Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2022
45. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will outline commitments under the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030 and accompanying Implementation Plan to 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36761/22]
View answerLast week, I launched ESD to 2030: the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development, together with Ministers Foley and O'Gorman.
ESD to 2030 spans the continuum from early learning and care to third level education and research and extends beyond to engage with local communities, the youth sector and enterprise through lifelong learning. It provides a roadmap to ensuring that learners at all levels have the relevant knowledge, skills and values to make conscious choices and act for a sustainable future.
The Strategy has 5 key priority areas for action in line with UNESCO’s Framework for ESD for 2030:
1) Advancing Policy
2) Transforming Learning Environments
3) Building Capacities of Educators
4) Empowering and Mobilising Young People
5) Accelerating Local Level Actions
Objectives are identified under each of the five priority areas with a range of actions set out in the accompanying Implementation Plan to 2026. An interim review will be undertaken in 2026 to monitor progress and inform any further actions required to 2030.
While the three departments with an education remit (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Department of Education, and Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth) are co-sponsors of the strategy, it will be implemented in collaboration with a range of other government departments, further and higher education institutions, schools, local authorities, civil society and enterprise.
I recently announced funding of €6.4m with the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education to drive teaching and learning innovation and enhancement across the higher education sector. The funding is targeted to support a number of innovations under the new strategy to promote and support the embedding of ESD and inclusive and sustainable principles and practices in our higher education system.
