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CASALEN

CArpathian SustAinabe LEarning Network: CASALEN

The Possibilites of carpathian Co-operation in the field of ESD

General Prescription of the Project

Background

The Carpathian Convention is a framework type convention pursuing a comprehensive policy and cooperating in the protection and sustainable development of the Carpathians through the promotion of joint policies for sustainable development among the seven countries of the region (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovak Republic and Ukraine). The Convention states: The Parties shall pursue policies aiming at increasing environmental awareness and improving access of the public to information on the protection and sustainable development of the Carpathians, and promoting related education curricula and programmes.

Main goals of CASALEN

Target group: schools

To establish a support system in order to encourage the school based co-operations in the Carpathian region within the existing financial frameworks (EU – LLL program, Visegrad Found). The core element of this support system could be a regular summer school as in-service training for multiplication of the collected and structured materials, knowledge and know-how for ESD teachers.

It is necessary to help the schools in Carpathian region to deal with all three pillars of SD, should especially emphasise the links between economy and sustainability, as the presence of economical aspects in ESD activities is generally weak in all Carpathian countries. The support systems should focus on developing competencies for sustainability within and by the schools such as system thinking, organizational learning, cooperation and community learning, approach. Most of the development based on the shared values and practises of participating countries. 

Other fields of activities of the support system should encourage the schools of the Carpathian region to join to ESD initiatives available, such the eco-schools initiatives and the PET bottle recycling campaign in Poland (organised by an Austrian expert) , or the SUPPORT network which will offer possibilities in the field of school-community and school- research institution co-operation through ICT tools for Carpathian schools too.

Target group: Field centres

A learning network of field study centres in the Carpathians should facilitate and promote ESD inside their own country and beyond, meantime assisting in the public education area. The network shall use the full scale of capacities of the field centres, i.e. infrastructure, technical assistance, expertise, etc.The Göncöl Foundation offered to be the initiator of this network of centres.

Target group: Higher education, research

Specific aim for higher education is to find or establish a scientific journal for researches in order to develop a scientific basis for ESD activities in Carpathian region. The promoted researches should include research on environmental perception, attitude of teachers and teacher students education for SD, life log learning and ESD and also theoretical aspects of ESD.

Internal project partners

External project partners

Partners to be found during 2008 - in Serbia and Romania

Planned development and activities in 2008

The focus of the second day was to determine the necessary next steps for co-operation. The following possible and necessary next steps were identified:

Project Leader

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