UNESCO Chair on Reorienting Teacher Education to Address Sustainability: International Network

The International Network of Teacher Education Institutions is associated with the UNESCO Chair on Reorienting Teacher Education to Address Sustainability at York University in Toronto, Canada.  The International Network is comprised of teacher education institutions from about 60 nations around the world.  The member institutions work to incorporate sustainability into their programmes, practices and policies.  Each member institution addresses environmental, social, and economic contexts to create locally relevant and culturally appropriate teacher education programmes for both pre-service and in-service teachers.

The teacher education institutions (TEIs) that are members of the International Network (IN) are engaged in a wide variety of activities in teaching, research, and outreach all related to education for sustainable development (ESD).  Some have created ESD courses or certificates and others new graduate programmes in ESD.  A few have started journals and organized conferences.  Others have created centres and learning opportunities for school children and members of the community as well as professional development opportunities for teachers and school administrators. 

The IN meets biennially in countries around the world in even numbered years. Biennial meetings have been held in Canada (2000), South Africa (2002), Sweden (2004), Finland (2006), Turkey (2008), and France (2010).

 

ESD and Teacher Education

Teacher education institutions and teacher educators are key change agents in reorienting education to address sustainability.  TEIs fulfill vital roles in the global education community.  They have the potential to bring changes within educational systems that will shape the knowledge and skills of future generations. Teacher education institutions serve as key change agents in transforming education and society, so such a future is possible. Teacher education institutions:

  • educate new teachers
  • provide professional development for practising in-service teachers by updating their knowledge and skills
  • create teacher education curricula
  • carry out research
  • contribute to textbooks
  • provide expert advice to local schools upon request
  • provide expert opinion to provincial and national ministries of education
  • educate and certify headmasters, principals, and other school administrators

Because of this broad influence in the education community, faculty members of teacher education institutions are perfectly situated to promote ESD. 

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