Deadline Extended: 2020 ProSPER.Net Membership Applications

Applications for membership to ProSPER.Net for 2020 have been extended until the end of this month, on 31 May, 2020 (11:59pm JST). Membership is limited to higher education institutions located in the Asia-Pacific region that offer postgraduate education and research in sustainable development (SD) and in fields related to education for sustainable development (ESD). An affiliate membership category is also open to higher education institutions located outside the Asia-Pacific region who are interested in working together with the network for the benefit of the region. Read more about the application process and how to apply here.

Call For Entries: 2020 SEAMEO-Japan ESD Award

(Photo source: SEAMEO)

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT) in cooperation with the UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education are pleased to announce the 2020 SEAMEO-Japan Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Award, with the theme 'Addressing Plastic Problems for Transforming Communities'. The objectives of the award are:

• To raise awareness of ESD in schools and communities across Southeast Asia;

• To promote ESD best practices in schools and communities across Southeast Asia;

• To share and exchange knowledge and best practices on ESD in schools across Southeast Asia and Japan;

• To encourage networking among schools and communities which implement ESD practices in Southeast Asian countries and Japan; and

• To support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

All public and private kindergarten/elementary/secondary/vocational and technical schools within 11 Southeast Asian countries are eligible to apply (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam).

The school awarded 1st prize will receive USD 1,500 and a study tour to Japan, with prizes of USD 1,000 and USD 500 for 2nd and 3rd prizes respectively. In addition, there will be a special prize of USD 1,000 from the SEAMEO Secretariat for the best programme carried out in small schools of less than 250 students. The deadline for submissions is 14 August, 2020. Further information and details on how to apply can be found here.

Call for Applications: ESD Okayama Award 2020

(Photo source: Okayama City)

RCE Okayama and the ESD Okayama Award Steering Committee are pleased to announce that the 'ESD Okayama Award 2020' is now open for entries.

The Award rewards outstanding ESD practices in local communities around the world to showcase ESD and to support organisations carrying out ESD activities.

• Eligibility: Organisations based in any country, including Japan, implementing ESD activities in local communities are eligible to apply for the Award

• Prize: USD 3,000

• Number of award-winning projects: Up to two (2) projects

• Award Ceremony: Award winners will be invited to the Award Ceremony in Okayama, Japan and be requested to give a presentation on the project

• Deadline for applications: 31 July, 2020, 5pm (Japan Standard Time)

For more details (application guidelines, application form and information about former award-winning projects of the ESD Okayama Award), please visit the official website.

New Publication Celebrates Award-Winning RCE Project Contributions to ESD

This new publication launched by UNU-IAS, 'RCE Contributions to a More Sustainable World: Celebrating Five Years of Innovative Projects on Education for Sustainable Development (2015-2019)' highlights and celebrates some of the outstanding contributions that Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCEs) have made to implement the UN's SDGs through education at local and regional levels, during the first five years of the SDGs as well as the Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD from 2015-2019.

Featuring 12 education projects which have all been recipients of the RCE Awards over the last five years, the collection of case studies demonstrate how RCEs have addressed local sustainable development challenges with innovative solutions, and provide diverse examples of how the SDGs can be implemented at the local level through quality education, training and public awareness.

Projects range from focusing on sustainable agricultural practices, curriculum development, how cities can respond to climate change, green infrastructure, public transportation, food security, teacher training, the development of pedagogic frameworks, and much more – all underpinned by education. As a result, the impacts of the projects featured have served to educate communities around areas such as water conservation, nutrition, climate action, protecting marine environments, sea level rise and flooding, and sustainable consumption and production. View the publication here