NBS EduWORLD (Nature-Based Solutions Education Network)

NBS EduWORLD is an EC-funded Horizon Europe project (Grant Agreement N. 101060525) aimed at nurturing an NBS-literate society by supporting a just transition to a sustainable future. For this, NBS EduWORLD will create an NBS community that facilitates synergies between NBS professionals and education providers, and ensures free and easy access to NBS knowledge and resources for all.

Basic information

Research information

Teacher information

Description

Integrating nature-based solutions (NBS) in education is key to ensuring a greener and better future for all. NBS EduWORLD will target all levels and types of education (formal, informal and non-formal) to make citizens aware and supported in the understanding of the value and transformative potential of nature in urban, rural and coastal areas. Through this work, communities should become more prepared, cohesive and participative in engaging with nature and using the benefits of nature to solve some of the world’s most pressing environmental, social and economic challenges.

Other specific objectives of the project are:

Support integrated STEM teaching and Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) by exploring real-world applications of NBS, feeding into the broader EU STEM education strategy.
Explore and implement new dissemination and mobilisation strategies to suit broader lifelong learning on NBS through 21st-century technologies and transversal skill development.
Explore synergies between NBS and the emerging field of education for environmental sustainability (EES).

To achieve these objectives and much more, the project brings together a unique consortium of researchers, educators, NBS practitioners, and even theatre performers and sports community members with the shared goal to create an NBS EduWORLD, a community that makes a difference.

What are Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)? NBS are solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions. Nature-Based Solutions must therefore benefit biodiversity and support the delivery of a range of ecosystem services. Source: European Commission.

Project Outputs:

Deliverables

Milestones

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Basic information

Coordinator

European Schoolnet, http://www.eun.org/

Partners

Programme

Horizon Europe (programme-horizon-europe)

Project Acronym

Target groups

college students, education authorities, general public, industry, policy makers, primary school students, researchers, secondary school students, teachers, trainee teachers, university students, university lecturers, vocational school students, youth clubs

Topic

Ecology, Environmental sciences

Start year

2022

End year

2025

Url

https://nbseduworld.eu

Contact person

Ivelina Ivanova, ivelina.ivanova@eun.org

NBS EduWORLD will summarise the state of play of NBS education in Europe and evaluate the initiatives already in place, determine how to expand and replicate them and establish a basis and framework for the project itself and future initiatives, resulting in guidance and (policy) recommendations.

To do so, NBS EduWORLD will start with the identification of gaps, barriers, and opportunities in mainstreaming NBS in formal, non-formal and informal education across all ages and education levels, paying special attention to children and young people with disadvantages. To that aim, the project will conduct an in-depth literature review and expert interviews with key education stakeholders. Desktop research will also be conducted to collect, screen, and categorise good practices, stakeholders, and existing resources on NBS education, which will be compiled into an openly accessible NBS EduHub. Research will also focus on assessment tools and skills.

After generating a better understanding of the components of a successful integration of NBS into education, NBS EduWORLD will describe steppingstones for knowledge transfer and the wider adoption of NBS in education and society, through the production of tailored guidelines, education programmes, assessment frameworks, and toolkits, among others.

In parallel, the project will analyse NBS demonstrators (Tier-1 EduSystems), with an educational dimension, in urban Paris, rural Offaly and coastal Almada. They will feed materials as well as feedback on their experiences to determine the needs and success factors of NBS education. To lead the NBS transformation of society, the project will test and expand this knowledge base via Tier-2 NBS EduSystems in urban Belgrade, rural Moldova, and coastal Genova. Other NBS exemplars and stakeholders (Tier-3 NBS EduSystems) will be invited and supported in the implementation of materials and NBS approaches. NBS EduSystems will test, refine, and expand the knowledge repository through tailored design and implementation of NBS education activities.

In its research activities, NBS EduWORLD will make use of participatory and co-design methods that will bring together a wide range of stakeholders in NBS education.

Papers

To adequately engage educators who are at different points on their NBS journey, NBS EduWORLD splits its educational offer into three streams:

NBS Knowledge Stream: Designed to introduce NBS to people with little or no understanding of NBS, this stream aims to increase basic knowledge and awareness, educating teachers on introducing NBS into the classroom. NBS EduWORLD will offer teachers new Learning Scenarios on NBS, as well as professional development opportunities through MOOCs, competitions, and the organisation of workshops and webinars, among others. Work on this stream started with the EC-funded pilot project Integrating Nature-Based Solutions in Education , coordinated by PPMI in collaboration with European Schoolnet (EUN).
NBS Connections Stream: Primarily designed for stakeholders with a theoretical understanding of NBS, but no practical experience. This stream aims to consolidate the basics and expand beyond the classroom. Teachers will explore opportunities for implementing NBS at the school level, as well as more advanced professional practices, whilst connecting with other teachers to share experiences – for example, through the Scientix STEM School Label initiative.
NBS Network Stream: This stream will demonstrate effective ways for the integration of NBS concepts in school environments, based on the experience of teachers who are currently implementing such innovative projects, for example, through the establishment of NBS living labs. These empowered practitioners, supported by tailored professional development programmes, open innovation methods and meaningful collaboration with diverse stakeholders and communities, will foster transformative NBS culture in schools that will have system significance.

Navigating these streams, teachers and interested stakeholders will progress from learning the fundamentals of NBS, to introducing them in their classroom/schools and connecting with other teachers and NBS professionals, before finally taking the ultimate step of having NBS-engaged communities.

To achieve this, NBS EduWORLD will create resources, guidelines, and other innovative NBS education activities for all ages, in formal, non-formal, and informal education settings, and tailored to the respective needs of rural, coastal, and urban communities. All materials will be available in an openly accessible NBS EduHub.

NBS EduWORLD (Nature-Based Solutions Education Network)

Description

Project Outputs:

Deliverables

Milestones

Educational Resources

NBS Cluster Task Force on Education

Databases

Basic information

Papers

Teaching materials