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implementation of sustainability and sustainable development
in higher education (and notably teacher training) through
organization of the learning and research environment, design
of appropriate methodology, content and metacontent of study
courses and programmes that are based on the principles of
sustainability.
The Institute’s activity is characterized by two general spheres of
activity: research and education.
The Institute’s approach to research
• Historically, this has involved application of the principles of
ecology, integration, spirituality and sustainability in theory
building and research
• Currently, the Institute is engaged in the application of
educational action research to reorient teacher education for
sustainability, creation of a learning environment that fosters
development of research skills and research identity of teachers
in the context of ESD. Action research, as the environment and
strategic approach for reaching educational objectives, permits
the creation of a research and learning environment equipped
for identification of personal experience and engagement in
reflective discourse and communication, thus creating new
knowledge and searching for wisdom for ESD and implement-
ing a holistic approach to organization of education, increasing
its sustainability through synergy among research and learning
activities and reflection.
The Institute’s approach to education
• Designing study programmes for BA, MA and doctoral degree in
Education intertwined with the idea of ESD
• Teaching in-service and pre-service teachers, educational admin-
istration staff etc. for BA, MA and doctoral degree in Education
using ESD framework
• Using action research as a basis for designing study
courses where non-formal and informal activities are
integrated in formal studies, thus developing students’
flexible thinking and reflexive abilities, and creating
new sustainability-oriented frames of reference
• Leveraging the experience of the Institute’s staff,
which has been accumulated and enriched over many
years and is disseminated in publications and websites
all over the world.
4,5,6,7,8
The Institute’s accumulated experience has culmi-
nated in the creation of a research and learning
environment that offers discovery of new knowledge
and ESD wisdom through cooperative relationships.
The Institute’s activity provides an opportunity to
answer the question: “How can everyone effectively
participate in promotion of sustainability, locally and
globally?” Moreover, the results achieved by a small
country and a small regional university can convince
researchers and educators from bigger countries and
universities that every university can successfully
become involved in solving global problems, over-
come historical barriers, and can find its way and
mode of action in its own time and place and in close
cooperation with partners from various parts of the
world, for the common aim of increasing sustainabil-
ity in education.
The Institute’s vision and experience need to be
broadened and spread since the world is characterized
by an established tradition of unsustainable develop-
ment and education has no alternative but to reorient
consciousness and action to address sustainability,
producing wisdom and thus directing society towards
sustainable development.
The Eighth JTEFS/BBCC conference “Sustainable Development. Culture. Education”,
2010, Paris
Images: © Peter Purg
Paper presentation session during 8th JTEFS/BBCC
conference in Paris