Last updated: November 7, 2023

RCE Suzhou

Photo Credit:
Rce details
Region:
ASIA-PACIFIC
Country:
China
Overview
Date of RCE acknowledgement:
January, 2022
Description of RCE and Geographic Region:

RCE Suzhou is based at International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) which is a pioneer in China on opening business ethics, corporate social responsibility and business sustainability education. Grounded on our previous accumulated work and experiences on implementing UN Principles for Responsible Management Education and conducting students-initiated sustainability education projects in the local community, the establishment of RCE Suzhou will help us strengthen collaborations and create more synergies with various stakeholders and partners who have already dedicated to address different aspects of sustainability challenges in our region.

Suzhou is located in the eastern region of China, in the south-eastern part of Jiangsu Province, and the middle of the Yangtze River Delta. It is an important part of the Yangtze River City Cluster, bordering Shanghai to the east, Zhejiang to the south, Taihu Lake to the west, and the Yangtze River to the north. According to the GDP statistics in 2021, Suzhou is the No.1 industrial city of the world. As a UNESCO designated World Heritage city, with increasing population and urbanisation, Suzhou is making tremendous efforts to cope with various challenges and seek potential opportunities in transforming towards sustainable development.

Goals and Objectives:

​​Goal #1: Build up a network of passionate collaborators including individuals and organisations to push sustainability education together

Objectives:

  • To mobilise related government departments to strengthen policy design to push sustainability education in various levels of education;
  • To regularly convene stakeholders to discuss and share ideas related to ESD issues; and
  • To enable stakeholders to have easy access to an array of quality ESD information and resources through our regional ESD information hub.

Goal #2: Advance the development of lifelong sustainability learning opportunities in formal, non-formal, and informal contexts

Objectives:

  • Universities, colleges, schools, nonprofits, and other stakeholders will incorporate ESD into their organisational culture and learning;
  • Create and support opportunities for ESD capacity-building and workforce development through collaborating with authoritative institutions; and
  • Collaborate with local communities to implement and solidify sustainability education related projects.

Goal #3: Increase public awareness about social, economic, and environmental sustainability and the role of ESD in shaping a more sustainable, healthy, and just future

Objectives:

  • To create opportunities for public dialogue on ESD policies and issues; and
  • To create and implement an outreach strategy to raise public awareness and increase involvement in ESD.

Goal #4: Model sustainable, innovative, cooperative, and inclusive practices and processes across sectors and emulate our values within the RCE organisation

Objective:

  • Establish partnerships that facilitate collaboration across nontraditional lines.

Goal #5: Share research and innovative practices in sustainability education to promote partnerships, learning, and advancements in ESD across the region

Objective:

  • To promote and strengthen cross-regional RCEs' exchange and collaborations through co-designing and co-organising various activities, events, etc.

 

Organisation Hosting RCE Secretariat:

International Business School Suzhou (IBSS)

Key Partners:

Name of organisation: Hanns Seidel Foundation
Role: Supporting training activities and other public education events, facilitating the governance of RCE Suzhou, bridging other stakeholders with expertise on sustainable development and sustainability education
Contact name: Georg Stadler
Contact email: stadler-G@hss.de

Name of organisation: Green Light-Year Suzhou
Role: Partner on designing and implementing ESD projects 
Contact name: Ni Huan 
Contact email: nihuan@green-lightyear.org

Activities
Current Activities:
  • Actively hold and participate in the sustainable development competition
  • Popularisation of high school sustainability awareness
  • Solar Decathlon Project
  • 15 ways of sustainable development in 15 weeks
  • Compiling weekly 'Global Sustainable Development Information' to China Sustainability Tribune
  • RCE Suzhou Annual Report 2022 - Be Creative To Promote ESD in China
Upcoming Activities:
  • China Academic Committee for Responsible Management Education Annual Conference (2022)
  • ESD training for middle-school teachers
  • Business Sustainability Innovation Summer Camp
Achievements:
Communication Channels
Instagram:
Facebook page:
Twitter handle:
YouTube page:
Other(s):
Contact Details
Main RCE Contact:
Secondary RCE Contact:
RCE Youth Coordinator(s):
General RCE email:
RCE mailing address for correspondence:

BS226, No. 8 Chongwen Road, Suzhou Industrial Park
215123, Suzhou, China