1. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo1 Halfway through the UN-Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) “ Lessons learned and missions to follow in Higher Education ” September 22-23, 2009 in Turku, Finland hosted by Åbo Akademi University in collaboration with The Finnish National Commission for UNESCO Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Roadmap for the conference

2. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo2 Why are we gathering here at Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU)? ÅAU has due to a number of background activities & connections between networks (and sometimes just due to pure coincidence; being at the right place at right time; meeting dedicated people) got more and more involved in projects on Education Sustainable Development: so before the Roadmap A brief overview on ÅAU for ESD: Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU

3. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo3  Åbo Akademi University has been acting as The Finnish National Centre for the International Baltic University Programme Network (BUP) ever since the programme started in 1991  During 2004-2006 ÅAU received project funding via the Finnish Ministry of Education to support the implementation of the Baltic 21 E- process in Higher Education; within the framework of The Baltic University Programme Network & UNECE-strategies etc (in practice eg: arranging international teachers training conferences on ESD for the whole Baltic Sea region, national seminars, building an ESD-website for the whole BUP-network in co-operation with the BUP-secretariat in Uppsala, and by support for strategic ESD-processes at the Finnish Ministry of Education)  ÅAU is now also hosting: a National Resource Centre for ESD in Higher Education (also through funding by the Finnish Ministry of Education during 2007-2009) to: Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU

4. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo4 The National Resource Centre for ESD in Higher Education is co-ordinated by Åbo Akademi University: via it´s Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL-ÅAU), through funding by the Finnish Ministry of Education (2007-2009) and is eg:  Supporting the implementation of sustainability issues into all activities of institutions of higher education and interactions with the surrounding society by eg:  Arranging seminars, workshops and conferences on sustainability issues for teachers, researchers, educational planners and other stakeholders  Maintaining a national and international website in co-operation with the BUP-secretariat at Uppsala university: http://www.bup.fi/ providing links to events, networks, references (textbooks, publications, didactic methods, course descriptions and other tools) promoting education for sustainable development  The work is enhanced by a network of appointed contact persons from all Finnish universities and Universities of Applied sciences: ”Keke-foruumi” a national SD-forum within Higher Education: Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU

5. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo5 The National SD/ESD-forum ”Keke-foorumi” is a Network of contact persons (appointed by their rectors) along with any other representatives, from most of the Finnish Institutions of Higher Education. This ”SD-family” is in principal open for anybody involved in Higher Education, and is meeting at least 2-3 times/year to discuss differerent SD/ESD topics, in different places hosted by it´s local universities! By today this forum is representing the following Finnish Universities* & Universities of Applied Sciences*: Hanken Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration, Tampere University of Technology, Turku School of Economics, University of Arts and Design in Helsinki, University of Helsinki, University of Joensuu, University of Jyväskylä, University of Kuopio, University of Oulu, University of Turku, University of Vaasa, Åbo Akademi University. Haaga-Helia University of Applied Science, Jyväskylä University of Applied Science, Kymenlaakso University of Applied Science, Lahti University of Applied Science, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Mikkeli University of Applied Science,North Karelia University of Applied Science, Novia University of Applied Science, Oulu University of Applied Science, Pirkanmaa University of Applied Science, Satakunta University of Applied Science, Savonia University of Applied Science, Seinäjoki University of Applied Science, South Karelia University of Applied Science, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (*some will change names or consolidate due to the on-going university reform process in Finland during 2009!!) Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU

6. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo6 ÅAU is also an active Member of the UniPID-network (Finnish Universities Partnership for International Development, co- ordinated by Jyväskylä University (www.jyu.fi/hallinto/unipid/en) contributing with 3 courses within the ”UniPID-virtual studies: Sustainability in Development”. This whole Internet-based study programme is - by today - providing 14 different courses a´5 ECT, and is also offering the Minor subject: Development Studies Programme (25 ECTS) to it´s member universities. Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU

7. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo7 Why are we here today? This conference will hopefully focus on eg: Learning about Education for Sustainable Development “Safeguarding & “Sustaining” Higher Education” Learning for Sustainable Development Roadmap for the conference cont Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU

8. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo8 The main focus is NOT TO:  review the present ecological-, socio-economical and cultural “un- sustainable development”  or to review international, intergovernmental, national or regional declarations and strategies in detail BUT TO:  review the framework for SD & ESD in Higher Education  evaluate and define the need for change in Higher Education  provide tools and motivation for a more holistic view; interconnecting environmental, socio-cultural, ethical and economic perspectives into Higher Education  discuss & urge for actions to meet the challenges in providing Higher Education VIA:  discussing & reviewing general incentives, obstacles and means for implementing ESD in Higher Education  presenting some cases & good practice from different fields & research based evaluations of learning outcome IN ORDER TO:  Motivate and dedicate us to promote tools and skills for professional and personal actions for SUSTAINABILITY  Realize the urge for change of Higher Education (also to - in the long run - “Safeguarding” & “Sustaining Higher Education” as such (!?) Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Roadmap for the conference cont

9. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo9 Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Some Challenges : How to manage to interconnect and merge the issues around SD & ESD into research and curricula- development eg: i) since most teachers & researchers still lack the courage, tools and/or experiences from inter- disciplinary projects! ii) since many funding organization still consider these issues as ”risky investment” or as “a task of interest for someone else” iii) since many/ or most evaluators/reviewers still lack the courage or consider these issues as “non-scientific” or “weak” Roadmap for the conference cont

10. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo10 We welcome, expect and urge all our participants to contribute to define & sort out, evaluate & determine: our lessons to be learned our missions to be followed our actions to be taken in order to meet the challenges of WHY, HOW, WHAT, WHEN regarding: ESD in Higher Education - on & for Sustainability Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Roadmap for the conference cont

11. Åbo Akademi University - Domkyrkotorget 3 - 20500 Åbo11 i.e.: Learning more about Sustainability (SD). Learning more about Education for & on Sustainable Development (ESD) create new incentives To create new incentives - through stronger joint actions, - by providing concrete means, - motivating (forcing) institutions and individuals representing Higher individuals representing Higher Education to enhance ESD Education to enhance ESD In order to - re-direct the education & research - introduce more interdisciplinary communication, communication, - meet the need for more holistic analysis - provide skill for “responsible citizenship” - speed up the building of ”bricks, bridges - & staircases” to support a more SUSTAINABLE development in general SUSTAINABLE development in general And also in order to as such: - Safeguard & Sustain Higher Education Ea Maria Blomqvist * Responsible co-ordinator for the present DESD-conference. Environmental & SD/ESD-co-ordinator for Åbo Akademi University (since1999). Co-ordinator for National & International projects on ESD; funded via eg the Finnish Ministry of Education. Member of the BUP-family & The Finnish National BUP-centre team. Executive Board member for UniPID-network. Committee member for the co-ordination of ”UniPID-Virtual studies: Sustainability in Development” E-mail: ea.blomqvist(at)abo.fi http://web.abo.fi/miljo/ & http://www.bup.fi/ * As a course-teacher climbing on-board the Tall ship ”Fryderyk Chopin” on the photo above. Photo: Sinikka Suomalainen. Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU Ea Maria Blomqvist, ÅAU