RCE Stettiner Haff
Regional Center of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development, United Nations University
RCE Stettiner Haff was founded in 2017 as a recognized regional competence center for sustainable development of the United Nations University after the region south of the Stettiner Haff received an award. This makes the region the first RCE in eastern Germany and, like the other six German networks, is dedicated to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Through ESD, people learn both to sustainably change their own way of life and economy and to make sustainable use of the living space in and around the Stettiner Haff.
According to the motto „Think globally – act locally“, RCEs contribute to implementing this task on a local level with kindergartens, schools, vocational training, adult education, universities, extracurricular further education institutions and actors of informal learning. In addition to the universities in the region, such as the Hochschule für Nachhaltige Entwicklung (HNE), the EUCC-D, which is active in the coastal and marine sectors, as well as the Stettiner Haff Nature Park and the Höfegemeinschaft Pommern (Pomeranian Farm Community) are also competence partners.
Global RCE Network
About the Regional Centers of Expertise of the United Nations University
Once a year, the German actors in the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development meet at a nationwide coordination meeting to discuss further measures to anchor sustainable thinking more firmly in education and business and to achieve the goals of the UN Decade.
This Round Table is convened by the National Committee for the UN Decade, which was established by the German UNESCO Commission. As a rule, the members of the Round Table are re-elected every two years.
Tasks and functions of RCEs
1. cooperation
RCEs work on an interdisciplinary basis and promote cooperation between universities, schools, civil society organisations and companies (multi-stakeholder approach).
2. vision
The cooperation is based on a common vision of education for sustainable development. This vision focuses on regional problems and challenges in the context of education, sustainability and regional development.
3. governance
Each RCE bundles the activities of the actors and is responsible for the appropriate use of financial resources; there is no UN funding.
4 regional anchoring
The RCEs support the development and expansion of ESD activities in their region. They are guided by the fields of action of the World Programme of Action on ESD and the UN sustainability goals.
5. activities
In the planning and conception of new projects, the RCEs ensure the cooperation of the various actors in the network. The integrative processes help to further develop the existing education system and make a contribution to sustainable living conditions in the respective region.
6. exchange among the RCEs – learning from each other
In May 2019 the RCE Stettiner Haff hosted a meeting for the German RCE:
RCE Germany meeting at the Stettiner Haff May 2019
From the left: Jochen Elberskirch (RCE Stettiner Haff), Christian Büttner (RCE Nuremberg), Detlev Lindau Bank (RCE Oldenburg), Heike Molitor (RCE Stettiner Haff), Yvonne Stresius (RCE Hamburg), Uta Zahn (RCE Stettiner Haff), Judith Maria Maruschke (RCE Stettiner Haff), Susanne Völlm (RCE Stettiner Haff), Wiltrud Betzler Schellin (RCE Stettiner Haff), Annette Rinn (RCE BeneMünchen), Tobias Till Keye (RCE Stettiner Haff).
The Institute of Advanced Study of Sustainability of the United Nations University (UNU-IAS) based in Tokyo coordinates the exchange among the RCEs and offers, for example, a calendar with important UN dates on the RCE Network portal.
The UNU-IAS evaluates the work of the RCEs (strategies, governance structures and activities) and awards prizes to exemplary projects. Thus, the renowned world university is an important guarantor for the quality of the RCEs.
German-speaking RCEs
The association of the Regional Competence Centres ESD (RCE) of the UN University in Germany was founded in 2016 and was awarded as a network within the framework of the World Programme of Action ESD.
RCEs in Germany
Hamburg
Nürnberg
Oldenburg Münsterland
Rhine-Meuse
Ruhr
Südlicher Schwarzwald
München
Stettiner Haff
Founding members of the RCE Stettiner Haff
BioBoden Cooperative, access to land for organic farmers
City of Police Municipal administration coastal city in Poland, 34.000
Deutsch-Polnische Gesellschaft Szczecin German Polish Association NGO, aims to foster the German-Polish relationship
DJH Landesverband M-V. e.V. Jugendherberge Ueckermünde Extracurricular place of learning, NGO, Youth hostel
EUCC- Die Küsten Union Deutschland (EUCC-D) NGO, stakeholder and network association with the aim of promoting a sustainable development of coastal and marine zones in Europe by bridging the gap between scientists, environmentalists, site managers, planners and policy makers.
FEG – Förder- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft Uecker-Region mbH GmbH, society for the advancement of economics in the Uecker region
FH Neubrandenburg University of Applied Science Neubrandenburg)
GWW Pasewalk – Gemeinnützige Werk- und Wohnstätten NGO, work and habitation for handicapped people
Haffnet GmbH, medical federation for the mainland south of the Stettiner Haff
Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde University of Applied Sciences Eberswalde, focus on sustainable development
Höfegemeinschaft Pommern Farmers cooperation for ecological agriculture
Landesforst Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Forstsamendarre Jatznick Forest state administration Mecklenburg Vorpommern, coast, collection and preparation of tree seeds for sowing
Naturpark am Stettiner Haff State administration (part of the Mecklenburg Vorpommern agency for the environment, nature conservation and geology); The nature conservation category ‚Naturpark’ aims to protect and manage traditional cultural landscape and to develop nature-based tourism
OAS Pasewalk – Organisation zur Arbeitsförderung und Strukturentwicklung GmbH, aims to organize occupation for unemployed people and to enable them to take part in society