The Schools@University program is a one-week program at Freie Universität Berlin that educates 2,400 students per year on sustainability and climate protection issues through 70 interactive workshops. The program aims to increase students' and teachers' knowledge and awareness of sustainability topics and empower them to make sustainable changes. Students participate in experiments on renewable energy, field trips to ecological sites, and creative arts activities. The program also provides teacher training to help implement sustainability education in schools. It has been recognized by UNESCO as a model education for sustainable development program.

1. With Support of
Learning & Teaching for
a Sustainable Future
Schools @ University for
Sustainability + Climate Protection
ISCN 2015 Conference
Hongkong, 18th June 2015

2. Karla Braun-Wanke M.A.
Environmental Policy Research Centre
Freie Universität Berlin
www.fu-berlin.de/schueleruni
www.fu-berlin.de/ffu

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Outline
• Education for Sustainable
Development (ESD)
• What is Schools@University
• Objectives
• Topics
• Didactic approach
• Network
• Facts & figures
• Success Factors
• Key Challenges

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Learning & Teaching for a
Sustainable Future
ISCN conference 2015, Hongkong

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Expanding the Dialogue
ISCN conference 2015, Hongkong

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Education for Sustainable
Development (ESD)
ESD means education that enables people to
foresee, face up to, and solve the problems
that threaten life on our planet.

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Freie Universität Berlin:
An authentic and fascinating learning place

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What is Schools@University?
• Focus on sustainability + climate protection
• Target group:
10-13 year old students and their teachers
• Two one-week programmes a year
• 70 interactive workshops each
• Lecturers from different backgrounds
• ESD trainings for teachers
• Reaches: 2,400 students a year ;
130 teachers (trainings)

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Objectives
• Help children gain in-depth knowledge on
sustainability issues and learn critical thinking skills
• Raise children’s and teacher’s awareness of
sustainability in their daily life
• Empower them to make sustainable changes in their
behaviour
• Encourage teachers to implement the topics and
cross disciplined methods into their curriculum

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Our Sustainability Topics
• Climate change, transition of energy,
energy efficiency & savings
• Food production & agriculture
• Consumption, lifestyle & product design
• Mobility, urban planning & architecture
• Maintenance of biodiversity

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Didactic approach
• Interactive and cross-disciplined workshops
• Age-appropriate teaching based on real-life
experience
• Participation with a wide range of
interactive methods
• Workshop trainers and experts from different
backgrounds

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ESD Network
Lively and trans-disciplinary perspectives
from experts and peers
• Researchers and students
• Regional environmental educators
• Regional energy experts
• Artists from theatre, visual arts,
photography
• Writers and authors
• Fellow students
.

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Learning with Head, Heart & Hands
• Experiments on renewable energies
• Field trips to an ecological farm, botanical garden,
weather garden and energy related facilities
• Art and theatre activities, creative writing,
quizzes, cinema, games, role plays, future labs,
food events, dealing with recycling, resource
conservation, sustainable living and agriculture

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Experiences with renewable energy

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Planning games & future labs
Changing perspectives & finding solutions

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Teacher trainings
Making ESD sustainable in schools

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Facts and figures
12 one-week programmes
640 hand-on workshops
17,000 young students
1,700 teachers
650 teachers at esd trainings
250 schools

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Awards since 2009

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Success Factors
Continuous support from the University,
government and stakeholders
Strong demand and high attendance from the
target groups
High-quality workshops and teacher trainings
based on evaluation and continuous improvement
Growing diversity of interactive Workshops
A media partnership and wide media coverage
Recognition from UNESCO as a esd role model

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Key Challenges
Translating education for sustainable development
into fun and hands-on activities
Transfer of complex topics into age appropriate
workshops
Finding qualified and enthusiastic presenters
Developing a suitable organizational, structural and
logistic framework
Annual challenge to get the third-party financing
Network building between universities, schools,
NGOs and experts

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Example to follow
Handbook Reader

22. 22 ISCN Conference 2015, 18th June, Honkong
Impressions

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Creativ Workshops:
Art meets sustainability
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Insulating a shoebox….
calculating the ecological footprint

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Finding solutions for waste abundance

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Exploring the campus

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Experience climate protection and
Sustainabiltiy with creative writing and arts

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Fascinate and inspiring
workshops and methods

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Karola Braun-Wanke
Environmental Policy Research Centre
Freie Universität Berlin
www.fu-berlin.de/schueleruni
k.braun-wanke@fu-berlin.de
Thanks for your attention!