Executive Summary

The effort to promote education for a sustainable future requires diverse expertise. In particular, contributions from the sustainability disciplines of education, economics, social sciences, and environmental science are needed. Their collaboration and integration with preexisting knowledge will be demanded for better quality and increased quantity of data and knowledge, and therefore the development of new ESD methods and practices.

The CoE for ESD at TEI will have the fundamental tasks of promoting the concepts and practices of sustainable development through improved environmental education in schools, communities, research and training. The ultimate aim is to make learning about environmental conservation and sustainable development more attractive to both Thais and their neighbors in the Southeast Asian sub-region.

The Centre will implement a range of ESD-related initiatives, including research to create an expert network, capacity building for schoolteachers and community leaders, establishment of information sharing system, development of a toolkit, and promotion of ESD policy development. The CoE for ESD at TEI will work collaboratively with the various partners in ESD at all levels to develop useful knowledge and resources for Thais in particular, and to provide a mechanism for building interaction and promoting Thailand's expertise internationally.

Following the multidisciplinary approach, the present CoE programme for ESD at TEI will be advanced in five areas: 1) ESD research and development, 2) information sharing system, 3) networking of experts and practitioners, 4) educational materials, and 5) policy training. These five areas of programme implementation will be represented in the two overarching themes critical to establishing a center for the effective advancement of ESD activities. This includes system development (i.e., R&D, information management, networking) and capacity development (i.e., tools/materials and training).

The organization of ESD-related projects incorporating multidisciplinary approaches and the training of skilled personnel are not simple undertakings. A strategy to effectively accomplish the objectives of the CoE programme is the accumulation and synthesis of the knowledge and findings made through a rich system of communications and interactions among different stakeholder groups at the local level. The programme will then seek to advance technical support and collaboration through establishing an information sharing system, expanding the interdisciplinary research and practice groups, and providing a platform for the dissemination of expertise and knowledge at the multi-national level.

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE AND ACTIVITY SUMMARY

The CoE for ESD at TEI will have the fundamental tasks of promoting the concepts and practices of sustainable development through improved environmental education in schools, communities, research and training. The ultimate aim is to make learning about environmental conservation and sustainable development more attractive to both Thais and their neighbors in the Southeast Asian sub-region.

The Centre will implement a range of ESD-related initiatives, including research to create an expert network, capacity building for schoolteachers and community leaders, establishment of information sharing system, development of a toolkit, and promotion of ESD policy development. The CoE for ESD at TEI will work collaboratively with the various partners in ESD at all levels to develop useful knowledge and resources for Thais in particular, and to provide a mechanism for building interaction and promoting Thailand's expertise internationally.

PROGRAMME FRAMEWORK AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

The effort to promote education for a sustainable future requires diverse expertise. In particular, contributions from the sustainability disciplines of education, economics, social sciences, and environmental science are needed. Their collaboration and integration with pre-existing knowledge will be demanded for better quality and increased quantity of data and knowledge, and therefore the development of new ESD methods and practices.

Following this multidisciplinary approach, the present CoE programme for ESD at TEI will be advanced in five areas: 1) ESD research and development, 2) information sharing system, 3) networking of experts and practitioners, 4) educational materials, and 5) policy training. These five areas of programme implementation will be represented in the two overarching themes critical to establishing a center for the effective advancement of ESD activities. This includes system development (i.e., R&D, information management, networking) and capacity development (i.e., tools/materials and training).

The organization of ESD-related projects incorporating multidisciplinary approaches and the training of skilled personnel are not simple undertakings. A strategy to effectively accomplish the objectives of the CoE programme is the accumulation and synthesis of the knowledge and findings made through a rich system of communications and interactions among different stakeholder groups at the local level. The programme will then seek to advance technical support and collaboration through establishing an information sharing system, expanding the interdisciplinary research and practice groups, and providing a platform for the dissemination of expertise and knowledge at the multi-national level.

It is anticipated that the CoE projects and activities will be multi-disciplinary and will draw

on a variety of resources throughout the period of five years. Thus, a well thought out and carefully described work plan will be required. To demonstrate the success implementation and the potential for attracting external support in the following years, an innovative project will be implemented during the initial period of two years. This start-up project on Innovation in Teacher and Community Leader Environmental Education in the Context of Sustainable Development will take steps into the mainstream of localized education and knowledge system that allows educators and local community leaders to understand the concept of sustainable development. The project will not only support the implementation of localized action research on environmental conservation for a sustainable future, but also establish a networking process that will allow information and knowledge on some best practices to be further disseminated.

Around the building Library and Learning Center

Thailand Environment Institute Established in May 1993, the Thailand Environment Institute (TEI) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focusing on environmental issues and the conservation of natural resources in Thailand, Regional and Global levels. Founded on the belief that partnerships are the most effective approach to achieving a more sustainable way of life, the Thailand Environment Institute advocates a participatory approach to shared environmental responsibility. By working closely with the private sector, government, local communities, other civil society partners, academia and in international circles with international organizations, TEI helps to formulate environmental directives and link policy with action to encourage meaningful environmental progress in Thailand. In this way, and by serving as a reliable and up-to-date information and knowledge resource, TEI works to advance sustainable development in the country, in the Asia-Pacific region, and beyond. Education for Sustainable Development has four major thrusts: promotion and improvement of basic education; reorienting existing education programs; developing public awareness and understanding of sustainability; and training. These priorities have basically been the areas of TEI's concern and engagement since its inception. TEI has been active not only through conducting projects, but also provided services to the society. During the past decade, the institute has undertaken a series of actions that are relevant to sustainable development and related to several key ESD themes. These include biodiversity, fresh water management, environmental conservation and protection, health promotion, sustainable production and consumption, peace and international understanding, and other global concerns such as climate change and disaster prevention. The growth and augmented capabilities of TEI have allowed the institute to respond to new and great challenges, with some outstanding examples. These include the services provided to Thai business sector (certification, research, and advice on cleaner production, green labelling, ISO14000) and the Dawn Project (an integrated energy and environmental conservation educational program) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Energy. TEI has also opened up new avenues that promote increased participatory and knowledge management approaches to different groups in the society.

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