The event for continuing education staff took a comprehensive look at sustainability – from questions of internal change processes to approaches for communicating sustainable action to the outside world to the tension between digitalisation and sustainability. Based on new findings from science, in various workshops and with input from various (European) projects, the question of what concrete ways there might be to anchor sustainability in one's own institution was discussed.
The event was organised by the National Coordination Office of the European Agenda for Adult Learning in collaboration with the Department for Continuing Education of the Senator for Children and Education in Bremen.
New findings on the Whole Institution Approach (WIA) in adult education
The conference began with an exciting keynote speech by Dr Antje Brock (Freie Universität Berlin, Institut Futur) on the topic:
‘New findings on the Whole Institution Approach in adult education: What characterises a sustainable continuing education institution?’
In principle, according to Brock, the WIA can be applied in any institution. It has been proven that where sustainability is implemented holistically and in line with the approach, both teachers and learners are significantly more motivated. Commitment to sustainability contributes to the well-being and motivation of all those involved. It is advisable to take a target group-oriented approach, whereby it is often not so much about what you do, but how you do it. Openness and recognition, as well as communication and good role models, are of fundamental importance to the process.
This was followed by three parallel workshops in which strategies for the participants' own institutions were developed:
Workshop 1: ‘Motivated in the change process – tackling change together with employees’
Dagmar Müller, Head of the Society – Sustainability – Digital Programme Area; vhs Berlin Mitte
How can you successfully shape the change process in your organisation?
Workshop 2: ‘Being sustainably attractive: communication strategies for educational institutions’
Dr Johanna Köster-Lange, ecolo – Agency for Ecology and Communication
A workshop for educational institutions to sharpen their sustainability profile and communicate it efficiently.
Workshop 3: ‘Thinking about change in a complex and differentiated way! - The tension between digitalisation and sustainability’
Dr Florian Hofmann, Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) GmbH, non-profit
Digitalisation stands for the future, but does it necessarily stand for sustainability? This workshop highlighted the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation in the context of sustainability goals.
Workbook
A mini workbook was created to collect and organize the impressions from the symposium. The workbook is based on the Whole Institution Approach (WIA). The concept has already been adapted for adult education institutions, including the “SustainabALE” guidebook published by the Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association (DVV International).
A team of experts from the “International ESD Alliances” project has developed four key areas of action (education program, management, teaching and working environment, and networks). These are intended to support adult education institutions in putting sustainability into practice.
You can download the workbook here: To the workbook
Program
Here you can find the program for the event: To the program
