RCE Szczecin Lagoon
RCE Stettiner Haff (Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for sustainable Development) was founded in 2017 after the region south of the Szczecin Lagoon was awarded the status of a recognised Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development by the United Nations University. This makes it the first RCE in eastern Germany and, like the other networks, it is dedicated to education for sustainable development (ESD). Through ESD, people learn both to change their own way of life and economy in a sustainable way and to use their living space in a sustainable way.
According to the motto Think globally - act locally, RCEs contribute to implement this task on a local level with kindergartens, schools, vocational training, adult education, universities, extracurricular training institutions and actors of informal learning. In addition to universities in the region such as the HNE University for Sustainable Development, competence partners include the EUCC-D, which is active in the area of coast and sea, as well as the Szczecin Lagoon Nature Park and the Pomeranian Farm Community.
The Regional Centres of Competence of the United Nations University
The German stakeholders of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development consult once a year at a nationwide coordination meeting on 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 Commission for UNESCO. The members of the Round Table are usually elected every two years.
The Institute of Advanced Study of Sustainability of the United Nations University(UNU-IAS), based in Tokyo, coordinates the exchange among RCEs and offers, for example, a calendar with important UN dates on the global RCE Network Portal. UNU-IAS evaluates the work of the RCEs (strategies, governance structures and activities) and awards exemplary projects. Thus, the renowned world university is an important guarantor for the quality of the RCEs.
The new UNU-IAS Roadmap for the RCE Community 2021-2030 of the network, can be found here.
German-speaking RCEs
Hamburg, Munich, Nuremberg , Oldenburg Münsterland, Rhine-Meuse, Ruhr, Southern Black Forest, Szczecin Lagoon
The association of UN University Regional Centres of Excellence on ESD (RCE) in Germany was founded in 2016 and awarded as a network under the World Programme of Action on ESD.
Tasks and functions of the RCEs
1. collaboration RCEs work in an interdisciplinary way and promote collaboration between universities, schools, civil society organizations and companies (multi-stakeholder approach).
2 Vision The basis of the cooperation is a common vision on 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 pools the activities of the stakeholders and is responsible for appropriate use of financial resources; there is no funding from the UN.
4. regional anchoring The RCEs support the development and expansion of ESD activities in their region. In doing so, they are guided by the fields of action of the World Action Program on ESD and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
5. activities In the planning and conception of new projects, the RCEs ensure the cooperation of the different actors in the network. The integrative processes help to further develop the existing educational system and to contribute to sustainable living conditions in the respective region.
6th Exchange among RCEs - learning from each other In May 2019, the RCE Szczecin Lagoon hosted the German RCE Network Meeting.
From left: Jochen Elberskirch (RCE Stettiner Haff), Christian Büttner (RCE Nürnberg), Detlev Lindau Bank (RCE Oldenburg), Prof. Heike Molitor (RCE Szczecin Lagoon), Yvonne Stresius (RCE Hamburg), Uta Zahn (RCE Szczecin Lagoon), Judith Maria Maruschke (RCE Szczecin Lagoon), Susanne Völlm (RCE Szczecin Lagoon), Wiltrud Betzler Schellin (RCE Szczecin Lagoon), Annette Rinn (RCE BeneMunich), Tobias Till Keye (RCE Szczecin Lagoon).
Our statutes
of the supporting organisation Verein Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung Stettiner Haff (BINES) e.V. Here you can download our statutes:
Here are the principles of the Global Community of RCEs
The application for recognition of the RCE Szczecin Lagoon of the United Nations University can be found here.