RCE Greater Gombak - 2020

Reorienting ESD through Sejahtera Academic Framework
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Reorienting ESD through Sejahtera Academic Framework
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Greater Gombak
Contributing organization(s) : 
International Islamic University Malaysia
Uniform Bodies
Surrounding Community
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Assoc. Prof. Lihanna Binti Borhan
Organizational Affiliation: 
International Islamic University Malaysia
Format of project: 
Hybrid Learning, Campaign, Presentation, Group Projects, Community Based Projects, Quiz, Reflective Journal
Language of project: 
English and Malay
Date of submission:
Saturday, October 31, 2020
Malaysia Education Blueprint
At what level is the policy operating?: 
National
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
Malaysia
Location(s): 
Gombak, Kuantan, Pagoh
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Sejahtera Centre for Sustainability and Humanity
Secretariat, RCE Greater Gombak
International Islamic University Malaysia
Jalan Gombak, 53100
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Ecosystem(s):
Target Audience:
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Being a suburban area, major challenges faced by the community include sustainable communities (SDG 11), responsible consumption and production (SDG12) and access to quality education (SDG 4). The communities need all possible support from the university to address the challenges especially to deliver SD awareness programs and possible specific projects for identified issues. With 4000 students registered for the course every year, hopefully they will be able to work with communities in overcoming the challenges. Specifically, one major cross cutting challenge to be addressed is the need for attitudinal change and related skills. Thus the courses are structured as a continuous two semesters program with the community.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Being a suburban area, major challenges faced by the community include sustainable communities (SDG 11), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12) and access to quality education (SDG 4). The communities need all possible support from the university to address the challenges especially to deliver SD awareness programs and possible specific projects for identified issues. With 4000 students registered for the course every year, hopefully they will be able to work with communities in overcoming the challenges. Specifically, one major cross cutting challenge to be addressed is the need for attitudinal change and related skills. Thus the courses are structured as a continuous two semesters program with the community.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
February, 2020 to February, 2021
Rationale: 
With a student body population of more than 10000 undergraduates, IIUM is in the position to transform the students into agents of change for sustainable development. Changing their mind-set and giving them the skills and encouraging behaviours and initiatives towards SD will not only affect these students, but will have long-term impact as they graduate and become leaders of their communities. The course is structured into three phases: 1) Sustainable Development: Issues, Policy and Practices whereby students are exposed to general SD issues with in-the-campus case study, 2) Usrah in Action I - students to identify and profile the community to engage with for SDG 3) Usrah in Action II - student to implement the actual SD project. Through this approach not only the students will have the opportunity to learn real life skills needed but the community will be benefited directly from the presence of a university in the vicinity.
Objectives: 
The UNICORE - university required courses (the 3 subjects) is a compulsory set of courses designed to provide a base towards the development of the leaders of the community, as aligned with the IIUM philosophy. One drastic change was the introduction of the ESD set of courses in the package. The ESD element begins with a knowledge-based course and ends with 2 semesters of community engagement in SD-projects. It is a set of courses that will activate the students heads-on, hands-on and hearts-on even during their university time and already ready to become an active member of a community once graduated.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
The activities involve three parties - the students, the academic staff (cum facilitator for community project) and the community. Locations of activities will be on campus and outside campus depending on the nature of students projects. Main activities are experiential learning processes individually and in group inside the classroom and in the field when carrying out the community engagement projects. The academics involved are passionate individuals who volunteer themselves to teach beyond their usual expertise in the spirit of working for sustainable development and contributing to the community. The community involved will be mainly from groups of people who have difficulties in making a living or area that have environmental issues.
Size of academic audience: 
4000 students with hundreds community member (in learning about SD) and 60 lecturers as informal learner (in teaching the new subject)
Results: 
It is an on-going class-cum-community project. Among output of the project is a solution proposal for in-campus SD problem, blogs and reflective journals and papers by the students on their learning process throughout the Semester. The project has created a transdisciplinary learning environment in the classroom and in the field. This project has also gathered a group of community practitioners among the lecturers who, despite not being expert in the subject, have volunteered themselves to be in the course teaching team of the course. These groups of students and the lecturers are now the agents of change for the IIUM SD agenda.
Lessons learned: 
For an effective and impactful education for sustainable development programs, it requires an ecosystem that will provide a seamless learning experience. Thus changes in content of the curriculum alone is not sufficient if not followed by structural transformation of the supporting system. This includes support from members of the university - from the top management, to the policy makers, and the academics is vital. But, as a new subject and ‘discipline’ with very few if not none has a proper education background on it, the biggest challenge is to ensure a successful delivery of the course as per its objectives.
Key messages: 
A course on education for sustainable development at the beginning of university life serves as a very critical moulding platform to re-oriented the students towards sustainability. The academics involved in the teaching serve as catalysts for change for sustainable development.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
The project has many similarities with RCE Jogjakarta in terms of content and modus operandi which is run by Universiti Gadja Mada. The planning for the collaborative project is currently taking place so that both universities can optimise the benefits to each other.
Funding: 
International Islamic University Malaysia
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Indirect
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Indirect
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Indirect
Theme
Curriculum Development 
Direct
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Indirect
Update: 
No