What do the Czech Republic, Finland, Croatia, Germany, Poland, Portugal, and Spain have in common? A shared goal: to integrate the principles and Sustainable Development Goals into the educational process and present this topic to university students and the general public. The Faculty of Economics (FEK UWB) served as the lead coordinator for the international project Sustainable Development Goals in education and in action! (ESDGs!) on behalf of the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň (UWB). The project, running from early 2022 to October 2024, was a collaboration with seven partner universities and organizations from these European countries.
The project resulted in a university course—a comprehensive set of educational materials and resources for teaching sustainable development in higher education. During the 2023/2024 academic year, this course was piloted at all partner universities, involving a total of 517 students. Prepared in eight languages, the course includes 18 thematic modules that gradually introduce sustainable development issues, supported by audiovisual materials and case studies.
Members of the general public also have the opportunity to develop sustainable thinking through an online course, available for free in eight language versions. The course concludes with a test, and successful participants receive a certificate of completion signed by all partner universities and organizations. So far, 670 participants have enrolled in the course, with 230 earning certification.
The outcomes of the ESDGs! project were showcased by experts during multiplier events organized by select project partners across six European countries. In the Czech Republic, an event titled “ESG Morning” was held at Plzeň’s TechTower, where company representatives and the public attended. Petra Taušl Procházková from FEK UWB, the project’s main coordinator, introduced the initiative: “This project exemplifies how international collaboration can enrich education, offer approaches to integrating principles and Sustainable Development Goals into teaching, and increase public awareness of this concept. We are pleased to have contributed to a broader exchange of knowledge on this subject.”
Prominent speakers from the ESG field also participated, presenting their perspectives on opportunities and challenges for sustainable growth. These included Jakub Málek (PEYTON Legal), Laura Mitroliosová (CIRA Advisory), Magdaléna Prunerová (MgC Group), Karel Kotoun (Green0meter), and Martin Štěpáník (Škoda Group).
Translated by ChatGPT.
The project Sustainable Development Goals in education and in action! (Project Number 2021-1-CZ01-KA220-HED-000031187) is funded by the European Union.
Faculty of Economics |
Kristýna Machová |
26. 11. 2024 |