Networking with universities
Promotion of new synergies and working spaces jointly with university and social agents to promote analysis, discussion and strategy design for the inclusion of an EfD focus in Catalan public universities, and expansion of the national and international network.
a) Diagnosis of the current state of implementation of EfD, possibilities and strategies in Catalan public universities: Research carried out with the collaboration of the cooperation offices at universities that from part of the ACUP with the aim of showing the current picture of the presence of EfD content in the university curricula, bringing new and additional descriptive information on examples of good practice and an exploration of new curricular possibilities.
Villà, Rita (dir.) (2015): EfD at the University. Promoting critical and committed education in undergraduate courses. Diagnosis of the current situation of implementation, possibilities and strategies in formal education in Catalan public universities. Bellaterra: Fundació Autònoma Solidària. (PDF)
Executive summary (PDF)
Online diagnosis presentation (Prezi)
b) Seminars with university and social agents
Spaces for meetings, exchange and collective construction between teaching staff, cooperation offices, associations and other related organisations. As a result of the first two seminars a set of action proposals has been drawn up to promote the adoption of an EfD focus in university courses. The “EfD and University” virtual network was also activated.
First seminar “Education for Development in undergraduate courses”, 15/01/2015:
Programme for the first seminar
Portfolio of experiences of good EfD practice in the formal university environment
SWOT analysis for the incorporation of an EfD focus in the formal university environment
Second seminar “Education for Development in undergraduate courses”, 09/07/2015:
Programme of the second seminar
Feedback report from the seminar
Third seminar: “The role of universities in the Objectives for Sustainable Development”, 11/07/16:
Programme of the third seminar
Feedback report from the seminar
Presentation “The 2030 Development Agenda: What role for Higher Education?”, Hilligje van‘t Land (IAU)
Presentation “The University of Girona as an example of the applicability of EfSD in Catalonia”, Anna Maria Geli (UdG)
Working session “Transferable competences linked to EfSD” , Martí Casadesús (AQU)
Working session “Introduction to the OSD in university education”, Xavier Martí (URL, UB)
Fourth seminar: “The role of universities in the Objectives for Sustainable Development. Constructing a critical and committed university”, 18/09/17:
Programme of the fourth seminar
International Conference on Sustainable Development Goals: Actors and Implementation
Feedback from the seminar
c) EfSD Working Group at the ACUP
Group attached to the University Social Responsibility Committee of the ACUP with the participation of vice rectors and specialist staff from Catalan public universities to design mechanisms for institutionalisation and the effective implementation of EfD in the courses. This initiative is the result of the working seminars with social agents.
The group has motivated the Institutional Declaration “The commitment of the Catalan universities to the Objectives of Sustainable Development: towards changing education for a new world” through which the Catalan public universities institutionally commit themselves to include topics related to the Agenda 2030 in university teaching. The Declaration document can be consulted at this link.
Villà, Rita (dir.) (2015): EfD at the University. Promoting critical and committed education in undergraduate courses. Diagnosis of the current situation of implementation, possibilities and strategies in formal education in Catalan public universities. Bellaterra: Fundació Autònoma Solidària. (PDF)
Executive summary (PDF)
Online diagnosis presentation (Prezi)
b) Seminars with university and social agents
Spaces for meetings, exchange and collective construction between teaching staff, cooperation offices, associations and other related organisations. As a result of the first two seminars a set of action proposals has been drawn up to promote the adoption of an EfD focus in university courses. The “EfD and University” virtual network was also activated.
First seminar “Education for Development in undergraduate courses”, 15/01/2015:
Programme for the first seminar
Portfolio of experiences of good EfD practice in the formal university environment
SWOT analysis for the incorporation of an EfD focus in the formal university environment
Second seminar “Education for Development in undergraduate courses”, 09/07/2015:
Programme of the second seminar
Feedback report from the seminar
Third seminar: “The role of universities in the Objectives for Sustainable Development”, 11/07/16:
Programme of the third seminar
Feedback report from the seminar
Presentation “The 2030 Development Agenda: What role for Higher Education?”, Hilligje van‘t Land (IAU)
Presentation “The University of Girona as an example of the applicability of EfSD in Catalonia”, Anna Maria Geli (UdG)
Working session “Transferable competences linked to EfSD” , Martí Casadesús (AQU)
Working session “Introduction to the OSD in university education”, Xavier Martí (URL, UB)
Fourth seminar: “The role of universities in the Objectives for Sustainable Development. Constructing a critical and committed university”, 18/09/17:
Programme of the fourth seminar
International Conference on Sustainable Development Goals: Actors and Implementation
Feedback from the seminar
c) EfSD Working Group at the ACUP
Group attached to the University Social Responsibility Committee of the ACUP with the participation of vice rectors and specialist staff from Catalan public universities to design mechanisms for institutionalisation and the effective implementation of EfD in the courses. This initiative is the result of the working seminars with social agents.
The group has motivated the Institutional Declaration “The commitment of the Catalan universities to the Objectives of Sustainable Development: towards changing education for a new world” through which the Catalan public universities institutionally commit themselves to include topics related to the Agenda 2030 in university teaching. The Declaration document can be consulted at this link.
d) EfD research initiatives: Research which aims to bring together programmes, projects and initiatives aimed at promoting EfD in higher education institutions in Catalonia, Spain and internationally with the final objective of orienting networking strategies.
Villà, Rita (dir.) (2017): Education for Development in Higher Education. Trends and experiences in the international ambit and implementation in Catalan public universities.. Bellaterra: Fundació Autònoma Solidària – Associació Catalana d’Universitats Públiques. (PDF)
e) Extending the network: Identification of institutions, organisations and networks that present opportunities for collaboration for the development of the project objectives, with the intention of establishing work contacts and synergies in the international ambit. The main strategy for achieving the extensions of the network is participation in conferences, seminars and other events that allow bridges of collaboration to be established.
Villà, Rita (dir.) (2017): Education for Development in Higher Education. Trends and experiences in the international ambit and implementation in Catalan public universities.. Bellaterra: Fundació Autònoma Solidària – Associació Catalana d’Universitats Públiques. (PDF)
e) Extending the network: Identification of institutions, organisations and networks that present opportunities for collaboration for the development of the project objectives, with the intention of establishing work contacts and synergies in the international ambit. The main strategy for achieving the extensions of the network is participation in conferences, seminars and other events that allow bridges of collaboration to be established.
The report "Universities and community engagements. Case study" (July 2020) was commissioned by the Solidarity Autonomous Foundation Global Justice Education Programme, with the support of Barcelona City Council. It was prepared by Marc Martínez Pons and supervised by Silvia Puente Rodríguez, Jofre Güell Bosch, Laura Riba Singla and Jordi Prat Fernández.
The objective of this report is to learn about relevant experiences in international higher education institutions that have introduced an approach based on community engagement, i.e., universities that have developed relations with diverse social and institutional actors and on different scales in order to overcome global social and environmental challenges by acting together