local, national and
regional levels. Governments and leaders at all levels of
university governance must put efforts into outlining the
links between higher education and more sustainable
societies. Brainstorming methods and strategies of imple-
mentation for HESD can help in structuring and placing
HE to achieve SD. It is also necessary to determine what
levels and themes and related values and skills for SD will
be appropriate and practical to be woven into HE under
the different conditions of countries in the region. Links
to existing issues in a country such as educational reform
or economic viability must be taken into account when
implementing HESD. Finally, the concept of SD for the