RCEs are involved in promoting integration of principles, values and practices of sustainable development into teacher education programmes. Such integration requires quality teacher education that entails equipping teachers with key competences in life skills. This requires making citizenship education an integral part of ESD. During the 8th Global RCE Conference in Nairobi, participants deliberated questions on ‘who is a teacher’ and ‘how to become a teacher’ to provide useful insights into ways of improving teacher education and schooling. It emerged that some RCEs are improving teacher education through capacity development and research programs. Other RCEs are incorporating global and cross-cultural perspectives into teacher education through student exchanges across RCEs. Addressing issues related to indigenous people in the curriculum as well as improving science education can help improve quality of learning in schools. In a nut shell, the Global RCE network has made useful contributions to a reorientation of teacher education and school systems towards sustainable development.

As a build up to the 9th Global RCE Conference in Okayama this November you are encouraged to contribute to the implementation of the following action points that emerged from the Nairobi discussion:

• Collect and document stories of successful positive change in RCEs.
• Share teacher training manuals and materials through the Portal.
• Develop, collect and share on-line materials and e-learning modules on teacher education.

As we near the end of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), you are also invited to:

• Reflect on RCE achievements and challenges in enhancing the capacity of teacher educators to facilitate ESD processes in schools and beyond.
• Reflect on the individual and collective role of the Global RCE network in furthering ESD agenda beyond 2014 with reference to UNESCO’s proposal for a Global Action Programme (UNESCO, 2013) on ESD
• Deliberate RCE possibilities for scale up actions on strengthening the capacity of educators to facilitate learning for sustainable development beyond 2014.

Your reflections and deliberations will inform discussions at the 9th Global RCE Conference in Okayama.
WELCOME!