Introduction
The OPEDUCA Project is an ongoing initiative, dating back to 2004, that creates regional Alliances of Industry, Education, Science and Governmental bodies in order to realize the best possible education for Youth as the strategic pathway towards a more sustainable society. The focus is on students age 10-22, enabling and empowering them to learn Anytime, Anyplace, with Anybody, through Any Device on future defining themes to become the entrepreneurs and citizens of a future only they can imagine and create.
'OPEDUCA' stands for 'OPen EDUCational Area', referring to youngsters' social-demographic home region throughout which sources of education are brought and bound together for their development. From there the learning processes on future-defining themes span the globe, crossing borders and binding cultures in a joint strive towards sustainable development.
The OPEDUCA-concept became groundbreaking as it bases education and schooling on ESD (Education for Sustainable Development), re-establishes the value of 'School', invests in the professionalisation of Teachers, sees to an effective contribution of Industry in education, bridges the worlds of schooling and work, realises a 'Whole Student Approach' and provides the foundation for a local-to-global learning- and action space for sustainable development.
The OPEDUCA Project
Following the development of a multi-disciplinary partnership of all relevant sectors in society as of 2004 and the successful application of a jointly developed instrumentation in daily educational practice between 2008 and 2016, the OPEDUCA-concept appeared thus far ahead of time the project was halted. Academic research proceeded and the concept expanded, as did the network of experts and practitioners, finding ever more supporters in education, industry and science around the world.
In the first phase over 2.300 students from 55 schools in Primary, Secondary and further education as well as 410 teachers and school leaders directly participated in the development and testing of the concept, taking in the opinion of over 400 scientists, managers of more than 140 large- and midscale companies and experts in various other disciplines. As its groundbreaking potential is found to remain unchallenged and unparalleled even in 2022, while schools around the world are more challenged than ever, we see the time right to start the 2nd phase of The OPEDUCA Project. You are welcome to learn and join this not-institutional, open and ongoing societal effort - reach out if you have a question, proposal, remark or critical note, we look forward to your ideas, contribution and friendship.
The OPEDUCA Concept
The OPEDUCA-concept sees to a full-scale transition of education- and school-practice towards 'ESD-based Education', building on present capacity and meeting contemporary standards while effectuating future possibilities. It starts out from the conviction youngsters do not merely 'have the future', it respects Youth as the Future itself. The concept is consequently truly student-centred. Teachers are not merely instructors, let alone 'coaches', but reach further mastery as world-wise Educators; a re-valuation of the profession integral to the effectuation of the concept.
OPEDUCA delivers on the transformative promise of
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by placing a transdisciplinary pedagogy at the core of schooling, building on the original 2004 vision that conceptualised ESD as on ongoing learning pathway, a continuous tread throughout the educational system, from primary up to and including higher education, intertwined with local and global society.
Learning about the concept through this website, you are welcome to join further thinking, work and development.
