PRESS - Promoting Relevant Education in Science for Sustainability

In times of increasing global challenges, e.g. climate change, biodiversity loss or plastic waste in the oceans, education for sustainable development (ESD) becomes more and more relevant. The Agenda 2030 issued by the United Nations emphasizes that by 2030 education needs to “ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development”. Sustainability needs educated citizens for responsible action and transformation of the present society. The project Promoting Relevant Education in Science for Sustainability (PRESS) invests in the capacity of HEIs to better educate teachers for ESD. The aim of the project is to install courses for teacher education in science with a focus on promoting ESD. Courses will be developed and implemented to allow partners to strengthen science teacher education with a focus on ESD. Responsible action in society needs participation skills which are (in our contemporary society) inseparably bound to self-determined coverage of media. For ESD, critical scientific media literacy and communication skills with societal stakeholders are suggested as important goals in education, in general and in science education in particular. That is why the PRESS courses on ESD will include a special focus on critical scientific media education and science communication skills to the wider public, both concerning traditional as well as digital/social media. Courses will also include training teachers for integrating school science learning with partners from businesses (SMEs/industry) and the wider public in small educational projects in connection to the non-formal educational arena.