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Welcome to the October 2025 edition of the 91��ɫ UNESCO Chair Newsletter!

As we move into October, we are pleased to share the latest updates from our global community. This month’s newsletter highlights recent conferences and symposia, upcoming opportunities for dialogue, and new resources that continue to shape Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) worldwide. From international gatherings to local initiatives, these activities underscore the importance of collaboration, public awareness, and transformative learning. We invite you to explore the news, events, and reflections that connect our shared efforts in advancing sustainability through education. Please feel free to share this newsletter or invite your colleagues to for future editions.

Charles Hopkins & Katrin Kohl
UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability, 91��ɫ

On 22-24 October 2025, the AASHE 2025 Conference will bring together higher education sustainability leaders, researchers, and practitioners in Minneapolis (MN, USA). Join us to celebrate UNESCO Chair Charles Hopkins when he will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award!

Also, together with from University of Nebraska-Lincoln (NE,USA), UNESCO Co-Chair Katrin Kohl will host a networking event on the whole-institution approach on 23 October 2025 at 9am CT.

On 30 October 2025 at Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg (Austria) the , , and Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs will host the International Forum on Education for the Post-2030 Agenda. Policymakers, educators, and youth leaders explore Global Citizenship Education, fostering transformative learning, cross-sector dialogue, and solutions for 21st-century challenges. UNESCO Co-Chair Katrin Kohl is invited to speak on the futures and values of higher education in the opening panel discussion.

Facing climate change, inequality, and digital fragmentation, education must prepare students to navigate complexity with ethics and critical thinking. Following the International Forum by the , from 30 October to 3 November 2025 in Salzburg, gathers selected educators from across the globe, including 91��ɫ's UNESCO Chairs Charles Hopkins and Katrin Kohl, for in-depth conversations to explore global citizenship, fostering pluralism, civic engagement, and relational agency for compassionate global citizens.

On 8 October 2025 at 4pm CEST / 10am EDT, join the of Education for Sustainable Futures: Global Citizenship and the Earth Charter, a thought-provoking new volume featuring voices from around the world. Edited by Doug Bourne, Mirian Vilela, and Namrata Sharma, and endorsed by UNESCO Chair Charles Hopkins, the book explores global citizenship and sustainability in education. about the event.

Join an important virtual conversation on 15 October 2025 at 1-2pm CEST / 7-8am EDT for a on AI and Knowledge: Tensions between the Common Good and Commodification. Professor Paul Tiyambe Zeleza (Howard University) will explore AI’s impact on knowledge access and ownership, and the responsibility of higher education to preserve knowledge as a public good. This lecture is the second instalment of series as part of the IAU and UNESCO’s broader efforts to support member states and universities in navigating the digital transformation of higher education while reinforcing academic freedom, ethics, and inclusive development.

Join the UNESCO-UNFCCC Webinar Series on Climate Change Education for Social Transformation (Season 4) on 21 October 2025 at 2pm CEST / 8am EDT.

This session explores key strategies to promote greener communities on the road to COP30, fostering dialogue and action for sustainable futures including advocacy priorities, policy gaps, and community-led solutions.

Last chance to register to join the to be held in Kigali (Rwanda) on 21-23 October 2025. This year's discussion will address public trust in universities as institutions that have long been valued for their openness, ethical commitments, and self-correcting systems. Today, their relevance is increasingly questioned. Where does this change lead and how can universities advocate for their own value proposition? Add your voice to the conversation!

The 14^th Global Conference of the Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development will be held in Okayama (Japan) on 21–23 October 2025. It will bring together RCE members and key stakeholders to exchange knowledge, celebrate achievements and shape the future of ESD. is open to all interested stakeholders.

On 28 October 2025 at 1-2pm CEST / 7-8am EDT, join UNESCO’s Institute for Lifelong Learning exploring the critical role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teachers in fostering lifelong learning. Participants will discuss innovative practices, professional development, and strategies to empower learners for sustainable, adaptable futures. Register to explore initial research findings and participate in vibrant discussions.

We are excited to announce that the

ESD Toolkit: Advancing Education for Sustainable Development in Canada – New Mindsets for a Better Future

is now complete and available for download in and in . In addition, twelve inspiring case studies highlighting the transformative potential of ESD are also available online now (and ).

Together, with David Zandvliet and Patti Ryan, Katrin Kohl co-authored the publication that was published by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO as a contribution to the .

Advance HE’s Education for Sustainable Development Curriculum Design Toolkit offers higher education educators practical guidance to embed sustainability, global citizenship, and ethical action across courses. It supports innovative curriculum design that cultivates critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world engagement, helping students connect learning to pressing global challenges. The toolkit encourages reflection, and collaboration, empowering educators to create meaningful, future-ready educational experiences.

Based on the , developed by Kieran Higgins and Alison Calvert, this toolkit can enhance innovative teaching to create a transformative learning experience.

Purpose-led Education: Education for Sustainable Development

Learning for a Sustainable Future: RCE Stories of Action-Oriented Pedagogy

UNESCO’s IESALC has launched a global survey to map AI adoption in higher education. The aims to understand how institutions worldwide are integrating artificial intelligence into teaching, learning, and administration. Results will inform policies, support capacity-building, and foster responsible AI practices across the higher education sector. The survey is open until 31 October 2025.

Cape Breton University and the University of Alberta are launching a national youth initiative on energy justice and climate action.

From February to April 2026, 26 high schools across Canada will join four virtual exchanges, working on storytelling, research, and co-authoring a national youth climate policy paper. In May 2026, student delegates and teachers will gather for a National Writing Retreat to present their work and share solutions locally.

If you are a teacher in Canada, you can about this unique opportunity and join with your students.

Our friends from the UNESCO Chair at Daugavpils University (Latvia) invite faculty from across the globe to join a free, on inclusive, student-centered pedagogies. Developed within the European project “Coaching Academics as Learners,” the course covers inclusive course design, assessment, accessible content, and peer observation in the following units:

• Inclusive student-centered course design, lesson plans,
• Inclusive assessment for learning,
• Tools for multimodal and accessible content delivery,
• Practical approaches to peer observation and action research.

UNU-IAS Podcast: AI and Sustainability

UN Podcast: Awake at Night with Melissa Fleming

The , titled "Collaborating to Improve and Protect our Planet" (CIPP), is organized by the International Centre for UNESCO ASPnet (ICUA) and open for submissions until 16 November 2025. This global initiative encourages children and youth aged 5 to 17 to explore the interconnections between environmental protection and cultural heritage through creative expression. UNESCO Chair Charles Hopkins is the chairperson of the expert committee for the 2025 CIPP campaign.

Join this to gain the skills and insights needed to address today’s pressing sustainability challenges. The course is open to individuals and classrooms worldwide, the course can also be adapted by higher education institutions. Enroll in the self-paced course and learn anytime, anywhere! Plus, in Spring 2026, Professor Jeffrey Sachs will host 10 live discussions on key topics from the Ages of Globalization.

The 13^th World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) will take place in Perth, Western Australia, 21–25 September 2026. Abstract submissions are open now until 30 April 2026. WEEC 2026 will gather educators, researchers, and practitioners worldwide to exchange knowledge, foster collaboration, and advance environmental and sustainability education.