Baseline Assessment of individual competences
Creators: name: Prades, Ana
name: Germán, Silvia
name: Soler-i-Martí, Roger
name: Espluga, Josep
name: Lehtonen, Markku
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023

description: This document establishes the baseline of the individual competences in the areas of climate change and sustainability at our Demonstration Sites ( i.e., the selected schools and universities in Finland, Portugal, Romania and Spain This baseline is to be understood as a preliminary overview of the perceptions and expectations of students, teachers and administrative staff concerning sustainability at the beginning of the project, prior to the interventions that will be implemented in WP5.A short survey was conducted to collect data on such perceptions and expectations. Our survey does not seek to produce results that would be statistically representative for the involved four countries or even for the selected demonstration sites DSs). The objective is to collect evidence from the groups of people we will engage with along the project. The main function of this initial assessment is to generate useful empirical evidence for our participatory and deliberative process. Findings from Task 4.2 are used as input into the activities of our Sustainability Competences Teams ( with an aim to stimulate reflection and the creation of shared understandings of sustainability.As for the results, the high to medium scores on our GreenComp global index would suggest a quite promising starting point in terms of the individual perceptions andexpectations regarding sustainability The participants in the short survey declared they were aware of the problems and willing to act. A great majority indeed affirmed thatthey were already behaving sustainably. Moreover, no significant barriers to action were evoked.

However, these findin gs must be interpreted with caution for a number of reasons: Our short survey capture participants’ personal interpretations (what participants think and claim about their own skills and attitudes), which does not necessarilycorrespond to their objectiv ely observable knowledge or their ‘ views and opinions concerning sustainability. In addition this kind of survey cannot capturethe potential gaps between ‘what we think ‘what we say ’and ‘what we do and findings may also be distorted by a social desirability bias, whereby the participantsprovide answers that they believe are expected from them. The samples of our surveys were not designed to be representative for our case study countries or demonstration sites. Key contextual factors vary great ly between our case study countries and between the demonstration sites this goes for example for environmental performance (e.transportation and recycling infrastructures), and for collective competences institutional and organizational commitment a nd arrangements for sustainability).

In spite of these limitations, the short survey does provide relevant insights that will help us to orientate the next steps of our transdisciplinary and participatory process atthe DSs. The short survey identified differences and singularities between countries and educational levels as well as indicated ar eas of competence that would require especial attention in the SCTs and the SCCs. Survey findings can also inspire reflection within the educational community a nd help the demonstration sites to co design the most suitable intervention measuresThe qualitative deliberative and participatory nature of our SCTs and SCCs helps to overcome some of the above mentioned limitations of the short survey by providingde eper understandings of the involved causal relationships, as well as on the opportunities for and barriers to sustainability.

It is worth keeping in mind that our Roadmap does not relate exclusively to individual competences. Collective competences and env ironmental performance are the twoother pillars of the Roadmap. Findings on the individual competences should be integrated and understood within this framework. Importantly, the Roadmap is moreabout the community and organisation than about the individu al. Collective decisions, action and solutions are therefore key factors that condition ind ividuals’ ability andwillingness to act.

To conclude, the short survey fulfilled its main function as it generated useful empirical evidence for our participatory and deliberative process Key findings from Task 4.2 are being used as input into the activities of our Sustainability Competences Teams SCTs) to stimulate reflection and the creation of shared understandings of sustainability. An ex post assessment of t h is initial overview will take place at the last phase of the project, in order to track potential changes in the individuals’ perceptions of expectations concerning sustainability at our DSs.