Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Core-to-Core Program
Formation of International Center of Excellence to Promote Teacher Education on ESD
The 5th Meeting of the Asian Network to Promote Teacher Education on ESD:
Towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through Education
Co-organized by Okayama University, Indonesia University of Education, JSPS and UNESCO Bangkok(Bandung, 28 – 29 October 2018)
1. Background
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which UNESCO leads and coordinates globally since 2005, iscurrently promoted worldwide through the Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD as well as through theSustainable Development Goal 4 on education under Target 4.7. ESD is also a vital means ofimplementation for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and a key enabler of all the Sustainable
Development Goals, as reaffirmed by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 72/222.
Okayama University holds the only UNITWIN/UNESCO chair program on ESD in Asian countries and is a key
member of the Okayama Regional Centre of Expertise on ESD established by the United Nations University.
It has energetically promoted teacher education for ESD, and in November 2014 at the UNESCO World
Conference on ESD, it cooperated with the International Network of Teacher Education Institutions forReorienting Teacher Education to Address Sustainability to organize the Eighth International Conference ofthe network. Moreover, together with RCE Okayama, Okayama University developed its teacher training
programs focusing on pre-service and in-service teachers in cooperation with the Associated Schools
Project University Network (ASPUnivNet), a network of 20 universities in Japan that works to support
UNESCO ASP schools. These tangible results led the Okayama ESD Project to win the UNESCO/Japan Prize
on ESD in September 2016. Moreover, Okayama University received the special prize in the First Japan
SDGs Awards in December 2017.
Building on the above achievements, Okayama University launched the core-to-core program (2017-2019)“Formation of International Center of Excellence to Promote Teacher Education on ESD” with an aim tobring together teacher education institutions from different countries in Asia to jointly develop teacher
training programs on ESD based on Lesson Study, a collaborative approach to learning and professional
development for teachers. In addition to Okayama University (Japan), Indonesia University of Education(Indonesia) and other universities (China, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR, Mongolia and Myanmar) are the core
institutions of the program. The program also aims to establish core institutions on teacher education forESD, create academic networks for ESD and foster future generations of ESD researchers. Through fourmeetings of the Asian Network to Promote Teacher Education on ESD held in Okayama, Kyoto, Ulan Bator
and Toyama since June 2017, the program members have discussed the integration of teacher educationand ESD and the development of frameworks and recommendations to reorient teacher education in Asia
to address sustainability.
Also beginning in 2017, UNESCO Bangkok, together with the Southeast Asian Ministers of EducationOrganization Secretariat (SEAMES), embarked on the project Sustainability Begins with Teachers: Integrating
ESD in Teacher Education in Southeast Asia with the financial support of the Government of Japan. The
project led to the creation of the Southeast Asia ESD (SEA-ESD) Network, a network of teacher educators

committed to ESD from 25 teacher education institutions and universities across Southeast Asia.
In order to bring together the participants of the two networks to exchange experiences and provide
further discussion opportunities for the project members, Okayama University and Indonesia University ofEducation jointly propose to organize, in cooperation with JSPS and UNESCO Bangkok, the 5th Meeting ofthe Asian Network to Promote Teacher Education on ESD: Towards Achieving Sustainable Development
Goal through Education in Bandung on 28 – 29 October 2018.
2. Objectives
1) To provide a forum for the Asian Network members and the SEA ESD network members toexchange their experiences in integrating ESD in teacher education.
2) For the Asian Network members to report on the progress made in the joint research “theDevelopment of Frameworks of Teacher Education Program on ESD based on Lesson Study”.
3) To discuss a tentative framework of a teacher education program on Lesson Study-based ESD. Theframework will be proposed at the Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting of Teacher Education on ESD
planned to be held in Okayama, Japan in November 2018, supported by the Japanese National
Commission for UNESCO, and in cooperation with UNESCO Bangkok.
4) To provide opportunities for teacher educators in Bandung and Indonesia to interact with teacher
educators from other countries in Asia, learn about the situations on the ground in those countries,and develop deeper understandings of regional and global solidarity and partnership.
3. Expected outcomes
1) The progress reports of the joint research shared and the correction points and future tasks neededclarified.
2) A tentative Asian framework of teacher education program on Lesson Study-based ESD prepared.
3) Collaboration among the participating countries to jointly promote the SDGs through ESD
strengthened.
4. ParticipantsParticipants will come from teacher education institutions and university faculties in charge of teacher
education in Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines andThailand. There will be 7 participants from Japan, 8 and more participants from Indonesia, 2 participantsfrom the Republic of Korea, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Myanmar and Thailand and 1 participant from Cambodia
and the Philippines. Moreover, a participant will come from UNESCO Bangkok Office.
5. Tentative time, Venues and Program
28 – 29 October 2018 at the Indonesia University of Education and field visits to Bandung district
Day1: keynote presentations, sharing country experiences and discussion, welcome function
Day2: field visits and excursions, wrap up, farewell function
6. Extended Program
In order to announce a joint research results of the JSPS Core-to-Core Program and provide further
discussion opportunities for the program members, Okayama University and Indonesia University ofEducation jointly propose to organize an extended program on 26 – 27 October 2018, in cooperation withJSPS.
Day 1: general lecture on ESD for prospective teachers and Indonesia University of Education faculty
member discussion
Day 2: mini symposium on ESD at MSCESIS 2018 Seminar http://msceis.conference.upi.edu/2018/