Vitor Manteigas
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Title: FIFTEEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: THE REALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION AROUND THE WORLD
Biography
Biography: Vitor Manteigas
Abstract
In recent years, the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has been a part, all over the world, of the discourse associated to education. The UN, by designating the period 2005-2014 as the Decade of ESD, sought to bring to the fore the need for policy makers and education professionals find ways in which the ESD could become an integral part of formal and non-formal education. The objective of this work involves (i) identify the different programs that educational institutions have used to work the issues of ESD and (ii) know and state the scientific nature of work that has been developed, associated with ESD, in the educational institutions, focusing on higher education, for the past 15 years. In order to ensure the achievement of the objectives set, was analyzed the final report of the Decade of ESD, with further research of scientific papers. Of the programs listed in the final report, Eco-Schools is recognized by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as the largest international network of teachers and students from around the world. The designations associated to educational institutions, which have been developing work within ESD programs, has not been consensual. This may cause confusion in what concerns the existing programs. Regarding the Eco-Schools the used designations are different ("Eco-Schools" and "Green-Schools" for basic and secondary education and "Eco- Universities", "Eco-Campus" and "Green Campus" for higher education). Most of the work of the schools gives emphasis to structural issues of schools (school building), energy issues and sustainability.