Sustainable development is a top-priority task both in Ukraine and in the world. It enables harmonious development via rational use of natural resources in order to preserve them for next generation.
Idea of sustainable development is reflected in the 2000 UNO Millennium Declaration. Having signed the Declaration, Ukraine now shoulders responsibility towards sustainable development and implement 15 key tasks to poverty reduction, broadening access to education, environmental protection, HIV/AIDS spread prevention, gender equity etc.
For Ukraine, as well as for other countries, transition to sustainable development is a real chance to resolve a number of complicated and acute problems and realize potential in the interests of people. This is task not only for present generation, but mainly for the next ones, that are about to step into adult and conscious lives and take shoulder responsibilities. This mainly concerns students, future experts in a wide range of topics.
In order to introduce and spread methodology to ensure sustainable development through involving communities into decision-making processes at local level, the UNDP has supported draft educational course “Society Sustainable Development”. Due to efforts of teachers of high educational institutions L Maslovska, V Sereda, T Tymochko and A Sadovenko the training course emerged in 2006 and piloted in the Academy of Municipal Governance. In 2008 the course was introduced to the publicity at the All-Ukrainian Scientific Conference. The course was recently updated. On August 4, 2011 the course has been approved by the Ministry of Education, Science, Youth and Sports and is from now on recommended for introduction in universities.
The textbook (in the second edition) has the following topics:
1. Sustainable Development of Society – global challenge to 21st century governance.
2. UN part in determination of sustainable development principles
3. Economic growth and sustainable development
4. Ecological problems under sustainable development
5. Human development as main factor and index of society progress
6. Scientific and education measurements of balanced society growth
7. Cooperation of national, group and private interests of society development
8. Ukraine in the context of transition to sustainable development principles
9. Social mobilization for balanced local development.
10. Strategic planning of sustainable local development.
The UNDP welcomes initiatives of high educational institutions which strive to undertake the experience and include the course into education plans. Later in the year the interested candidates will be invited to the roundtable for detailed discussion and planning.
For detailed information and in order to get a copy of the textbook. Please refer to Olga Romaniv, UNDP/MGSDP Communications Specialist olga.romaniv@undp.org.ua or via telephone (044) 584 34 74
