Description/achievement of initiative
The objective is to address the SDG's through Sport and Health Science research, curriculum and pedagogy through a virtual Global Pedagogy for Knowledge Exchange .
Implementation methodologies
The UN Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) posed a question to the HE community, asking 'how can we (HE community) redesign higher education in support of sustainable development, a green recovery, and regenerative pathways for education while also ensuring the quality of education, equity, and gender equality everywhere, to build the world we want? (HESI, 2020). \r\nDuring the Covid 19 pandemic, there has been a marked digital culture shift towards 'humanizing' virtual world space, (Soto-Acosta, 2020). This has prompted us to reconceptualise possibilities for an equitable and accessible global pedagogy for the Post - Covid era. Based on the principles of Brazilian Pedagogue, Paulo Freire (Lockhart, 2020), and a decade of digitally enhanced inclusive curriculum experience (Melling and Khan, 2012), we explore the possibilities of a virtual Pedagogy for Global Knowledge Exchange. Structural inequalities are a significant barrier to education globally. Accessing learning is particularly challenging for women and girls. Using best practice from UCLan's Sport in Action Project, Zambia, and TES Awards finalist Letters from Lesvos Refugee Project, we propose a Pedagogy for Global Knowledge Exchange is integrated within curriculum. Thus, engaging students in co-creating new knowledge with peers silenced by the epistemic violence of structural inequality (Fricker, 2009). \r\nThe concept of a virtual global pedagogy is not without significant sustainability challenges. Poverty is accompanied by infrastructure constraints, such as a lack of functional Wi-Fi networks, access to appropriate software and digital devices. There are also significant eco-social challenges, including language, social norms, transience due to conflict, political and cultural issues compounding practical problems. This will be mitigated by securing investment, key local partnerships and community involvement. A global pedagogy for Knowledge Exchange will provide opportunities to engage in shared learning, support the growth of cultural and social capital, and an understanding of social justice, ethics, and values. Furthermore, it will provide students with the experience of using knowledge exchange as a tool for co-creating new knowledge with external peers for a sustainable world. Finally, HESI asks how can we redesign higher education in support of sustainable development, a green recovery, and regenerative pathways for education while also ensuring the quality of education, equity, and gender equality everywhere, to build the world we want? This is a question central to institutional and Centre values.
Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
The Curriculum Framework states that, ‘Courses should deliver applied learning that is relevant to the world we live in, (UCLan, 2020)'. This statement underpins a core objective of this concept, in using the 17 UN SDGs as a pedagogical paradigm for a globally relevant curriculum. For the purposes of this explanation, we will align key statements from the UN HESI with salient elements of the Curriculum Framework. A Pedagogy for Global Knowledge Exchange will provide opportunities for students and staff to 'Engage and share information with international networks, (HESI, 2020)'. Moreover, it will serve to develop a 'Culturally intelligent/Global outlook, (UCLan, 2020)' within our graduates. Thus ensuring 'Future Ready/Active learner's, (UCLan 2020)' and ‘Sustainability Literate students, (Sulitest, 2020)'. By being an inclusive and critical pedagogy, the curriculum will engender 'Resilience/Self-awareness, (UCLan, 2020)', not simply for UCLan students, but also for others participating in the process of problematizing their situations and developing solutions for positive change. Inclusivity is about 'Educating sustainable development through advocacy and communications (HESI,2020)'. Inclusion is achieved by advocacy and in developing self-advocacy personally, and in others. Namely, peer groups who are silenced by the epistemic violence of structural inequality, (Fricker, 2009). A reverse pedagogical experience, where learners play an active role (Sulitest, 2020) is intrinsic to co-creating an inclusive pedagogical eco-system. This is most significant in the co-creation of new knowledge with external peer groups commonly grounded in a hierarchal, privileged white (white privilege, with power) approach to knowledge ownership (Boyd, 2008); as explained by Lockhart, (2017): 'Sometimes (people without power) are made to feel that it is only outside experts like economists or sociologists or government officials who really understand what is occurring. (They) become hesitant about sharing (their) knowledge as a result.’ Therefore, to 'co-create new knowledge with others', (Sulitest, 2020; Ledwith, 2015), students must be 'Creative and Enterprising, and 'be able to adapt to change, prevailing cultures and working norms, (UCLan, 2020)'. To do so, they must become 'confident in applying (and exchanging) knowledge, (UCLan, 2020)'. Research informed teaching aligns with the UN HESI objectives of HEIs convening and sharing best practices (HESI, 2020) and to 'encourage research and dissemination of sustainable development knowledge, (HESI, 2020)', thus, catalysing new areas for action, (HESI, 2020). By engaging with a Pedagogy for Global Knowledge Exchange, academic staff nd students can access a 'unique interface between higher education, science, and policymaking', in support of the SDGs (HESI, 2020)'..
Coordination mechanisms/governance structure
This initiative falls within the auspices of the University of Central Lancashire Governance structures. Co-ordination of Knowledge Exchange at project level will be undertaken by project leads who will communicate through the Centre. The overall aim is to embed KE for the SDGs at curriculum level through research informed pedagogy and student led KE.
Partner(s)
University of Central Lancashire
Progress reports
Goal 1
1.a - Ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions
1.b - Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions
Goal 2
2.1 - By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
2.2 - By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons
Goal 3
3.3 - By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
3.4 - By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
3.5 - Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol
3.7 - By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes
3.c - Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States
Goal 4
4.1 - By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
4.3 - By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.5 - By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations
4.6 - By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
4.7 - By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
4.a - Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
4.b - By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries
4.c - By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States
Goal 5
5.1 - End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
5.5 - Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
5.b - Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
5.c - Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels
Goal 6
6.b - Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management
Goal 8
8.5 - By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.6 - By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
Goal 9
9.1 - Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all
9.5 - Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
9.a - Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States
9.c - Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
Goal 10
10.2 - By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
10.3 - Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard
Goal 11
11.7 - By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
11.a - Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
11.b - By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels
Goal 12
12.1 - Implement the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries
12.2 - By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.5 - By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.7 - Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
12.8 - By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
Goal 13
13.2 - Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.3 - Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
Goal 16
16.2 - End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
16.7 - Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
16.8 - Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance
16.b - Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development
Goal 17
17.3 - Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources
Technology -
17.6 - Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
Capacity-Building -
17.14 - Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development
17.15 - Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development
Multi-stakeholder partnerships
17.16 - Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
17.17 - Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
Data, monitoring and accountability
May 2027
