Collaboration

Dear Esteemed Members of the CEEMAN Community,

We are excited to extend an invitation to collaborate on a transformative initiative aimed at integrating sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into business education. This call for collaboration is inspired by the insights and proposals put forth by Brendan Duprey PhD, the Director of SKRI at Narxoz University, a leading expert in the field of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and it aligns with the global educational reforms advocated by UNESCO and the European Council.

To be successful, ESD needs to be closely aligned with the latest trends in educational reforms and presented to key decision makers and experts at a national level. The fundamental goal is to ensure that sustainability principles, knowledge, issues, skills, and values are seamlessly integrated into higher education curricula, rather than being treated as optional add-ons by individual educators.

Rationale and Approach:

The importance of integrating sustainability and SDGs into business education cannot be overstated. It not only prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of the future but also contributes to the long-term economic well-being of each nation in its transition towards a green economy.

We propose a systematic approach to achieving this goal, consisting of the following steps:

1. Research Review: Conduct a comprehensive review of educational standards, content, and learning objectives across curricula in business education.
2. Policy Integration: Integrate research outcomes into educational policy to ensure that regulatory and operational frameworks fully support Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).
3. Capacity Building: Enhance the capacity of educators to incorporate sustainable development into their teaching through training and pilot school projects.
4. Teacher Training: Incorporate ESD components into official teacher training programs.
5. Educational Resources: Develop methodological guidelines and textbooks for official certification and classroom use.
6. Evaluation: Review and evaluate school and teacher performance through university inspections.

Our Proposal:

To effectively implement this initiative within the CEEMAN Network, we propose the following activities:

• University Selection: Identify a diverse group of (xx) targeted universities within the CEEMAN Network to participate in a pilot project, ensuring country diversity to increase the impact of the research.
• National Collaboration: Collaborate with higher education authorities on a national level to determine standardized content in business education and explore opportunities for revision.
• Curriculum Review: Review the curricula of targeted subjects in higher business education, identifying strengths and weaknesses in relation to SDGs using a proven methodology developed by Brendan Duprey, which has been successfully implemented in multiple countries.
• Curriculum Adaptation: Work closely with curriculum heads to adapt and amend business education curricula in alignment with SDGs.
• Classroom Pilot: Pilot the revised curricula in the classroom using methodologies developed by IEDC Bled School of Management.
• Educational Tools: Develop educational tools and resources to support the implementation of sustainability content in the classroom.
• Knowledge Sharing: Organize a roundtable event involving all participating universities to discuss lessons learned and chart a collaborative path forward.

We invite you to join us in this endeavor to drive sustainable development through education. Together, we can make a meaningful impact on future generations and our planet. For inquiries and collaboration opportunities, please contact Brendan Duprey at brendan.duprey@narxoz.kz. 

Join us in shaping a sustainable future through education!