The UN Alliance has nominated EduGems’ global, scalable ESD education pathway as Finland’s sole representative for the UNESCO Japan Prize on ESD.
What prize?
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) awards the prize for work in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Each member country nominates its candidate to Unesco, which awards three prizes of USD 50 000 worldwide. The winners will be selected by the Director-General of UNESCO, on the recommendation of the International Selection Panel.
Why should EduGems win?
EduGems meets the award criteria of transformation, integration and innovation. In addition, the EduGems solution supports UNESCO’s broad ESD objectives, such as:
1) overall ESD policy development
2) the development of learning environments
3) developing the skills of teachers and educators
4) youth participation and empowerment
5) promoting sustainable development solutions at local level
EduGems’ ESD Education Pathway will raise awareness and responsible implementation of Education for Sustainable Development around the world. It has been observed that school administrators and teachers who have participated in the trainings are starting to actively integrate ESD into their schools’ daily life and curricula.
Why do we need more cross-cutting sustainability education?
Schools want to be at the forefront of the sustainability revolution. But schools lack ESD knowledge, skills and attitudes (sustainability competencies). Schools also lack the capacity to pay. Broadly funded in-service training for teachers in ESD is essential for the success of the sustainability breakthrough.
Action creates hope
People’s worldviews are transformed through inclusive sustainability education. Schools are activating people to get involved and empowering them for change. Changing the world realises through collaboration. The world is in a values struggle where action is acutely needed (more than constant new knowledge; Katajavuori, 2022).
What is EduGems?
EduGems Oy is the only Finnish ESD training export company. Since spring 2019, the founders have self-funded the activities in which a lean-startup business model has been used to pilot the scaling up of an ESD training pathway. EduGems has already trained more than 4500 teachers in over 40 countries!
Export has great potential
Before EduGems, Finland’s education export lacked ESD packages. EduGems has found that teachers around the world want to rely on a model based on Finnish practical experience, as ESD is already a concrete part of teacher training and curricula in Finland. The greatest need for export is in developing countries. In these countries, environmental problems have worsened and ESD is lacking in schools. There is generally little or no capacity to pay for the training of principals and teachers. Rich countries also need a boost to implement ESD. Translation work is also needed to address language challenges.
Finland’s models for sustainable development are being listened to and called for now
For schools, cooperation with Finland is a merit that encourages school communities to take action. The world’s teachers need help, for example:
- teaching environmental awareness and action skills
- education for the future
- implementing positive pedagogy
- teaching circular economy and solutions to complex problems
- clarifying the range of concepts
- evaluation methods for sustainability education
These should not be missing from the world’s schools, but teachers are asking for help!
Research as the basis for everything
EduGems’ educational pathway is based on research in the field. Marianne Juntunen, PhD, founder of EduGems, completed her PhD in ESD in 2015. The material produced by EduGems is based not only on Juntunen’s research, but also on other recent research in the field. The effectiveness of the educational pathway is being studied in terms of participant satisfaction and ESD uptake. In this way, the pathway will be continuously developed further.
Together we are more
EduGems aims to provide a platform for the world’s best ESD practices. The Education Pathway has highlighted the main Finnish expertise in the field – as an incentive to the world!
For companies, EduGems offers tailor-made workshops and consultancy on how to effectively implement sustainability.
Does your educational export company or product promote sustainability? Interested in training? Do you have an ESD export product?
Contact: marianne@edugems.fi
For more information:
UN media publication on the prize.
EduGems for schools.
EduGems teacher trainings.
EduGems HundrED-website.