A UN Decade of Education for

Sustainable Development:
What difference will it make?

Daniella Tilbury

Professor of Sustainability
University of Gloucestershire

Chair, UN Global
Monitoring and Evaluation
Expert Group for DESD
(MEEG)
 A UN Decade of ESD

The UN General Assembly declared 2005- 2014 a UN Decade of Education for

Sustainable Development (DESD).

The launch of the DESD marked the beginning of a worldwide movement which seeks to improve opportunities and quality in ESD.

As a global initiative, the DESD is challenging education sectors to reorient their activities towards sustainable development and to play a leading role in championing
change.
A UN Decade of ESD

Brief Presentation:

1. Intentions and realities Identify ways in which the UK FHE

of the DESD. Sector could contribute to international
activities set in motion by the Decade.

2. Monitoring and
evaluation processes of Raise questions about what the sector
the DESD can achieve by 2015 under the banner
of the Decade.
3. Some reflection on what
DESD can mean to the UK
FHE sector.
The Intentions of the DESD

DESD Goal:
to provide every person access to education and learning that brings about societal
change and a more sustainable future

DESD Objectives

a. To give an enhanced profile to the central role of education and learning in the
common pursuit of SD

b. To facilitate links and networking, exchange, interaction among stakeholders in

ESD

c. Provide a space and opportunity for refining and promoting a vision of and transition
to SD – through all forms of learning

d. To foster increased quality of teaching and learning in ESD

e. To develop strategies at every level to strengthen capacity in ESD

Learning our way to Sustainability
 BUY!!!!
•
BUY!!!!
BUY!!!!
 •

Copyright Macquarie University 8

‘I expect you all to be independent, innovative, critical thinkers, who will do exactly as I say.’
A UN Decade of ESD
Critical reflective thinking
Understanding complexity /
systemic thinking
Futures thinking
Planning and managing change
Understanding inter-
relationships across disciplines
Applying learning in a variety of
life-wide contexts
Decision-making, including in
uncertain situations
Dealing with crises and risks
Acting responsibly
Able to identify and clarify values
Acting with responsibility, locally &
globally
Acting with respect for others
Identifying stakeholders and their
interests
Participating in democratic decision-
making
Negotiating and consensus building
The Realities of the DESD

The scope of the DESD

is broad and its potential
effects far reaching
However,

If successful the DESD • No Mandate

could transform not only
education but also
quality of life of many • No New Resources
across the globe.
• Limited Understanding
of ESD in Nat Coms and
National and Regional
Authorities
The Realities of the DESD

DESD Activities

• Launches

• Rebadging of current activities

• Celebratory launches and events

Effective way of promoting the DESD and

raising awareness about its objectives;
however, on their own, they do not provide a
sufficient platform for learning or capacity
building

Business as Usual??
A UN Decade of ESD

UNESCO have initiated a global monitoring and evaluation process to track developments.

The DESD evaluation process is provoking questions about:

Where are we at?

Where are we going?
What difference can a Decade make?
Global Monitoring and Evaluation

UNESCO was designated as the lead agency and

has responsibility of establishing mechanisms for
monitoring and evaluation.

It will on progress to the UN GA in 2010 and the

UNESCO Executive Board at the end of each Biennium.

Reports are expected in:

2009 focus on contexts and structure

2011 focus on process and learning
2015 focus on impacts and outcomes
Developing a Global Framework

UNESCO established a Monitoring and Evaluation

Expert Group (MEEG) to assist in developing a
global framework which could assist with:

(a) tracking global progress in ESD;

(b) to assess UNESCO's own contribution to

the implementation of the DESD.
The Global Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework

The framework is underpinned by the ESD

. major thrusts for DESD and global milestones
identified by International Implementation
Scheme (2005).

It is important to develop a GMEF which is

simple, focused and effective and seen as
valid by various stakeholders.
The Global Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework

The GMEF Combines:

.
• self-reporting,
• participatory monitoring and
• expert evaluation

to increase opportunities for engagement as

well as assure representation and validity of
data.
The Global Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework
The Global Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework has 5 components:
.

Questionnaires

Research Reports

Stakeholder Engagement

Longitudinal Assessments

Self-reporting process and portfolio of

evidence
The Global Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework
The Questionnaires:

. - To be completed at country level.

- Seek to increase awareness of DESD.

- Provide opportunities for self reflection and

reporting.

- Information provided will serve as baseline data for

research reports.

- National agencies encouraged to involve a range of

stakeholders in collecting and collating responses.
The Global Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework

Stakeholder Engagement
.
- National stakeholder engagement in questionnaire
process.

- Regional stakeholder engagement in collation of

regional data and insights.

- International stakeholder engagement through Global

Stakeholder Groups.
The Global Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework

Evaluation Research
. - Commission regional teams and a global leader

- Reports will identify common issues, assess

changes and capture innovation across the regions
(bringing data ‘alive’).

- Provide snapshots using questionnaire data,

documentary analysis and telephone interviews
with key stakeholders (for cycle 1).
The Global Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework
Longitudinal Assessments

- It is important to capture depth and impact

.
of changes.

- Need to capture experiences over time and

in-depth case studies.

- This option is costly and a detailed proposal

is to be developed.

- UNESCO and UNTWIN Chairs encouraged to

play a role.
The Global Monitoring and Evaluation
Framework
ESD Indicators

Indicators provide a way to assess ESD progress

. during the DESD.

Indicators help provide key pieces of information

that summarise:

What is happening in ESD at a point in time (status

indicators);

What has been put in place to assist the

development of ESD (facilitative indicators);

What has been learnt in the process of

implementing ESD (learning indicators);

What has changed (effect indicators); and

What progress has been made (performance

indicators).
Participation for Change

International Level

Mid Decade Review Germany (2009)

www.unesco.education/ESD

UNECE report (2007-2015)

www.unece/env.ed/esd.org

Swedish National Commission ESD Seminar

(Oct 2008)
A UN Decade of ESD

In the UK:

– In the UK the UK Nat Com for UNESCO (UKNC) is

responsible for implementing and reporting on DESD.

– It is currently developing a report which provides baseline

data on ESD in the UK and measures progress during the
DESD.

(contact Sammejias@gmail.com
What difference will the DESD make to the
FHE sector?
Finally ….

‘Not everything that counts can be

counted. Not everything that can be
counted counts.’

Albert Einstein