Education for Sustainable Development: From Global Agendas toLocal Actions
United Nations University
Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)
Autumn 2023
Location: 6F Lecture Room, United Nations University, Tokyo
Time: Wednesday 9:30 – 11:10 (4 October 2023 till 17 January 2024)
Half day sessions 9:30 – 13:00 (15 November, 6 December, and 10 January)
Lecturer: Shengru Li (li@unu.edu)
Office hours: by appointment

Course Description
This 2-credit course offers a comprehensive exploration of Education for Sustainable Development(ESD), focusing on its role in addressing global challenges and fostering sustainable societal change.
The course delves into the fundamental principles of ESD, its importance in achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), and its potential to inspire lifelong learning. Through a combination ofengaging lectures, interactive activities, field visits, and thought-provoking documentaries, students
will critically analyse innovative teaching methodologies, stakeholder engagement strategies, andcommunity-driven development approaches within the realm of ESD. Students will study therelationship between global agendas and local actions in ESD and explore the sustainability issues inlocal communities. The course will then introduce innovative ESD programs and policies, learning
environments, teachers, youth, and community involvement through case studies.
Students will work in groups to develop analysis presentations for sustainability education practises
in Europe and challenges faced by youth in China. The guiding questions to develop your presentation
will be shared during the course. By the end of the course, students will have a thorough understandingof the importance of ESD in achieving the 17 SDGs by 2030 and will have the skills to analyse andaddress local sustainability issues through education.

Course Objectives and Learning Goals
1. Understand the role of education for sustainable development (ESD) in achieving sustainable
development goals (SDGs) from an inclusive and lifelong learning perspective.
2. Learn about the theories and practices of rural development and poverty reduction, with a focus

on participatory approaches and the role of community involvement.
3. Examine the societal, economic, and environmental contexts underpinning the educational
practices and outcomes depicted in the documentaries.

Requirements and Grading PolicyAssessment and group work structures:- Attendance and class participation (20%)- Paper assignment (20%, individual work by 29 Nov 2023)
o A short paper on a global or local sustainability issue of your interest, potential benefits
and challenges in addressing the issues with ESD, and potential learners and rationales(max 1,500 words)- Group presentation #1 on documentary analysis “Education for Sustainable Future – Inspiring
Practices from Europe” (30%, group presentation on 13 Dec)o Random groups will be formed to identify good practices of addressing environmental
issues and sustainable environmental development by educational institutions in various
national contexts in Europe.
- Group presentation #2 on documentary analysis “China’s Slacker Youths: Why They Went From'Lying Flat' To 'Let It Rot” (30%, group presentation on 17 Jan)o Random groups will be formed to analyse the reasons behind the phenomenon of “TangPing” or lying flat in China, investigate how education is playing a role in shaping thisphenomenon, and examine how education may be able to address the challenge.
Assessment Criteria:
1. Understanding and application of ESD concepts and principles
Evaluate the student's ability to understand and apply the concepts and principles of ESD, ascovered in the course material and lectures.
2. Analysis and reflection
Evaluate the student's ability to critically analyse and reflect on the documentary presented in
the course, and to relate them to the ESD concepts and development theories discussed.
3. Group work and presentation
Evaluate the student's ability to work effectively in a group and to present their group's analysis
and reflection on the documentary and educational intervention proposal.

Grading scale:
United Nations University Grades
GradeMeaningsLetter
GradeNumerical Scale of Marks (Forreference)

Grade Point Average (Forreference)ExcellentA

90-100%480%-89%

3Good

B

70-79%

2Adequate

C60-69%1Inadequate

D0-59%

0General Criteria: Each written assignment should be in MS format and single-spaced, 12-point
Times New Roman font. All written assignments must have a title, a proper introduction andconclusion section and all material that is used to support the student’s argument must be clearlycited. For the in-text citations and the bibliography, we suggest that students use APA style citations.
A reference or bibliography page should come after the end of each written assignment. Reference
programs such as Endnote, Citavi, RefWorks or Mendeley are very useful for collecting, organisingand formatting citations and students are strongly encouraged to make use of these. Assignments
should be carefully edited for grammar and spelling before submission – British English will be usedfor spelling rules in this course.

Course Outline
No.
12

3

4

56, 78Description
Introduction• Global challenges: How much
do we know?
• Learning goals• Overview of assignments
Lecture:• Introduction to ESD: Whyeducation?
• SDG4: Education 2030 Agenda• ESD and lifelong learning
Lecture:• Introduction to ESD: Trends,
main issues and remaining
challenges• ESD 2030 Roadmap: Fivepriority areas
Lecture:• Innovative pedagogies forsustainable teaching
Lecture:• Stakeholder analysis on fast fashion

Date
4 Oct

Field visit:• School or institution promoting
initiatives on education forsustainable development in or
around Tokyo
Lecture:• ESD: Global agenda to local actions• Cases: Innovative ESD programmes(policies, learning environment,teachers, youth, and communityinvolvement)• What are main sustainability issues
in your local community?

15 Nov(half day)

Assignment

Instructor
Li11 Oct

Li18 Oct

Li

25 OctSawaros(guestlecturer)
Sawaros(guestlecturer)
Li

8 Nov

22 Nov

Li

9Lecture:• Case study: Sustainable use of ICT
to develop teacher training materials
in schools in Mongolia”

29 Nov

10, 11

Lecture and Documentary:• Putting the first last – outsider
dilemma• Putting the last first – communitydriven development approaches• Documentary: “Education forSustainable Future – Inspiring
Practices from Europe”• Group work for presentation
development
Student Presentation

6 Dec(half day)Lecture and Documentary:• Beyond formulaic approaches for
local community involvement• Documentary: “China’s Slacker
Youths: Why They Went From
'Lying Flat' To 'Let It Rot'”• Group work for presentation
development
Student Presentation

10 Jan(half day)

1213, 1415

13 Dec17 JanDue date forthe short
paper

Oyun
Tsogtsaikhan(guestlecturer)
LiGrouppresentation#1

LiLiGroup
presentation#2

LiCourse Readings by Lecture
Session 2
UNESCO. (2016). Unpacking Sustainable Development Goal 4 Education 2030. UNESCO.
Session 3Wiek, A., Withycombe, L., & Redman, C. L. (2011). Key competencies in sustainability: a reference
framework for academic program development. Sustainability Science, 6(2), 203-218.
Session 8
Alsop, S., Dippo, D., & Zandvliet, D. B. (2007). Teacher education as or for social and ecologicaltransformation: Place‐based reflections on local and global participatory methods and collaborative
practices. Journal of Education for Teaching, 33(2), 207-223.
Jacob Institute. (2019). Respecting our Relations: Dori Tunstall on Decolonizing Design.
https://jacobsdesigncal.medium.com/respecting-our-relations-dori-tunstall-on-decolonizing- designd894df4c2ed2
UNESCO. (2014). UNESCO roadmap for implementing the global action programme on education
for sustainable development.
UNU-IAS. (2021). Tackling Climate Action at the Local Level: Education for Sustainable
Development Projects from the Global RCE Network.
Session 10, 11
Chambers, R., “Rural poverty unperceived,” in Rural Development: Putting the Last First. Pearson,
1983, ch. 1, pp. 1-27.
Chambers, R., “Whose Knowledge?” in Rural Development: Putting the Last First, Pearson, 1983,ch.4, pp.75-102.
Session 13, 14
Hailey, J., "Beyond the Formulaic: Process and Practice in South Asian NGOs" in Participation: thenew tyranny?, Cooke, B., and Kothari, U. eds, Zed Books, London, 2001, pp. 89-101.

Important Information
Class Conduct & Etiquette
Students are expected to arrive on time and not to engage in disruptive behaviours duringclass, e.g., private conversations, using cell phones and other electronic devices, and reading
newspapers. Cell phones should be switched off and stored in a bag. We wish to create an
atmosphere of open and tolerant discussion in the classroom and request students recognise
every individual’s right to have an opinion. The lecturer and other students should be treatedwith dignity and respect, particularly in discussions on contentious political issues wherediverse opinions are likely to arise. However, we also recognise tolerance limits, and thelecturer reserves the right to request disciplinary action against any student who violates thispolicy or repeatedly shows disruptive behaviours in class.
Academic Misconduct
If evidence of academic misconduct on tasks and final test should be found, the student mayreceive a failing grade for the entire course and will be reported to the appropriate authorities
for disciplinary action.
Computer Use in Class
The use of computers (including tablets) in the classroom is restricted to taking notes,
reading the course material, or searching for course-related information on the internet. Any
disruption of the class by cell phones, instant messaging programs, or other communication
devices will not be tolerated. The lecturer reserves the right to revoke this permission if a
student is found using a computer for any non-course-related activities.
Plagiarism & Academic Misconduct
Please be aware that the consequences of plagiarism are severe, and students found guilty ofacademic misconduct will be punished in accordance with UNU’s academic honesty policies.
The lecturer reserves the right to run all assignments through anti-plagiarism software
provided by the UNU. If evidence of academic misconduct on the assigned presentations, themid-term exam or the final essay should be found, the assignment will receive a failing grade.
In case of repeated violations of academic conduct, the student may receive a failing grade forthe entire course and will be reported to the appropriate authorities for disciplinary action.