Sustainable development in education

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Opetusministeri

Undervisningsministeriet

Opetusministerin tyryhmmuistioita ja selvityksi

Undervisningsministeriets arbetsgruppspromemorior och utredningar

Koulutus

Sustainable development in educationImplementation of Baltic 21E -programme and Finnish strategyfor the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (20052014)

Reports of the Ministry of Education, Finland 2006:7


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Sustainable development in educationImplementation of Baltic 21E -programme and Finnish strategyfor the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (20052014)

Reports of the Ministry of Education, Finland 2006:7

Opetusministeri Koulutus- ja tiedepolitiikan osasto 2006

Ministry of Education Department for Education and Science Policy 2006


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Ministry o Education

Department or Education and Science Policy

P.O. Box 29FIN-00023 Government

Finland

http://www.minedu.

Translation: Laura Murto

Printed by Helsinki University Press, 2006

ISBN 952-485-096-6 (pbk.)

ISBN 952-485-097-4 (PDF)

ISSN 1458-8110

Publications o the Ministry o Education, Finland 2006:7


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Other inormation

Name and number o series Reports o ISSN ISBN 952-485-096-6 (pbk.)

the Ministry o Education, Finland 2006:7 1458-8102 952-485-097-4 (PDF)

Number o pages 80 Language English Price Degree o confdentialitypublic

Distributed by Helsinki University Press Published byMinistry o Education

Description

Publisher Date o publicationMinistry o Education 13.11.2006

Name o publicationSustainable development in education; Implementation o Baltic 21E -programme and Finnish strategy or the Decade oEducation or Sustainable Development (20052014)

Parts Memorandum + appendice

Abstract

The plan or piloting the Baltic 21E -programme in Finland, devised by a Ministry o Education committee(Opetusministerin tyryhmien muistioita 36:2002), was implemented rom 2002 to 2005.

This second report o the committee (2006) combines (1) the Finnish Baltic 21E action plan and the plan or implementation

o sustainable development in education and research according to the national Development Plan or Education and Researchwith (2) the Finnish strategy or the Decade o Education or Sustainable Development (DESD). The report begins with adescription o the pilot phase 20022005, drawing on the experiences and tacit knowledge gained. Chapters 18 report and assessthe pilot implementation o the national Baltic 21E -programme and Chapter 9 presents the vision and strategic lines or ESD inthe education system, which were inormed by national education policy documents and policy, Baltic 21E, the ESD Strategyo the United Nations Economic Commission or Europe (UNECE), and the University Charter or Sustainable Development(Copernicus Charter). The committee puts orward proposals or the implementation o the strategy and action lines ingeneral, liberal adult, vocational, polytechnic and university education and in R&D.

The committee members were representatives o the Ministry o Education and the ESD coordinators o the dierenteducation sectors. As sectoral experts, the coordinators were responsible or the planning and coordination o the nationalpilot and the conclusions drawn rom it. Thus the sector coordinators o this report have largely inuenced its content.

The vision or the Finnish education system is that all individuals can contribute to sustainable development that meets the

needs o the present without compromising the ability o uture generations to meet their own needs. The promotion o ESDis ounded in a holistic view o development which addresses the ecologic, economic, social and cultural dimensions. FinnishDESD policy comprises the ollowing elements: (1) the promotion o SD (incl. sustainable consumption and production) ineducation at all levels; (2) institutional commitment at policy, steering and practical levels; (3) ethical and integrated approach: allactivities address the ecologic, economic, social and cultural considerations as mutually supporting dimensions; (4) permeability:the SD outlook is included in all activities; (5) sta training; (6) interdisciplinarity; (7) dissemination o inormation; (8)increased networking and other cooperation; (9) participation: empowerment o citizens; (10) research, postgraduate andcontinuing education programmes; and (11) the utilisation o innovation.

The committee proposes that a ollow-up group be set up to monitor and assess the implementation and organisenational reporting. The mode o reporting proposed by the Committee (Chapter 10) can also be used to monitor the nationalimplementation o the international Baltic 21E -programme and the UNECE ESD strategy. The promotion o ESD is takeninto account in the core unding o the dierent education sectors. The promotion o SD is also considered in the Ministrysperormance management procedure.

Authors (I a committee: name o organ, chair, secretary)

Committee on education or sustainable development

Chair: Monica Mlen-Paaso, Ministry o Education

Secretaries: Jukka Haapamki and Sanna Halinen,Ministry o Education

Type o publication Reports othe Ministry o Education, Finland

Contracted by Ministry o Education

Committee appointed on Dnro12.3.2002 18/043/2002


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Kuvailulehti

Julkaisija Julkaisun pivmrOpetusministeri 13.11.2006

Julkaisun nimi (mys ruotsinkielinen) Kestvn kehityksen edistminen koulutuksessa; Baltic 21E -ohjelman toimeenpano sek kansallinenstrategia YK:n kestv kehityst edistvn koulutuksen vuosikymment (20052014) varten. (Utbildning r hllbar utveckling; Genomrande

av programmet Baltic 21E samt en nationell strategi r det av FN utlysta rtiondet r utbildning r hllbar utveckling (20052014).

Julkaisun osat Muistio + liite

Tiivistelm

Opetusministerin kevll 2002 asettama tyryhm laati Baltic 21 E -ohjelmalle kansallisen kynnistyssuunnitelman(Opetusministerin tyryhmien muistioita 36:2002), jota toteutettiin vuosina 20022005.

Tss tyryhmn toisessa muistiossa (2006) yhdistyvt 1) Baltic 21E -ohjelman Suomen toimintasuunnitelma ja toimen-

piteet kestvn kehityksen edistmiseksi koulutuksessa (ESD) ja tutkimuksessa opetusministerin koulutuksen ja tutkimuk-sen kehittmissuunnitelman mukaisesti ja 2) YK:n UNECE:n kestv kehityst edistvn koulutuksen vuosikymmenen(DESD, Decade o Education or Sustainable Development) Suomen strategia. Tyryhmmuistiossa tyryhm on ensinkuvannut vuosien 20022005 kokeiluvaiheen ja pyrkinyt hydyntmn siit saatuja kokemuksia ja hiljaista tietoa. Luvuissa18 raportoidaan ja arvioidaan Suomen kansallista Baltic 21E -ohjelman kokeiluluontoista toimeenpanoa ja luvussa 9 esite-tn koulutusjrjestelmn kestvn kehityksen visio ja strategiset linjaukset. Vision ja strategisten linjausten muodostamisessaon otettu huomioon kansalliset koulutuspoliittiset asiakirjat ja linjaukset, Baltic 21E -ohjelma, UNECE:n (United NationsEconomic Commission or Europe) ESD-strategia ja yliopistojen kestvn kehityksen Copernicus-peruskirja. Tyryhmesitt ehdotukset strategian ja toimintalinjausten toimeenpanoksi yleissivistvss koulutuksessa, vapaassa sivistystyss,ammatillisessa koulutuksessa, ammattikorkeakouluissa, yliopistoissa sek tutkimuksessa ja kehitystyss.

Tyryhm koostui opetusministerin edustajista ja koulutussektoreiden vastuualueiden koordinaattoreista. Koordinaatto-rit ovat sektoreidensa asiantuntijoina vastanneet ohjelman kansallisen kokeiluvaiheen suunnittelusta, koordinoinnista, sek

kokeiluvaiheesta vedettvist johtoptksist. Tmn tyryhmmuistion allekirjoittaneet koordinaattorit ovat nin ollensuurelta osin vaikuttaneet muistion sisltn.Suomen koulutusjrjestelmn visio on, ett kaikki yksilt kykenevt tukemaan kestv kehityst, joka tyydytt nyky-

hetken vestn tarpeet vaarantamatta tulevien sukupolvien mahdollisuutta tyydytt omat tarpeensa. Kestvn kehityksenedistminen koulutuksessa perustuu kokonaisvaltaiseen nkemykseen ekologisen, taloudellisen ja sosiaalis-kulttuurisen ulot-tuvuuden huomioon ottavasta kehityksest. Suomen kestv kehityst edistvn koulutuksen vuosikymmenstrategian linja-ukset kohdistuvat seuraavasti: 1. Kestvn kehityksen edistminen (ml. kestv kulutus ja tuotanto) kasvatuksessa ja koulu-tuksessa, yleissivistvss ja ammatillisessa koulutuksessa, ammattikorkeakouluissa, yliopistoissa ja vapaassa sivistystyss. 2.Institutionaalinen sitoutuminen politiikka-, ohjaus- ja kytnnn tasoilla. 3. Eettinen ja integroitu lhestymistapa: kaikessatoiminnassa huomioidaan ekologinen, taloudellinen sek sosiaalis-kulttuurinen ulottuvuus tasapainoisesti toisiaan tukevinaulottuvuuksina. 4. Lpisevyys: Kestvyyden nkkulma on sisllytettv kaikkeen toimintaan. 5. Henkilkunnan koulutus.6. Poikkitieteellisyys. 7. Tiedon levittminen. 8. Verkostoituminen ja yhteistyn lisminen. 9.Osallistuminen: kansalaisvai-kuttamisen edistminen. 10. Tutkimus, jatko- ja tydennyskoulutusohjelmat ja 11. Innovaatioiden hydyntminen.

Tyryhm ehdottaa asetettavaksi strategian toimeenpanon seurantaa ja arviointia varten seurantaryhmn, joka mys or-ganisoi kansallisen raportoinnin. Tyryhmn esittm raportointimallia (luvussa 10) voidaan kytt mys kansainvliseenBaltic 21E -ohjelman toimeenpanon ja UNECE:n ESD-strategian toteutumisen seurantaan. Kestvn kehityksen edistmi-nen koulutuksessa sisltyy koulutussektoreiden perusrahoitukseen. Opetusministerin tavoite- ja tulosohjauksessa otetaanhuomioon kestvn kehityksen edistminen.

Avainsanatkestv kehitys, Baltic 21E, koulutus, yleissivistv koulutus, ammatillinen koulutus, aikuiskoulutus, vapaa sivistysty, ammatti-korkeakoulut, yliopistot, DESD, ESD.

Muut tiedot

Sarjan nimi ja numero ISSN ISBN 952-485-096-6 (nid.)

Opetusministerin tyryhmmuistioita ja selvityksi 2006:7 1458-8102 952-485-097-4 (PDF)

Kokonaissivumr 80 Kieli englanti Hinta Luottamuksellisuus julkinen

Jakaja Yliopistopaino Kustantaja Opetusministeri

Tekijt (toimielimest: toimielimen nimi, puheenjohtaja, sihteeri)

Kestv kehityst edistvn koulutuksen tyryhm

Puheenjohtaja: Monica Mlen-Paaso, opetusministeriSihteerit: Jukka Haapamki ja Sanna Halinen, opetusministeri

Julkaisun laji Opetusministerintyryhmmuistioita ja selvityksi

Toimeksiantaja Opetusministeri

Toimielimen asettamispvm Dnro12.3.2002 18/043/2002


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Nyckelordhllbar utveckling, Baltic 21E, utbildning, allmnbildande utbildning, yrkesutbildning, vuxenutbildning, ritt bildningsarbetet,yrkeshgskolor, universitet, DESD, ESD

vriga uppgiter

Seriens namn och nummer Undervisningsministeriets ISSN ISBN 952-485-096-6 (ht.)

arbetsgruppspromemorior och utredningar 2006:7 1458-8102 952-485-097-4 (PDF)

Sidoantal 80 Sprk engelska Pris Sekretessgrad oentlig

Distribution Universitetstrycket Frlag Undervisningsministeriet

Presentationsblad

Utgivare UtvigivningsdatumUndervisningsministeriet 13.11.2006

Publikation (ven den fnska titeln)Utbildning r hllbar utveckling; Genomrande av programmet Baltic 21E samt en nationell strategi rdet av FN utlysta rtiondet r utbildning r hllbar utveckling (20052014). (Kestvn kehityksen edistminen koulutuksessa; Baltic 21E -ohjel-man toimeenpano sek kansallinen strategia YK:n kestv kehityst edistvn koulutuksen vuosikymment (20052014) varten.

Publikationens delar Promemoria + bilaga

Sammandrag

Arbetsgruppen, som tillsattes av undervisningsministeriet vren 2002, gjorde samma r upp ett nationell startplan r pro-grammet Baltic 21E (Promemorior av undervisningsministeriets arbetsgrupper 36:2002). Planen genomrdes 20022005.

I denna andra promemoria (2006) av arbetsgruppen renas 1) Finlands verksamhetsplan r Baltic 21E och tgrder r

utbildning och orskning r en hllbar utveckling (ESD) i enlighet med undervisningsministeriets utvecklingsplan r utbildningoch orskning samt 2) Finlands strategi gllande det av FN:s UNECE-organisation utlysta rtiondet r utbildning r hllbarutveckling (DESD, Decade o Education or Sustainable Development). Arbetsgruppen beskriver i sin promemoria rstrsksskedet 20022005 och har rskt dra nytta av erarenheterna rn rsket och av den tysta kunskapen. I kapitel 18rapporteras och bedms det i rskssyte utrda genomrandet av Finlands nationella Baltic 21E och i kapitel 9 presenterasutbildningssystemets vision och strategiska linjer r en hllbar utveckling. Visionerna och strategin har utormats med hn-syn till nationella utbildningspolitiska dokument och riktlinjer, programmet Baltic 21E, UNECE:s (United Nations Econo-mic Commission or Europe) ESD-strategi och universitetens Copernucus-stadga r en hllbar utveckling. Arbetsgruppenlgger ram rslag till genomrande av strategin och policyn i den allmnbildande utbildningen, det ria bildningsarbetet,yrkesutbildningen, yrkeshgskolorna och universiteten samt i orskningen och utvecklingsarbetet.

Arbetsgruppen bestod av retrdare r undervisningsministeriet och samordnare av ansvarsomrden i utbildningssekto-rerna. Samordnarna har som sakkunniga inom sin sektor svarat r planeringen och samordningen av den nationella rsks-asen samt r de slutledningar som kan dras av rsksasen. De samordnare som undertecknat detta dokument har allts till

stor del pverkat innehllet i promemorian.Visionen r det fnlndska utbildningssystemet r att alla individer har kompetens som bidrar till en utveckling som mter

behoven hos den nuvarande generationen utan att ventyra kommande generationers mjligheter att tillgodose sina behov.Utbildning r hllbar utveckling bygger p en helhetsinriktad utvecklingssyn som tar hnsyn till den ekologiska, ekonomis-ka och socialkulturella dimensionen. Riktlinjerna i Finlands strategi r ett rtionde r utbildning r hllbar utvecklinggller: 1. tgrder r hur hllbar utveckling (inklusive en hllbar konsumtion och produktion) ska rmjas genom ostranoch utbildning, allmnbildande utbildning, yrkesutbildning, yrkeshgskolor, universitet och ritt bildningsarbete. 2. Insti-tutionella taganden p politisk, normativ och praktisk niv. 3. Etisk och integrationsinriktad inallsvinkel: i all verksamhettas balanserad hnsyn till de ekologiska, ekonomiska och socialkulturella dimensionerna, sedda s att de rstrker varandra.4. Integrering: Hllbarhetsaspekten ska integreras i all verksamhet. 5. Utbildning av personalen. 6. Tvrvetenskaplighet.7. Inormationsspridning. 8. Ntverksbildning och kat samarbete. 9. Deltagande: tgrder r medborgarinytande. 10.Forskning och doktorand- och ortbildningsprogram, och 11. Exploatering av innovationer.

Fr uppljningen och utvrderingen av genomrandet av strategin reslr arbetsgruppen att det tillstts en upplj-ningsgrupp, som ocks ska organisera den nationella rapporteringen. Den rapporteringsmodell som arbetsgruppen reslri kapitel 10 kan ocks anvndas r uppljningen av genomrandet av det internationella Baltic 21E-programmet ochrverkligandet av UNECE:s ESD-strategi. Utbildning r hllbar utveckling ingr i basfnansieringen r de olika utbild-ningssektorerna. Undervisningsministeriets ml- och resultatstyrning beaktar rmjandet av en hllbar utveckling.

Typ av publication Undervisningsministerietsarbetsgruppspromemorior och utredningar

Uppdragsgivare Undervisningsministeriet

Datum r tillsttande av Dnro12.3.2002 18/043/2002

Frattare (uppgiter om organets namn, ordrande, sekreterare)

Arbetsgruppen r utbildning r hllbar utbildning

Ordrande: Monica Mlen-Paaso, UndervisningsministerietSekreterare: Jukka Haapamki och Sanna Halinen,Undervisningsministeriet


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secondary education and vocational education), Senior Teacher Vesa Koivunen rom theLaurea University o Applied Sciences (polytechnics), later Kaija Sarmia (18 December2004 to 14 October 2005) and PhD (Econ) Liisa Rohweder (14 October 2005), SeniorLecturer Isoaho rom the Technical University o Tampere (universities) and Head o StudiesAnneli Bauters rom the Finnish Adult Education Association (liberal adult education). Thecoordinators were invited into the Committee as permanent experts.

When the committee had nished its Promoting Sustainable Development in Education/ Finlands plan or implementation or the Baltic21E, it ormally handed over its rst reportto the Ministry o Education on 30 September 2002.

On 18 December 2003, the Ministry o Education made some changes in the compositiono the committee. As Counsellor o Education Eero Nurminen retired, Counsellor oEducation Jussi Pihkala rom the ministrys General Education Unit was invited to replacehim. The secretary o the committee, Counsellor o Education Kaija Salmio, was assigned to adierent post within the National Board o Education, at which point the ministry appointedPlanner Erja Vitikka rom the National Board o Education as her successor. Counsellor oEducation Raija Merilinen rom the ministrys Adult Education Unit was appointed as anew member o the committee. She also worked as an expert secretary. Senior Teacher VesaKoivunen could no longer continue with the committee, and so the ministry appointedKaija Sarmia rom the Laurea University o Applied Sciences Hyvink Institute as the newpolytechnics coordinator. She was also designated as a permanent expert o the committee.

Following a ormal request rom the committee itsel, the Ministry o Education decidedon 11 October 2004 that the committee was to draw up a national strategy or the UNsDecade o Education or Sustainable Development.

In addition, the committees name was changed to committee on education or sustainabledevelopment.The committee also had its mandate extended to 31 January 2006.

Upon the National Board o Educations request, the Ministry o Education accepted PlannerErja Vitikkas resignation rom the committee. Departmental Secretary Tarja Kurki was appointedas her successor. Ms Kurki worked as the administrative secretary o the committee. Ms Kurkihad already worked in the committee previously as an auxiliary secretary (since 27 June 2002).

The committee elected Satu Heikkinen as the deputy chair o the committee in ameeting on 10 October 2005. Following the Ministry o Educations decision on 14 October2005, Special Advisor Satu Heikkinen replaced Counsellor o Education Jussi Pihkala romthe ministrys General Education Unit. Planner Hannu Vainonen in turn replaced SatuHeikkinen in the Secretariat o International Aairs. Mr Vainonen had deputized SatuHeikkinen in the committee rom summer 2004 to summer 2005 while she was on leave.

Counsellor o Education Susanna Tauriainen rom the National Board o Education wasappointed a permanent expert o the committee. PhD (Econ) Liisa Rohweder rom theHelia University o Business and Applied Sciences took over rom Kaija Sarmia and wasnamed polytechnics coordinator and permanent expert.

The committee has heard the ollowing experts: Head Planner Erkka Laininen and DirectorKimmo Harra, OKKA-Foundation (Teaching, Education and Schooling Foundation), PrincipleEeva Hmeenoja, SYKLI the Environmental School o Finland, Doctor o Education TainaKaivola, University o Helsinkis Faculty o Behavioural Science, Director Paula Lindroos romthe Centre or Continuing Education at bo Akademi University, BUP network and projectmanager Arja Sinkko rom Kymenlaakso University o Applied Sciences.

As Expert Secretary Raija Merilinen was on study leave during autumn 2005, PlannerTalvikki Koskinen was appointed Expert Secretary on 15 August 2005. Talvikki Koskinendid not stay in the committee ater December 2005, and her unctions were taken on by


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Planners Jukka Haapamki and Sanna Halinen.As sectoral experts, the ESD coordinators o the Baltic 21E -programme were responsible

or the planning and coordination o the national pilot and the conclusions drawn rom it.Thus the signatories o this report have largely infuenced its content.

This second report o the committee combines the Finnish Baltic 21E action plan andthe plan or implementation o sustainable development in education and research accordingto the national Development Plan or Education and Research with the Finnish strategy orthe UNs Decade o Education or Sustainable Development. The committee thus humblysubmits this second report to the Ministry o Education.

Helsinki, 30 January 2006

Susanna Tauriainen


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Contents

1 Introduction 13

2 The international and national preparation process 15

2.1 The Hague Declaration and the Baltic 21E -programme 172.2 Finlands Baltic 21E -programme pilot phase 18

2.3 UN DESD 19

2.4 UNECE ESD 19

2.5 National processes 20

3 The preparation process o compulsory andvocational education 20022005 22

3.1 The societal steering o schools 22

3.2 Principles and strategies 233.3 Taking know-how and continuing education orward 24

3.4 Developing teaching and study material 25

3.5 Research and Development 26

3.6 Pilot projects and experiences drawn rom them 27

3.7 Evaluating the results 28

4 The preparation process o higher education 20022005 29

4.1 National steering o higher education policy 29

4.2 Going ahead with the plan or implementation: experiences 30

4.3 Developing teaching and study materials 31

4.4 Developing international cooperation 33

5 The preparation process o polytechnics 20022005 34

5.1 Developing action strategies 34

5.2 Developing know-how 35

5.3 Continuing education and teacher training 36

5.4 Research and Development 36



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6 The preparation process o universities 20022005 39

6.1 Developing action strategies 39

6.2 Developing know-how 40

6.3 Continuing education and teacher training 42

6.4 Research and development 44


7 The preparation process o liberal adult education 20022005 48

7.1 The societal steering o liberal adult education 48

7.2 Carrying out the plan or implementation 49

7.2.1 Principles and strategy 49

7.2.2 Development of know-how and continuing education 51

7.2.3 Developing teaching and study material 55

7.2.4 The continuing education of teachers, advisers and peer instructors 56

7.3 Developing research 57

8 A review o the research policy or sustainable development 58

9 Finlands ten year strategy and guidelines 20062014 or educationor sustainable development 62

9.1 The education systems vision and strategic guidelines or sustainabledevelopment 63

9.2 Proposals on how to implement the strategy and guidelines,education sector by education sector 65

9.2.1 Basic and secondary education 65

9.2.3 Polytechnics 69

9.2.4 Universities 709.2.5 Liberal adult education 71

9.2.6 Research and development 72

10 Further measures and ollow-up 73

11 Financing education or sustainable development 75

Annex. A ramework or reporting as proposed by the committee 76


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Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards.

Sren Kierkegaard


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The Finnish National Strategy of Education for Sustainable Development

Guidelines for Finlands strategy for the Decade of Education

for Sustainable Develo ment

Proposals for implemention

Basic andsecondaryeducation

Vocationaluppersecondaryeducation

Polytechnics UniversitiesLiberal adult

educationResearch and

development

Baltic 21E Programme UNECE ESD-Strategy

Copernicus

Charter

Diagram o the Finnish National Strategy o Education or Sustainable Development


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13

1 Introduction

The state o Finland has committed itsel to the promotion o sustainable development on anational level as well as through the European Union, the United Nations, and the cooperationbetween Nordic and Baltic states. Furthermore, the development plan or education andresearch 20032008, which has been approved by the Council o State, states that sustainabledevelopment is to be promoted through education and research.

The Ministry o Education set up a working group called the Committee or Educationor Sustainable Development (Kestvn kehityksen edistminen koulutuksessa) on 12 March2002. The main unction o the committee is to advance and coordinate the implementationo the Baltic states Baltic 21 -programmes subprogramme, Baltic 21E, on education, to

ormulate a proposal or the Ministry o Education on the Baltic 21E -programmes nationalimplementation plan, and, in relation to that, to devise a strategy on the cooperation betweendierent Baltic states. It should also make a proposal concerning the co-ordination o theBaltic 21E -programme once the working group will have ceased its activities 31 December2004. The aim o the programme, which was signed and approved by the Baltic ministers oeducation in January 2002, is that aspects o sustainable development become a natural andpermanent part o their countries education systems. The programme also includes goalsand measures related to research.

Having completed the Promoting Sustainable Development in Education / Finlands planor implementation or the Baltic 21E -programme, the committee handed its frst report to

the Ministry o Education on 30 September 2002. The aim o the committee has been thatdiscussion on the Baltic 21E -programme be based on the committees plan or implementation,which was published on UN day in 2002. Moreover, the committee hoped to gain experienceson the implementation o pilot projects and development projects.

The aim when implementing the Baltic 21E -programme was that states with the BalticSea Region gain national experiences through mutual cooperation, and that these experiencesthen serve as oundations or regional cooperation. The implementation o the Baltic 21E-programme has not been synchronized, though. That is why the committee has been unableto make ull use o such experiences when drawing up this memorandum.

In several sectors, pilot projects fnanced by the Ministry o Education based on the Promoting

Sustainable Development in Education / Finlands plan or implementation or the Baltic 21Eonly drew to an end in 2005. That is why there was no point in reporting on the national, pilotimplementation o the programme by the original deadline, which was the end o 2004.


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14

The UN has declared the decade 20052014 as the Education or Sustainable DevelopmentDecade. Following the committees proposal, the Ministry o Education decided that thePromotion o Sustainable Development in Education committee also be in charge o devisinga national strategy or the UNs Decade o Education or Sustainable Development and thatthe committees name be changed to Education or Sustainable Development committee(Kestv kehityst edistvn koulutuksen tyryhm). The committees mandate was alsoextended to 31 January 2006.

This report brings together Finlands action plan and measures or implementing sustainabledevelopment in education and research as expressed in the Baltic 21E -programme and as laidout in the Ministry o Educations Development Plan or Education and Research and as perFinlands strategy or the UN DESD.

There is no one universal defnition o sustainable development. In 1995, FinlandsCommittee on Sustainable Development defned sustainable development as being a orm ocontinuous and steered societal change on a global, regional and local level, and that the aimo sustainable development is to ensure that todays and tomorrows generations are given theopportunity to a good lie.

According to the committee, sustainable development encompasses three dimensions: theecological, the social and the cultural.

The committees defnition o sustainable development says that the prerequisites o anecologically sustainable development are the preservation o natures biodiversity and theadaptation o mankinds economic and material processes to Earths resources and its carryingcapacity. A socially sustainable development guarantees people the equal opportunity to createtheir own well-being, it ensures undamental rights are respected, it gives people the chance toulfl their basic needs, it gives people the opportunity to participate in an equal manner andit gives people responsibility in decision-making both in their own country and in the world

community. A culturally sustainable development gives people intellectual reedom, it ensuresethical growth and it preserves and osters cultural diversity rom generation to generation.Following international discussion, the defnition o sustainable development has slightly

changed rom the Finnish Sustainable Development Committees defnition. At the UNsSustainable Development Summit in Johannesburg in 2002, sustainable development wasdefned as a whole where the ecological, economic and socio-cultural dimensions are takeninto consideration in an equal manner. What counts is that sustainable development is apolitical entity where these dimensions are integrated in a complementary ashion.


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15

2 The international andnational preparation process

For humankind, the twentieth century meant moving into a multiaceted, global age.National economies ormed an ever tighter common world market. The twentieth centuryalso saw the world population grow rom under two billion to six billion. An explosivepopulation growth, urbanisation, a speeding economy and systems and goods based ontechnology made humankind a catalyst or change in nature, the economy and society.

By the 1970s, the downsides o a ast and uncontrolled development started to becomeapparent to everyone in the orm o environmental and social problems. Humankind was

orced to recognise the fnite nature o lies resources and it had to start thinking o howto secure the needs o uture generations. The UNs environmental conerence organisedin Stockholm in 1972 provided the frst global discussion orum where such questionswere being treated. On the agenda were pollution, the use o natural resources, the livingenvironment, environment education, communication and other questions related to thesocietal and cultural dimensions.

The next global step was the establishment o the Global Commission on the Environmentand Development on the UNs initiative in 1983. The commission was led by Norwaysthen prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, and it published its fnal report called OurCommon Future our years later. This report was the impetus o several international ollow-

up measures and processes.The report made sustainable development a concept in international politics and it wasdefned as ollows: development that meets the needs o the present without compromisingthe ability o uture generations to meet their own needs. It says in the preace o the report(page 16) that [T]he changes in attitudes, in social values, and in aspirations that the reporturges will depend on vast campaigns o education, debate and public participation.

The fnal report o the Global Commission on Environment and Developments laid theoundations or the UNs huge environmental and development conerence Earth Summitheld in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The summit gave a declaration, which included an extensiveaction programme comprising 40 goals called Agenda 21. The action programme singles

out political decision-making, the scientifc community, research, the education sector aswell as other societal actors but especially young people in general as being in a pivotalrole in taking sustainable development orwards. With the Agenda 21, work or sustainable


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development gained internationally recognised goals and sustainable development establisheditsel as a concept in international politics. The Commission on Sustainable Development(CSD) was set up to ollow progress in achieving the goals set out in Agenda 21.

Agenda 21s chapter 36 is dedicated to education. The chapter begins by stating thateducation is central in promoting sustainable development, as education is essential inchanging peoples attitudes so that they are able to evaluate matters related to sustainabledevelopment and that they are able to express themselves on matters related to sustainabledevelopment. All education or sustainable development as well as planning o educationor sustainable development is based on chapter 36. The Commission on SustainableDevelopment particularize and expanded the chapter in 1996 and 1998. The UNsEducational, Scientifc and Cultural Organization Unesco was appointed as the head co-ordinator within the UN or implementing the goals related to education or sustainabledevelopment.

In the year 2000, the heads o government and state convened under the auspices o theUN to show their support or the world organizations eorts. The Millennium Declarationand the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) orm a signifcant set o qualitative,quantitative and time-bound international targets. The principles and goals o the MillenniumDeclaration and the principle o sustainable development are the cornerstone o Finlandsnew development policy programme (valtioneuvoston periaatepts 2004).

The Education or All (EFA) process started in Jomtien, Thailand, in 1990, is veryimportant when it comes to achieving the Millennium Declarations goals on educationor sustainable development. The World Education Forum, which was a ollow-up meetingorganised ten years later in Dakar, set six EFA goals. These include two o the MillenniumDeclarations goals on education: to ensure that by 2015 boys and girls will have access tocompulsory primary education and that gender disparities be eliminated in primary and

secondary education by 2005 and that gender equality be achieved in all education by2015. The quality o education was also a matter o concern at Dakar and so improvingall aspects o the quality o education and ensuring excellence o all so that recognised andmeasurable outcomes are achieved by all was also made an EFA goal. An improved quality oeducation will have an important impact on the way the principles and goals o sustainabledevelopment are achieved and in how well sustainable development is brought orward inteaching and learning processes and how it is taken on by students.

The UNs Sustainable Development Summit organised in Johannesburg in 2002returned to the same themes that had been discussed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiroten years earlier. The Johannesburg Summit devised an action plan to support Agenda 21.

The action plan is based on experiences gained ater the Earth Summit and it thus reinorceseorts to achieve Agenda 21s goals. The action plan issued by the Johannesburg Summitalso underlines the importance o education by stating that teaching and education arecrucial in promoting the goals o sustainable development.

Other international organizations besides the UN have also established their ownsustainable development strategies. Finland is involved in many o these. The sustainabledevelopment strategies o the OECD and the EU emphasise the meaning o inormation,the development o decision-making processes, citizens rights to inormation and meanso participating in decision-making. The European Commission states that the sustainabledevelopment strategy and the Lisbon Strategy have the same objective: to improve the

well-being and living conditions o present and uture generations in a sustainable manner.According to a declaration adopted in November 2005, the aim o EU development policyis to reduce poverty as per the UNs Millennium Development Goals. For the frst time in


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the 50 year history o development cooperation, this declaration, which has been dubbed theEuropean Consensus, ormulates common objectives, values and principles or developmentpolicy both in member states and the European Commission.

The frst Nordic sustainable development strategy adopted by the Nordic Council oPrime Ministers and the Nordic Council came into orce in 2001. A revised version othe strategy (Sustainable Development New Bearings or the Nordic Countries) wasadopted in 2004. The strategy outlines the main long-term sustainable development goalsup until 2020, and it also presents the national procedures to be undertaken between 2005and 2008. The revised strategy elaborates on sustainable consumption and production,and on the social dimension o sustainable development. One o the strategys mainobjectives is to support education or sustainable development and to integrate the aspecto sustainable development into Nordic education systems according to the principle o lielong learning.

Finland joined the rhus Convention in 2004. The rhus Convention is about citizenaccess to inormation, about the right to participate in decision-making, about the right toappeal and the right to the institution o proceedings in environmental matters. The rhusConvention is a commitment to urthering environmental education and to making citizensaware o the environment and how they are able to participate in decision-making relatedto the environment.

2.1TheHagueDeclarationandtheBaltic21E-programme

The broad international ramework just described has inspired many regional processes,action plans and programmes. One such process is the Baltic 21 -programme an agenda

21 or the Baltic Sea Region established by the Nordic prime ministers in 1996. TheBaltic 21 -programme is the frst regional programme or the promotion o sustainabledevelopment. The aim o the programme is to promote sustainable development in theBaltic region over the next 30 years with special attention given to the environmental, socialand economic aspects. The programme is compatible with international, national and localinitiatives or sustainable development.

It was soon realised that dierent sectors were not adequately represented in the Baltic21- programme. The education dimension that had been given so much importance in theoriginal UN Agenda 21 was missing. Thereore, the Nordic ministers o education gave theso called Hague Declaration thus making sure that education was included in the Baltic 21

-programme.A separate preparation organ was established so that states could make a nationalevaluation o education or sustainable development. Finlands review has been published inMinistry o Educations education and science policy publication report number 89 calledEducation or Sustainable Development in Finland.

An education or sustainable development programme called An Agenda 21 orEducation in the Baltic Sea Region Baltic 21E was adopted by the Baltic ministers oeducations in Stockholm in January 2002. The programme is being used to develop theeducation system o the Baltic region so that sustainable development aspects become anatural and permanent part o it. The programme includes goals and activities related

to research and development. The programme encourages both national and regionalmeasures and it presents a holistic view o sustainable development where the ecological,economic, social and cultural dimensions are taken into consideration in an equal manner.


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The programme states that the aim o education or sustainable development is that everycitizen be able to support a development that meets the needs o todays generation withoutjeopardising the chances o uture generations to meet theirs.

In addition to general objectives, the programme sets dierent goals or dierenteducation levels, schools, tertiary education institutions and liberal adult (non-ormal)education.

Every student going through compulsory education must gain the necessary know-how,values and skills to be an active, democratic and responsible citizen that will be able toparticipate in decision-making both on an individual level and in other social contexts topromote sustainable development. This means that the principles o sustainable developmenthave to be integrated in the school world and that teachers must be able to incorporatesustainable development into their teaching.

The aim o higher education institutions is to increase research and expertise onsustainable development through research and teaching as well as by collaborating with therest o society on a local, regional and international level. This means that teachers mustknow how sustainable development fts in with their own subject. This also implies thateveryday decision-making within tertiary education institutions must be democratic andin line with sustainable development. Sustainable development must also be included inall under-graduate studies and every bachelor and graduate degree must oer students thepossibility o specialising in sustainable development.

The aim o liberal adult education is that students be able to inuence their own lives,that they be capable o participating in societys developments and that they be aware osustainable development. This means that education or sustainable development must bewidely advertised and that people must be convinced to join classes. Institutions must havethe necessary resources or such courses and instructors must have sufcient knowledge on

matters related to education or sustainable development.

2.2FinlandsBaltic21E-programmepilotphase

The Baltic 21E -programme had to be translated into concrete measures on a national level,just like in the other Baltic countries. As the Baltic 21E -programme is a compromise between11 countries, it is rather general, and that is why a separate programme adapted to Finlandssituation and education system was ormulated. The committee set up by the Ministry oEducation devised a plan or implementation or Finlands version o the Baltic 21E

-programme in 2002. The plan sets goals that are in accordance with the original Baltic 21E-programme, and it proposes a series o measures or schools, higher education institutionsand liberal adult education. The plan proposes development projects within the NationalBoard o Education, liberal adult education sector and polytechnics. It also gives exampleso how university teaching and research could be developed according to the programmesgoals and action programme. The Ministry o Education fnanced development projectsrelated to the national Baltic 21E -programme during its pilot phase.

Sustainable development has been incorporated into the Finnish education system asenvisaged in the Baltic 21E -programme and the national launching plan, although not asswitly as originally planned. This is probably because environmental policy decision-makers,

people running schools and those in charge o teaching have not quite yet understood theimportance o education or sustainable development. Lack o resources is also a hinderance.Mainstreaming such a multiaceted concept also takes time.


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Both the Johannesburg Declaration as well as the Baltic 21E -programme give a defnitiono sustainable development which states that development only become sustainable oncethe complementarity o the economic, social and environmental aspects o sustainabledevelopment has been properly recognised. Sustainable development is oten studied withinthe ramework o each subject and branch o science, but not necessarily as a separate entity.Rather, it permeates teaching and research and is endorsed through interdisciplinarity. Thisdoes, however, require a new way o thinking. It is oten easier to think o environmentalprotection, social development and economic development as being separate, as they havebeen up until now. This is an international problem that must be surmounted in educationor sustainable development.

2.3UNDESD

An Agenda 21 action plan was adopted at the Johannesburg Summit in 2002. The planbestows great importance on education by naming teaching and education as the centralmeans o achieving sustainable development goals.

The UN declared 20052014 as the Decade o Education or Sustainable Development(DESD); the special role o education has been understood on a deeper level internationally.The aim o DESD is to incorporate the teaching o the goals o sustainable developmentin national curricula on all education levels. On an international level, the decade is beingcoordinated by Unesco. Unesco is in charge o laying down the groundwork or promotingsustainable development in education and it oers advise in the launching o the DESD ona national level. The main purpose o Unesco is to support states and organizations in theplanning and implementation o projects or sustainable development. Unesco does not,

however, oer a universal global model, as the promotion o sustainable development isintrinsically linked to local ecological, economic, social and cultural circumstances.The Ministry o Educations Committee ormulated Finlands strategy or the DESD

in cooperation with two groups o experts: the education sub-committee o the MinistrysCommittee and the education group working under the auspices o Finlands UnescoCommission (The Finnish National Commission or UNESCO). The groups either workedtogether or separately as stated in their respective mandates. More specifcally, the Ministryo Educations committee was in charge o preparing the national strategy or the DESD.

The Sustainable Development through Education Conerence held between June13th and 16th in the Helsinki region was organised by several dierent organizations and

project representatives. The conerence presented several practical models on environmentaleducation and sustainable development education, and it also looked at education orsustainable development research done in Finland and abroad. This conerence was the frstevent in Finland to be granted DESD status.

2.4UNECEESD

Whereas Unesco is in charge o the global co-ordination o the DESD, it was decided thatEurope needed its own regional DESD strategy. The United Nations Economic Commission

or Europe adopted the ESD-strategy in Vilna, Lithuania, in March 2005. The UNECEstrategy is mainly a copy o the Baltic 21E -programme. Thus experiences gained rom theimplementation o the Baltic 21E -programme can also be used in the implementation o


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the DESD in Finland.The UNECEs ESD strategy pays special attention to the dierences between countries

and their education levels. Seeing as education or sustainable development has to take intoconsideration local, national and regional circumstances, dierent aspects o sustainabledevelopment can be weighted dierently depending on the country and education sector.

Both the UNECEs strategy and the Baltic 21E -programme aspire to integrate educationor sustainable development both in ormal education and liberal adult education. The aimo education is to promote sustainable development by developing the actual knowledge,skills, understanding and values o citizens.

2.5Nationalprocesses

The Finnish Committee on Sustainable Development was set up in 1993 to enhancecooperation on the promotion o sustainable development. The committee was reinstatedon 30 January 2003 and it has a mandate till the end o 2007. The committee is led by theprime minister and includes representatives o the state, civil society and the private sector.The Ministry o Education has its own representative in the committee. The committee isto urther sustainable development in Finland, and it serves as an advisory organ on mattersrelated to the UN and especially the UNs Committee on Sustainable Development (CSD).The Finnish committee promotes sustainable development by emphasising the things it seesas important. It also unctions as a discussion orum and it takes the initiative in matters thatneed to be dealt by the authorities. The committees secretariat is located in the Ministry oEnvironment.

The Finnish Committee on Sustainable Development ormulates the guidelines or the

Governments Sustainable Development Programme (1998), and these include guidelineson research and development. The programme stresses the importance o cooperationbetween education experts and experts rom other felds.

The Committee on Sustainable Development re-initiated the national strategy processin 2004. In this case, the Ministry o Education is represented by the head o the adulteducation unit. The strategy is to be approved in the summer o 2006.

A national environmental education strategy was devised by a working group set up byFinlands Unesco committee in 1992. The strategy spells out recommendations that applyto maternity clinics, daycare, the whole education system, research, the deence orces, thechurch and its congregations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, public

broadcasting and the international community.The Committee on Sustainable Development set up an education sub-committee or thetime period 25 May 2004 to 31 December 2007. The division is to map out progress madein the integration o sustainable development in education, it is to participate in nationalollow-up measures related to the UNs DESD, it is to participate in the preparation o thethemes o the committees work programme, and it is to ormulate a separate theme onsustainable development education and teaching in the committees working programme. 24organizations appointed a representative or the sub-committee. The division will present itsEducation and Training or Sustainable Strategy 20062014 and its implementation plan tothe Committee on Sustainable Development on 15 March 2006.

In January 2005, the Ministry o Educations Global Education Committee wrote aproposal or the national implementation plan or Global Education (Kansainvlisyyskasvatus2010; Ministry o Education, 2006). The plan was written by representatives rom the


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Ministry o Education, The Ministry or Foreign Aairs and non-governmental organizations.Education or sustainable development is a part o global education, just as human rightseducation, equality education, peace education, media education, ostering understandingbetween dierent cultures and development and justice issues. The action plan or GlobalEducation and the strategy on education or sustainable development complement eachother in helping citizens realise their global responsibility.


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3 The preparation processo compulsory and vocationaleducation 20022005

With the Baltic 21E -programme, Finland has committed itsel to incorporating thepromotion o sustainable development in education strategies and principles, to developthe know-how o teaching sta, continuing education and teaching materials and toreinorce the collaboration between research and education. Finlands Baltic 21E plan oimplementation looks at what needs to be developed beore actually implementing the Baltic

21E -programme. Two new development projects were initiated in the education sector.

3.1Thesocietalsteeringofschools

The Council o State and the Ministry o Education (it being a part o the Council o State)are responsible or the planning and implementation o education policy. The Ministryo Education in turn steers the National Board o Education and County AdministrativeBoards by way o perormance agreement. The National Board o Education devises thebasic curricula o elementary education, upper-secondary education and upper-secondary

vocational education and the degree requirements o vocational education according to therelevant acts, decrees and the allocated teaching times. The National Board o Educationalso approves the curricula used in pre-school teaching and authorizes the basics o morningand evening activities intended or school children.

Municipalities and other instances responsible or organising teaching then devise theirown curricula based on the goals and elements given in the curricula sketched by the NationalBoard o Education. Teachers must adhere to the goals and content o adopted syllabuses.Sustainable development is a thematic entity in the curricula or elementary education andupper-secondary education adopted in 2004 and 2003 respectively. Thematic entities areespecially emphasised on in pedagogical work. Their goals and content are incorporated

into several subjects, which in turn harmonizes teaching. Sustainable development must beincluded in local core and ree choice subjects as well as in joint school events and it mustbe a visible part o all school activities and operations.


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in elementary education are subject entities that must be included in common and electivesubjects, in common events and it must come across in all school related activities andoperations on a local level. Enhancing environmental literacy and long-term thinking aswell as assuming a sustainable way o lie are central aspects o the curriculum reorm. Asustainable way o lie osters physical, psychological, social, cultural and economic well-beingwhile assuming responsibility or the natural environment, natures viability, productivityand the proper use o natural resources in a sustainable manner.

The curricula or vocational education are also being revised and the promotion osustainable development applies to all disciplines. The aim is to have students know theprinciples o sustainable development and to motivate students to act by these principleswhether that be in the role o student, proessional or citizen. Environmentally riendly workand modes o operating are part o the job. Elective studies may include zero to our studycredits o environmental studies. 21 vocational education institutions or teaching centresoer basic degrees related to the nature and environment sector. From 1 January 2006onwards, sustainable development will be a criteria used in the evaluation o competence-based tests.

The representatives o dierent administrative sectors, organizations and businessesin the education sub-committee o Finlands Sustainable Development Committeemonitor progress made in promoting sustainable development in schools, deliberate onthe development o resources and speciy the responsibilities o each participant. The sub-committee takes part in the national monitoring o the UNs DESD and it takes part inthe preparation o themes in the Sustainable Development Committee rom a teaching andeducation perspective. The sub-committee will have put together a strategy or teaching andeducation or sustainable development by 2006. The strategy will be accompanied by animplementation plan, and both will be treated by the Committee.

3.3Takingknow-howandcontinuingeducationforward

The Baltic 21E -programme highlighted the necessity o developing basic and continuingeducation or teaching sta, and developing sustainable development steering andadministrative systems suitable or schools. Facts on sustainable development or sustainabledevelopment pedagogy are still not sel-given in basic teacher training. In 2004, theDepartment o Applied Sciences o Education at the University o Helsinki organised a

seminar or those teaching uture teachers, and the aim o the seminar was to create anetwork o environmental educators. The Creating a network o environmental educators(Ympristkasvatustahojen yhteistyverkoston solmintaa) seminar was attended by over160 people.

Training organised or fnanced by the National Board o Education has had to do withwriting curricula, working on subject entities and building up environmental systems. Theamount o unds allocated in sustainable development have diminished year ater year intraining aimed in teaching sta.

A pilot project called Ammatti-KEKE (Vocation SD) was launched in 2002. Theproject was conducted in three vocational pilot educational institutions. It opened up the

sustainable development learning goals and contents o the basic curriculum so that theycould be adapted to the level o the vocational institutions in question. The project workedon the syllabus o over 20 degree programmes. The material produced by the project will


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be used as support material in other vocational education institutions. The project wasexpanded to also cover other areas.

Finland is in several international programmes and projects that aim to develop thepedagogy o sustainable development. New national programmes have also been set up.The programmes are coordinated by the National Board o Education as well as otheradministrative branches and organizations. Businesses in the private sector have also joinedin the eort, and are setting up more and more projects o their own, providing schoolswith continuing education and study material. Programmes, projects and networks are anincreasingly important way o extending the know-how o teaching sta.

The promotion o a development that is ecologically, economically, socially and culturallysustainable works best in a operating environment where studying and collaborationprojects that go beyond conventional subject divisions are allowed. The new basic curriculaencourage schools and educational institutions to engage in cooperation with the surroundingcommunity and dierent organizations. Everyone has something to learn rom cooperationwith others.

Various environmental systems are being marketed to schools. Green Flag (VihreLippu) is an international environmental pedagogy programme, which 180 Finnish daycare centres and schools are involved in. Green Flag aims to create an everyday ecology, andit encourages children and teenagers to participate more. Environmental criteria or schoolsand educational establishments were fnalised in 2003. The criteria provide guidelines onmanagement, teaching and maintenance work. A publication on the environmental criteriao schools and educational institutions was sent by the National Board o Education to allthe educational establishments. The Trade Union o Education in Finland OAJ attachedthe publication to its Opettaja (Teacher) magazine. This certifcate or schools has been puttogether in cooperation with the OKKA-Foundation (Teaching, Education and Schooling

Foundation), the Trade Union o Education in Finland, the National Board o Educationand the Environmental School o Finland SYKLI. The certifcate system was fnalised inMarch 2004. The list o criteria, instructions relating to the certifcate, a sel-assessmentorm and courses intended to acilitate the adoption o the environmental system can beound at www.koulujaymparisto.f/index-en.htm. Some vocational education institutionshave chosen to adopt the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme and ISO 14001 instead.

3.4Developingteachingandstudymaterial

The Baltic 21E -programme pledges to collect a vast array o study and electronic material.Progress has been made in developing both teaching and study material.Ympristkasvatuksen ksikirja (The Handbook on Environmental Education) was

published in 2004 (ed. Hannele Cantell). Sustainable development and environmentaleducation students and teachers alike will fnd this handbook useul. The Guide toEnvironmental Certifcation and EMAS Registration o Educational Establishments wasthe end-product o the LIFE ENVEDU project and was published in autumn 2004. Theguide instructs schools and educational establishments on how to adopt the environmentalcertifcation and it also explains how one moves on rom environmental certifcation toEMAS registering.

A separate guide intended to acilitate syllabus work called Aihekokonaisuudetperusopetuksen opetussuunnitelmassa (Subject Entities in the Elementary School Syllabus)(edit. Marja-Leena Loukola) has also been published. Its articles will also prove to be


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useul when integrating sustainable development into the local syllabus. The NationalBoard o Education has or its part published a book called Kestvn kehityksen edistminenoppilaitoksissa (Promoting Sustainable Development in Educational Establishments) (ed.Lea Houtsonen & Mauri hlberg).

Collaboration between dierent administrative branches and organizations has beenincreased both when it comes to producing written study material and material intended orthe Internet. The National Board o Educations sustainable development website providesthe latest inormation on study materials and/or some o it is available directly on the websiteitsel. Ilmasto-jhylle (Climate on Hold: www.ilmastonmuutos.ino), Elinymprist jaliikenne (The environment we live in and transport: www.elinymparistojaliikenne.net) andthe prevention o waste and efcient packaging (www.fksu.net) are just some examples othis ruitul collaboration.

The web service provided by the National Board o Education has been enhanced andup-dated. The web service provides the latest inormation on the Sustainable DevelopmentCommittees Education sub-committees work. You can access the web service at www.edu.f/teemat/keke(NB. in Finnish only).

Support material intended or other vocational education establishments was also producedduring the Ammatti-KEKE programme so as to reinorce branch specifc environmentalknow-how. You can fnd the material at www.edu.f >ammatillinen koulutus>kestv kehitys(NB. in Finnish only). All o the material produced will be assembled in a text book or thebeneft o teachers working in vocational education establishments.

Development work on programmes that aim to enhance sustainable developmentpedagogy has produced publications and web material. A guide entitled Opetus ja arki opetus ja toimintakulttuuri tukemaan toisiaan (Teaching and Everyday Lie makingteaching and school procedures compatible) is a collection o experiences rom schools that

were involved in the pilot project o the Baltic 21E -programme. The guide is available onthe sustainable development website.

3.5ResearchandDevelopment

The Baltic 21E -programme highlights the signifcance o increasing cooperation betweenresearch and schools. Research has a very strong role in some o the sustainable developmentpedagogy development programmes. As an example, research on sustainable modes ooperation in schools is a central part o the OECDs and CERIs (Centre or Educational

Research and Innovation) ENSI-environmental education project (Environment andSchool Initiatives, ENSI). The Finnish ENSI project has embraced the new Internet basedknowledge sharing platorm called Knowledge Forum that is based on the idea o acollaborative learning environment. Thanks to Knowledge Forum, teachers and studentsparticipating in the programme can share problems and solve them together with othersthus putting everyones area o expertise to good use.

Researchers also had a signifcant role in the Baltic 21E national programme pilotprojects conducted in schools.

Liikkis (Moving) Sustainable Trafc CompetitionThe National Board o Education, the Ministry o Transport and Communication,Liikenneturva [Finnish expert organization on trafc saety], the Trade Union o


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Education in Finland OAJ and the Finnish society or Environmental Education (SuomenYmpristkasvatuksen Seura ry) organised Liikkis (Moving), a competition on sustainabledevelopment, in autumn 2005. The aim was to have schools and educational establishmentsthink o displacement and trafc conditions in the surrounding environment. They werealso invited to submit suggestions on how to improve trafc conditions. The competitionhad three dierent categories: one or elementary school children (grades 1 to 6), one orhigh school students (grades 7 to 9) and one or upper-secondary school and vocationaleducation students. The winners received their awards in December. The Finnish YouthAcademy was asked to join post-competition development work, and it is now getting readyor the 2006 competition.

The co-ordination o international development projects

and programmes related to sustainable development

The National Board o Education coordinates the ollowing international projects orprogrammes related to sustainable development:

the Globe Programme administered by the USA involves over 100 Finnish schools

the ENSI project, Unescos partner, involves over 20 Finnish schools

Unescos Baltic Project, involves 17 Finnish schools

Finlands Tammi + project, which is to be pursued under the Lhde project,

involves 200 schools

Unescos world heritage education, involves 60 Finnish schools

Baltic 21E -programmes 10 pilot schools project

It is important to support such programmes and to disseminate innovations created throughnetworks. There are numerous other networks coordinated by other organizations thatgenerate new ideas. We need a plan and a procedure or the gathering, development anddissemination o innovations.

3.6Pilotprojectsandexperiencesdrawnfromthem

In accordance with the national plan or implementation, the National Board o Educationstarted two pilot projects in compulsory and vocational education in spring 2003. The frstproject involved ormulating the schools own sustainable development action plan thatwould cover school management, teaching, maintenance operations and everyday practices.The second was about assimilating participation in teaching. The main objective was tocome up with models and methods or getting the whole work community involved and tobring about integration. Five schools rom around Finland committed themselves to bothpilot projects.

The pilot project took on one researcher who worked as a consultant in the project.Regional environmental centres have provided these pilot schools with additional expertise

and sometimes even fnancial resources. Municipal authorities, businesses and theEnvironmental School o Finland SYKLI have also participated in the project.

The pilot projects were launched in spring 2003. By the end o 2004, schools participating

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in the frst pilot phase had their own sustainable development action plan and thoseparticipating in the second pilot project had an action plan or assimilating participationin teaching. One o the schools was awarded the Green Flag or its eorts and anothereducational establishment was awarded a dierent environmental certifcate.

The National Board o Education was among those organising Finlands frst ofcialUN DESD conerence Sustainable Development through Education 13.15.6.2005. Theconerence had 260 participants rom 16 countries. The Finnish schools that were part othe Baltic 21E pilot project presented their experiences in work shops over two days. Thework shops were attended by 70 people rom 10 countries.

Experiences gathered rom the pilot projects have proved benefcial while laying theoundations o syllabuses, when providing teachers with continuing education and whenproducing study material. The National Board o Education and the schools participatingin the pilot project devised a process description o the putting together o a sustainabledevelopment action plan and o participation with other partners or the enhancemento the local environment. The guide entitled Opetus ja arki opetus ja toimintakulttuuritukemaan toisiaan was published on the National Board o Educations website www.edu.f/teemat.keke. While actively engaged in the pilot project, schools would debate over criteriaor social and cultural sustainability.

Taking on a consultant proved to be a wise move both in terms o efciency and costs.The pilot project also yielded good results when school development work, the support oenvironmental authorities and research were combined. Two o the environmental centresthat were part o the pilot project have gone on to implement similar projects in their ownregions.

3.7Evaluatingtheresults

The launching phase o the Baltic 21E -programme had its ups and downs. On thepositive side you have the enhanced status o sustainable development in core curricula, asignifcant rapprochement between dierent administrative branches, a heightened activityin development work on the part o associations, and notable progress made by schoolsand networks committed to the promotion o sustainable development. On the down sideyou will notice a decrease in unding or sustainable development projects, and a declinein the status o sustainable development in teacher training and continuing education orteachers.

Experience generated by the pilot projects has helped a great deal in the planning ocore curricula. Experiences gained by the schools that participated in the pilot projectshave given the impetus to develop environmental criteria and environmental certifcatesor educational establishments urther. The pilot projects proved that combining schooldevelopment work, input rom environmental authorities and research can bring goodresults. Schools involved in the pilot project have been to various schools and internationaleducational events telling about the new ideas they came up with during the project. Theyhave also provided consultation or schools in their own region. Two o the environmentalcentres that were in the pilot projects have gone on to establish similar pilot projects in theirown regions.


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4 The preparation process ohigher education 20022005

This chapter is about the work that is being done by universities and polytechnics orthe promotion o sustainable development. There will be examples o universities andpolytechnics collaborating partly or ully and o sustainable development ostering projectsthat apply to both. The preparation process o polytechnics will be looked at more closelyin chapter fve and that o universities in chapter six.

4.1Nationalsteeringofhighereducationpolicy

The states steering is based on legislation pertaining to higher education, the basis o whichare the university act and the polytechnics act and the regulations that have been laid downrom these acts. Legislation creates the main general ramework or higher education.

Higher education policy is based on the government platorm and on the DevelopmentPlan or Education and Research which is derived rom the platorm and approved by theCouncil o State. In practice, the Ministry o Educations steering is actualised through atailor-made three-year perormance target agreement or perormance agreement which isnegotiated with each higher education establishment separately. The most important target

objectives and operative development guidelines or the coming years are agreed upon duringthe target steering procedure (tavoiteohjausprosessi) o polytechnics and the perormancesteering procedure (tulosohjausprosessi) o universities. Agreements are reviewed yearly inaccordance with available resources.

The steering o universities has been re-orientated so as to be more strategic in nature.The perormance target agreement and the perormance agreement set common targetsor all but they also contain goals that are specifc to each educational institution. Thecommon targets are central defnitions o national higher education policy. Targets that areinstitution specifc seek to support the higher education establishments strategic goals andprofling.

Higher education establishment have sole responsibility or the quality o their teaching,research and development activities, scientifc research and other operations. Highereducation institutions are responsible or assuring that the education and diplomas they


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issue are in line with national and international standards. This responsibility translates as alegal obligation to conduct sel-assessment and participate in external assessments. Highereducation establishments must also make sure that their operations are o a high ethicalquality.

4.2Goingaheadwiththeplanforimplementation:experiences

Promoting sustainable development in education the goal o higher education is defnedin the Baltic 21E launching plan as ollows:

The individual learner should have skills and competence relevant to theis uture proessions

and uture roles as decision-makers. Higher education should also play an active role locally,

nationally, and internationally in enhancing knowledge and action competence regarding

sustainable development through research and education in co-operation with surrounding

society.

According to the Baltic 21E -programme, achieving such a goal will mean that the positiono education or sustainable development will have to be reinorced, that instructors willhave to have the competency to incorporate aspects o sustainable development in his/hersubject both in terms o teaching methods and methods o approach, that the everydaydecision-making and modus operandi o higher education establishments will have to bedemocratic and in accordance with sustainable development, that all branches o sciencemust address the issue o sustainable development in their core studies, advanced studies

and graduate studies, and that continuing education must provide skills and inormationon sustainable development.

The autonomous status o tertiary education establishments guarantees them the rightto make independent decision regarding the content o education, research and on thedirection they want to develop in. Every higher education establishment has thereorebeen able to put into practice plans that oster sustainable development based on alreadyexisting guidelines by re-evaluating their areas o ocus and by consciously honing downtheir operations so that these correspond with the principles o sustainable development.The Ministry o Education has supported several higher education development projects onsustainable development through project unding.

Tertiary education establishments are under obligation to develop education orsustainable development independently. The best way o encouraging higher educationestablishments is to provide them with the inormation and means necessary so that teacherscan integrate sustainable development in their teaching and research activities without toomuch eort.

Our society both rom a national and global perspective needs experts that havespecialised in the problematic o sustainable development through the principle opermeability and that have specialised in the dierent aspects o sustainable development.It is imperative that this be taken into account in the planning and implementation oteaching in higher education.


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4.3Developingteachingandstudymaterials

The plan or implementation did not include separate projects or the production o studymaterial or sustainable development education. The rule in Finnish tertiary educationestablishments is that every teacher independently choose and produce the study material

needed. No provisions have been made or the ollow-up o how tertiary educationestablishments are going about producing teaching and study material on sustainabledevelopment nor has there been any talk o anchoring such development activity with theBaltic 21E -programme.

Branch specifc study material promoting sustainable development has been producedboth in a virtual ormat and as traditional printed textbooks. Study material is typicallyproduced within the ramework o projects and usually with the involvement o severaltertiary education establishments. The projects have promoted expertise o an open andcommunal sort and they have enhanced communication between dierent educationsectors and tertiary education institutions while striving to achieve the goals o sustainable

development ostering education.The Ministry o Education granted bo Akademi University project unding or 20042006 or the creation and up-dating o a website on education or sustainable development(among other things). The website (www.bup.f) has been done in collaboration with theBUP Secretariat (Uppsala University, BUP stands or Baltic University Programme). Thewebsite works as a portal leading to various sources o inormation, and it also unctionsas a bulletin board and a orum or exchanging ideas. Part o the unding allocated to boAkademi University was used to organise the seminars that are described more in detail inchapters fve and six.

Work on teaching material and related literature within the BUP network has involved

teachers and researchers rom the whole Baltic region. Experts representing various feldshave planned common packages as well as produced cases and models to be used inteaching. During the past decade or so, the BUP network has produced eight text booksand 30 booklets. One such publication is called Environmental Science: understanding,protecting, and managing the environment in the Baltic Sea Region (Baltic University Press,Uppsala 2003). The book was co-authored by 80 researchers and teachers rom 12 dierentcountries. Teaching material also includes an additional 43 television programmes, most owhich present case studies rom a particular area in the Baltic region.

Here are some examples o the web-based study material or sustainable developmentthat are being worked on in projects:

Virtual study material on the archipelago

My archipelago (Turku University o Applied Sciences)

The project involves building an archipelago in a virtual environment and constructing

a study package on its protection. Web study material aiming to support and complement

the package is also being put together. A multiorum realised by the Turku University o

Applied Sciences and the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation YLE serves as a learning

environment.

ELMO Virtual Education and Learning Materials

o Environmental Issues (Lahti University o Applied Sciences)

This project is about developing virtual teaching with the university sector, the aim being

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to create a 20 to 30 study credit package on Management o Environmental Aairs or

higher education institutions in Lahti. Project partners include the Lahti University o

Applied Sciences (administration), the University o Helsinkis Department o Ecological and

Environmental Sciences and Institute or Art Research, the International Institute o Applied

Aesthetics (KSEI ry), the Helsinki University o Technology Lahti Center, Tampere University

o Technology Lahti, the University o Helsinkis Palmenia Centre or Continuing Education,

and several businesses.

Multidisciplinary sustainable development know-how in a virtual

learning environment (Helia University o Business and Applied Sciences)

The Multidisciplinary sustainable development know-how project is being implemented

within the ramework o a virtual polytechnics, and is coordinated by the Helia University

o Business and Applied Sciences). The aim o the production ring (tuontantorengas)

is to create cooperation networks between experts rom dierent elds and between

polytechnics. It also aims to enhance the proessional knowledge that students and

teachers have on sustainable development. The aim is to take all aspects o sustainable

development into consideration, so themes include socially sustainable development,the state o the environment and ollow-up, sustainable tourism and sustainable

consumption. The production ring is maintained by seven polytechnics.

ICT-Sustour (Turku University o Applied Sciences)

The idea behind the Sustainable Education in Tourism through ICT in Education

(ICT-Sustour) is to develop sustainable web-based tourism studies in collaboration

with European tertiary education establishments and business partners. ICT-Sustour is

an international collaboration project belonging that is part o the EUs Minerva programme.

The main goal o the project is to create ICT based tools and resources or tourism

studies that are environment and sustainable development sensitive.

The a publication intended or enhancing know-how called Korkeakouluopetus kestvksi opas YK:n kestv kehityst edistvn koulutuksen vuosikymment varten (Making highereducation sustainable a handbook on the UNs Decade o Education or SustainableDevelopment, edited by Taina Kaivola and Liisa Rohweder) was published in connectionwith the pilot phase or universities and polytechnics.

A handbook on promoting sustainable development or university and polytechnicsteachers was produced at the same time. Nearly 30 experts rom polytechnics, universitiesand expert organizations participated in the project. The book is also recommended readingor teachers working in other educational establishments.

The book

denes and gives examples o concepts related to the promotion o sustainable development

increases understanding on how sustainable development can be promoted in actual

teaching and instructing situations in higher education establishments

describes the our aspects o sustainable development (ecological, social, economic and

cultural) in an integrating and harmonizing manner with examples related to teaching

using examples o best practice, provide dierent models on how to integrate issues

promoting sustainable development into teaching in dierent education sectors.

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4.4Developinginternationalcooperation

Finnish universities have a long history o cooperation with other universities in the Balticregion. Finnish universities thereore did not have to put much eort into consolidatingregional cooperation as the Baltic 21E -programme so emphatically requires because

the groundwork had already been done. The Baltic University Programme (BUP) networkhad already been established in 1991, as had several other research programmes and otherproject programmes. That is why it was convened during the plan or implementation thatuniversities would actively be inormed o these networks and research programmes andthat they would be actively encouraged to join these networks.

The BUP network is a broad network open or all tertiary education establishments reeo charge. Higher education establishments are ree to decide what courses they want to oerand they are to cover the expenses o any study material needed themselves. Collaboration ismade ofcial through agreements. The programme is coordinated by a secretariat located inUppsala University and national centres. The network is used to plan and organise courses,

about organising teacher and researcher seminars and meetings and student events as wellas tie new partnerships with various societal actors through seminars and projects. Thesecretariat and the national centres are in charge o inorming relevant parties on events andprojects, which they mainly do by using the Internet.

Polytechnics have also ormed a Baltic Sea Sustainable Development Network, whichwas coordinated by the Laurea University o Applied Sciences in 20042005. The aim othe network project has been to bring together the nine states surrounding the Baltic Sea(Finland, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and Russia) so asto promote education or sustainable development, research and development activities. 34higher education establishments have expressed interest in the network. A partnership day

was organised in Tallinn in 2004, and one in Kaunas in 2005 and one in Szczecin in 2005.In Finland, the network operates in cooperation with the Baltic University Programme.Several teachers and researchers belong to both networks.

Development cooperation and sustainable development overlap considerably, asbecame evident in chapter two o this report. Finnish universities took an active interest indevelopment cooperation already in the 1960s. There have been comprehensive educationprogrammes blending the two in orestry, health care and water supply and sewage, suchas the sanitation and water management education programme at Tampere University oTechnology rom 1979 to 1992. 120 east Aricans graduated rom the programme with amasters degree o Science in Technology. The Academy o Finland has fnanced development

research since the 1970s. From 1990 onwards, the Academy o Finland and the Ministry orForeign Aairs have co-fnanced development research, and according to the developmentresearch strategy adopted in 2005, this cooperation should continue in the uture.


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5 The preparation processo polytechnics 20022005

It was agreed within the ramework o the Baltic 21E -programmes plan or implementationthat polytechnics should develop and adopt sustainable development steering and ollow-up systems, that they develop skills related to sustainable development by integratingthe sustainable development perspective into curricula and by increasing research anddevelopment projects that promote sustainable development. At the perormance targetnegotiations every polytechnic was oered the chance o presenting its plans and developmentproposals or sustainable development ostering projects.

5.1Developingactionstrategies

Work on developing action strategies was started during the pilot phase. So ar, only aew polytechnics have devised an environmental and sustainable development steering andollow-up plan (or eg. Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia, Kymenlaakso University o AppliedSciences, Turku University o Applied Sciences and Sydvst Polytechnic).

There has been growing interest in developing action strategies. In particular, polytechnicshave sought to orm a network via the SUDENET network (Polytechnic Network or

Sustainable Development) launched by the Kymenlaakso University o Applied Sciences soas to learn rom each other on the development o suitable steering and ollow-up systems. Inpartnership with the OKKA-Foundation (Teaching, Education and Schooling Foundation),the SUDENET network serves as a orum or developing environmental system criteriaand sel-assessment tools that are suitable or polytechnics. Five polytechnics are in thepilot project (Haaga University o Applied Sciences, Laurea University o Applied Sciences,Oulu Polytechnic, North Karelia University o Applied Sciences and Sydvst Polytechnic).A model intended or polytechnics and based on experiences gathered rom the pilot phasewill be developed in spring 2006. The model will help polytechnics to assess their operationsand apply or environmental certifcates. In addition, a survey is being conducted so as

to determine how environmental systems could be developed so that the system wouldencompass all aspects o sustainable development, and whether it would be worth whileextending the project beyond Finlands borders into some o the other Baltic states.


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SUDENET network includes a roster o experts through which know-how on sustainabledevelopment can be passed on to all polytechnics.

Some polytechnics have a designated advisory body o experts (or eg. Laurea Universityo Applied Sciences, Turku University o Applied Sciences and Syvst Polytechnics) thatpresents extended initiatives and reorms pertinent to sustainable development and monitorstheir implementation. Whats more, many polytechnics have appointed a head teacheror sustainable development who is in cha

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Sustainable development in education