Clemens MaderRCE Graz-Styria, University of Graz

SUSTAINICUM – Project information & regional challenges

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• Challenge: loose and lack of communication between university educators; often reinventing the wheel; • Aim: fostering sustainability in higher education and

visability of ESD • Tool: Webplatform with > 140 online resources for free

download • Content: various disciplines and approaches – contents,

methods, cases, games...

Coordination and Management• Cooperation project between three Austrian universities: • University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU)• University of Graz• Technical University Graz

• Funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Science and Research• Project period: 1 year (Jan. 2012 – Jan. 2013)• Call for submissions of material through personal networks and

open calls• To ensure quality of submissions workshops were conducted as well

as peer review took place• To ensure application of materials teaching workshops werde

conducted• To spread application – english versions available

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Current results

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• Online platform: www.sustainicum.at/en/home • >140 teaching materials online

• Information about: • a general description of the resource,• learning targets, • the relevance for sustainability, • recommended teaching methods, • social settings and optimal group size,• time required and preparation efforts, • sources and links and uploaded additional materials

• Stronger attraction for educators to adopt sustainability issues in their lectures

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Surprises & challenges

• Use of term sustainability very different

• Contributions from variety of disciplines

• Further application of materials,

• Keeping up to date status of materials and content

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Scaling and transformation• Expanding use of platform to regions, topics and

networks• Policy reforms through strong application – (platform

funded by ministry of science and research)• Regional impact: strong impact for Austrian

Universities where Sustainaicum is strongly promoted. Discussions on sharing and creative commons was supported; • Regional mapping of educators that deal with

sustainability took place. As all wanted to contribute their resources and experiences – become part of the platform.

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Sustainicum

Find more information at:www.sustainicum.at/en/home

Contact:Marlene Mader, MSc.RCE Graz-Styria, University of Grazmarlene.mader@uni-graz.at

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