International Webinar Series 2022

Reframing A New Social Contract for Education in Asia-Pacific Region

Higher Education for A Just and Sustainable World 1

Transforming teaching and learning

November 26, 2022, 14:00-16:00 (Japan Standard Time)

Graduate School of Education, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

Concept Note

Background

Global society is facing unprecedented crises caused by digital technology, climate change, democratic regression, social disparities, and their impact on education and our societies. To address these crises, in 2021 UNESCO released a report entitled Reimagining Our Futures Together. The report stated that education itself needs to be transformed in order to build a peaceful, just, and sustainable future. The report also stated that in order to solve global challenges, including education, we need to ask three essential questions about education as a social contract as we move toward 2050 It is suggested that we reexamine the process of deciding what to continue, what to stop, and what to rebuild. The search for answers to these questions led to this year’s international webinar series.

With a rapid economic and social change in the Asia-Pacific region, many universities have actively promoted the SDGs. According to the 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) impact ranking (THE, 2022), 534 out of 1,410 reported universities were located in the Asia-Pacific region. One third of them were in a top 100 university ranking position. Furthermore, these universities have achieved highly performed engagement in promoting the SDGs. Although a vast amount of research in the Asia-Pacific region covers the topic of higher education, studies unveiling the transformation of HES remain dispersed and scarce. How have Asia-Pacific higher education institutions responded to challenges outlined in the SDGs? In what ways do Asia-Pacific universities transform their structures and practices of teaching and learning? How have higher education institutions addressed demands for sustainability under social, economic, cultural, and environmental pressures? This webinar provides three case studies promoting sustainability in higher education institutions through transforming teaching and learning in China, Hong Kong SAR (China), and Japan.

Objectives

• Enhance understanding of progress and challenges for higher education to innovate teaching and learning for sustainability in Asia-Pacific.
• Share experiences of efforts for transforming teaching and learning for sustainability through higher education in Asia-Pacific
• Exchange insights of the role of universities in achieving SDGs.

Expected outputs

• Scholars from Asia-Pacific Region share their institutions’ experiences of transforming teaching and learning to promote higher education for sustainability.
• Find new opportunities and approach to collaborate for promoting higher education for sustainability.