Institutional and Governance structure for implementing

Education for Sustainable Development in Cyprus

Summary
The objective is to set up at the level of policy and institutions a permanent unit on Education for
Environmental and Sustainable Development for implementing, in a single, holistic, coherent and
systematic manner SDGs in formal, non-formal and in formal educational. The Unit operation is based
on synergies among all stakeholders (public and private sector, social partners, professional groups,
local communities, NGOs, Organizations, Universities, etc.). It aims to shape an education system that
will create environmentally literate and democratic citizens, who will be responsible for their choices,
will seek alternative solutions, will participate in activities, will consult and co-plan, based on
environmental protection, improve their quality of life and ensure a world based on the principles and
values of sustainable development.

Situation
The creation of a permanent Unit for Education for the Environment and Sustainable Development is
the result of the adoption and systematic implementation of the National Strategy on ESD, which is
structured upon the UNECE ESD Strategy, which Cyprus has adopted with a view to establish ESD in a
coherent, systematic and integrated way, at the heart of its policies. The development of ESD at all
levels and forms of education, its’ integration of ESD into all national policies in a horizontal way and
the recognition that ESD can make a substantial contribution to the qualitative upgrading of the
education system, led to the foundation of this Unit. This Unit is responsible at governmental level for
monitoring the implementation of the national strategy for ESD, updating and implementing it across
the spectrum of the state mechanism, and more broadly in civil society.

Strategy
The process for the establishment of the Permanent Unit for ESD lasted for 4 years and the
methodology followed was based on the involvement of all stakeholders from the Ministry of
Education, from all the interested Ministries, the social partners, the NGOs, the private sector,
Universities and the Cyprus Parliament. In particular, an expert group on ESD issues, management and
planning was established with a mandate, of the Cyprus Minister of Education and Culture, to prepare
a special study on the establishment of the Unit, taking in consideration creation, the challenges which
it is faced, the international practices, its mission and objectives, its responsibilities, its institutional
framework. The study discussed with all the interested parties for ensuring consensus, approved, by
the Parliamentary Committee of the Environment and submitted to the Council of Ministers, which is
the superior body of the State for political decision-making, which formally authorized the
establishment of the Permanent Unit for ESD based on a specific study.