NEWS

If you are curious about what progress is being made and what initiatives are being implemented in relation to GCE in other countries, a newly published report zooms in on Denmark and gives you an overview of the efforts being made on target 4.7

The report investigates what trends characterises the work on sustainability and global citizenship education and seeks to provide a snapshot of the current situation in Denmark. Based on research and conversations with organizations, educational institutions and companies, the level of attention given to the SDG is examined.

The mapping shows that the SDGs have only just gained momentum in Denmark, and unfortunately we still see a lack of political leadership and concrete action at the national level. However, we are witnessing widespread initiative from both educators, civil society, and larger companies.

Many of the initiatives on education and information about the SDGs are initiated on a local level and by civil society organisations. Even though the level of public interest has increased recently, civil society organisations still have a challenge in raising attention to their work and find ways to reach schools and citizens with their education material.

Primary school educators are increasingly focusing on sustainability and the goals in their teaching and get inspiration from various teaching materials on Global Citizenship Education. The educator’s interest for Global Citizenship Education is in some cases passed on to the administrative level of schools, from which can be initiated more extensive efforts at the school. However, these changes rarely travel beyond the boundaries of the individual school, and too many educators still lack guidance and knowledge. Hence, there is a growing need for a national strategy for educational work for sustainability.

A similar development can be observed in youth- and higher educational institutions, where Global Citizenship Education is initially introduced by engaged educators and later picked up by management. In some educational institutions this happens quickly, whereas classical universities are slower in adapting.

The report also shows how public interest in sustainability has led an increasing number of municipalities to engage with the goals for sustainable development. It is however evident that the necessary knowledge is lacking behind. Several municipalities single out certain goals to match the efforts they are already engaged in, thereby missing the purpose of the goals; namely to inspire new and ambitious actions and strategies.

Last, but not least, larger companies as well as the industrial interest groups have been first movers regarding United Nations’ sustainable development goals in Denmark. Within the business sector sustainability has increasingly been labelled as profitable.

The full report is available here.