Project Description
The inaugural Global Network of Deans of Education event was held at Innsbruck University in early September, providing brilliant opportunities for provocations, sharing, and conversations. Professor Donna Pendergast was an invited speaker on the topic “Planning for the future – Solutions for Supporting Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4)”. She had the opportunity to showcase work underway across Australia, as well as at Griffith University. She was also an invited panelist, along with Professor William Gaudelli, Professor Carol Hordatt Getles, Professor Michael Schratz and Mary-Louise Vanderlee. The panel speakers each responded to four questions:
1. How do you define ‘quality education’ in the context of SDG 4?
2. What lessons from the past in teacher education could guide future developments in the field?
3. In your view, how can faculties of education effectively support SDG4 in practical ways?
4. As an experienced education expert, what is your vision for the future of teacher education?
Donna has established a strong network of colleagues through this opportunity, the first of its kind around the world, engaging with current and former deans with a global perspective and a focus on partnerships and collaboration to achieve SDG4 specifically.
The Joint Statement on the “Critical Role of Education Faculties in the Global Agenda for Quality Education (SDG4)” was also launched at this event.
Project Personnel and Beneficiaries
The Global Network of Deans of Education (GNDE) has been established to facilitate cooperation and exchanges of information and knowledge among deans of education as well as convey the views of teacher educators to various global initiatives and UN agencies. The immediate action includes using the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal #4 (education), as a unifying focus and framework.
Current and former Deans of Education around the globe form the membership.
Outcomes to Date
The importance of systemic strategies to support education
outcomes and targets for SDG 4 and related quality education initiatives requires clear attention to global complexities and challenges. The GNDE Joint Statement specifically highlights the need for comprehensive applications of systems-based, capacity-building approaches in teacher education. It positions the GNDE as one vehicle to impact capacities for teacher education, as well as the capacity of such a network to resonate with and influence concurrent discourses about quality education around the world. Specific outcomes to date include:
1. Establishing the GNDE
2. Holding the inaugural conference focusing on achieving SDG4, including invited presentation by Professor Donna Pendergast AM
3. Launch of the Joint Statement on the “Critical Role of Education Faculties in the Global Agenda for Quality Education (SDG4)”
4. Meeting with key stakeholders including UNESCO to collaborate to achieve SDG4
Project Significance
The event and the focus of the Global Network of Deans of Education (GNDE) is harnessed to the Agenda 2030 universal commitment towards sustainable development that includes various global goals to improve quality education, good health and wellbeing, gender
equality, economic growth, climate action, life on land and below water, clean water and clean energy, innovation, the eradication of poverty and hunger, the reduction of inequality as well as peace, justice and strong institutions. The 17th SDG presents the goal of ‘partnerships for the goals’. This network, and the inaugural conference, enabled the GNDE to establish itself as an exemplar for crafting new partnerships to support the attainment of SDG4 that focuses on Quality Education. The notion of ‘coherence’ is utilized as a conceptual marker to present the emerging network for the initiatives now underway. Four drivers: focus, collaboration, learning, and accountability; are applied to illuminate the potential of the GNDE to address educational challenges and optimize opportunities to support learning.