Project Scope and Relationship to China's Agenda 21

This project seeks to increase public awareness of sustainable development issues and to enhance the public's capability to participate effectively in its achievement. It also supports the objective of developing human resources to satisfy the needs of sustainable development. The project is based on programme area 6B - Human resource capacity building of China's Agenda 21 and is related to programme areas 2A - Strategic objectives and actions for sustainable development, 2B - International cooperation for sustainable development, 6C - Capacity building for scientific and technological support, 6D - Information systems for sustainable development, 20B - The participation of women in sustainable development, 20C - The participation of minority nationalities and minority nationality districts in sustainable development, 20D - The participation of workers and labour unions in sustainable development, and 20E - The role played by the science and technology sector in sustainable development.

1. Background

The sustainable development capacity of a nation is closely related to the ability of its people to implement effectively actions to achieve sustainability and to participate in achieving sustainable development. Education is a key to developing public awareness and the capacity for sustainable development that will require changes in values, attitudes, and behavior. This will mean that efforts must be directed to educate senior policy makers, scientists, technicians, workers, and the general public.

China realizes the importance of education for sustainable development and has already initiated several policies and programs, especially in the environmental sciences. These have included public awareness campaigns conducted through television and other media. However, there is an urgent need to boost education as the country faces an increasing need for trained personnel in areas related to sustainable development who can deal with the complex issues involved in looking at environmental, economic and social issues in an integrated manner.

In addition, there is an urgent need for a re-orientation of elementary and adult education to focus on the changes in values, attitudes, and behavior required for people to take personal responsibility for implementing sustainable development.

2. Objectives

• Long-term Objectives
  • To re-orient the direction of education in order to adapt to sustainability through enhanced public awareness, training, and an education system that enables people to implement sustainable development principles in all aspects of their lives.

• Immediate Objectives
  • To increase public awareness of sustainable development.
  • To introduce and reinforce elementary education on sustainable development.
  • To develop higher education for, and the training of, decision-makers, scientists and technicians.
  • To reinforce continuing education and training for sustainable development through formal and non-formal means.
  • To formulate educational programmes and activities for sustainable development.
  • To reinforce international cooperation and exchange for sustainable development education.

3. Activities

The project duration will be three years.
• 3.1 Increase public awareness of sustainable development through the publicity of a culture for sustainability and science popularization. This will be carried out by making use of public media through activities such as:
  • Science and education films which aim to popularize basic knowledge about sustainable development;
  • Compilation of a series of books about sustainable development;
  • Publication of educational material in newspapers;
  • Development of television programmes on sustainable development activities;
  • Exhibitions about sustainable development activities in science centers;
  • International workshops on increasing pubic awareness of sustainable development.

    The implementing agencies for these activities will be the State Education Commission, the Ministry of Radio, Film, and Television, the China Associate for Science and Technology.

• 3.2 Strengthen elementary education on sustainable development in both primary and high schools by developing curricula that includes courses on population, natural resources, environment, economics, and the social sciences. Appropriate educational materials will be prepared. The concept of sustainability will be included in out-of-school activities. Specific activities will include:
  • School curriculum development for teaching sustainability;
  • Preparation of appropriate educational materials for use at each level of school (kindergarten, primary and high) and to revise current teaching materials to introduce the new concepts of sustainability;
  • Training of teachers to be revised in light of requirements of sustainable development education;
  • Testing of educational materials in 30 kindergartens, and 30 primary and secondary schools.

    The implementing agency for these activities will be the State Education Commission.

• 3.3 Strengthen the training of the qualified personnel who conduct research on sustainable development through educational courses as well as on-the-job training and extension activities. Specific activities include:
  • Testing of educational curricula and materials in ten universities and colleges (ranging from science, engineering, agricultural, medical, liberal arts, teachers' colleges to universities);
  • Introduction of post-graduate courses on sustainable development in three to five qualified universities, and the establishment of training centers of post-graduates and doctors as a pilot scheme for training advanced researchers on sustainable development;
  • Compilation and publication of advanced teaching materials on sustainable development.

    The implementing agency for this activity will be the State Education Commission.

• 3.4 Strengthen continuing education on sustainable development through formal and non-formal education of workers, farmers, scientists, technicians, professionals, and decision-makers. Specific activities include:
  • Development of two types of short-term training classes on sustainable development with one intended for farmers and workers, and the other for middle-ranked professionals and executives in administrative departments in government, business enterprises, and institutions;
  • Compilation and publication of teaching materials for the two short-term training classes;
  • Recruitment of students for the two classes from ten business enterprises and institutions, including provincial, municipal, autonomous region and county leaders.

    The implementing agency of this activity will be the State Education Commission.

• 3.5 Formulate the educational programme for sustainable development in China to improve the education systems through:
  • The formulation of appropriate curricula and compilation of the corresponding textbooks for elementary, professional, continuing and higher education to promote sustainable development in China;
  • Formulation of the principles and methods of education for sustainable development, especially to explore deeply and summarize the principles and methods of training high level personnel.

    The implementing agency for this activity will be the State Education Commission.

• 3.6 To strengthen international cooperation and exchange to improve the domestic working environment, and to attract and make use of foreign intellectual resources and experiences. Specific activities include:
  • Organizing observation groups to learn about overseas experience in raising public awareness and continuing education on sustainable development;
  • Sending 5 to 10 qualified young researchers to Europe and North America to study for 3 to 6 months from 1995 to 1996;
  • Training research personnel on sustainable development by strengthening international cooperation through invitations to 5 to 10 international experts to give lectures in China, carry out joint training of students under the supervision of international experts.

    The implementing agency will be the State Education Commission.

• 4.1 Chinese Inputs
  • Provision of personnel, equipment and facilities for preparation of educational materials, training, and curriculum development.
  • Relevant educational and scientific materials.
  • Facilities for workshops and international conferences.
  • Facilities for exchange visits by overseas experts.

• 4.2 International Cooperation
  • International exchanges for students, trainers, research personnel, and decision makers.
  • Educational and training facilities for overseas visits by Chinese experts and students.
  • Provision of experts in education and awareness raising.

5. Benefits

The social benefits of the project include the gradual standardization of education for sustainable development in China. The project will test the concepts in some regions, sum up the experiences, share the information at an international conference, and then popularize the concepts nationwide so as to standardize the education of sustainable development in China.

The project will help to accumulate experience in theories and methods about sustainable development education for use in China and for sharing internationally. The outputs will include curricula and educational and teaching materials for primary schools, secondary schools, universities and colleges, continuous training course and education for public awareness raising. Knowledge of effective methods of training sustainable development personnel and decision makers will be available for application nationwide as well as sharing with the international community.

The project will strengthen public awareness of sustainable development and encourage participation in activities on sustainable development. Education for awareness of sustainable development will help change values, attitudes, and behaviours necessary for attaining a sustainable society and enabling all people to take responsibility for ensuring their actions are consistent with sustainable development principles. Awareness raising and training of leaders at all levels will also be helpful in the formulation and implementation of policies on sustainable development.