The city of Espoo was the first Finnish city to be elected as a member of the UN university´s RCE network on sustainable development from the beginning of the year 2011.
The global RCE (Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development ) network consists of local RCE-networks, dedicated to promoting the goals of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005 – 2014).
The RCE Espoo network was founded to create sustainable development for the residents of the city. In practice this means raising the public awareness of sustainable development and of ways to act in a sustainable way, producing services and products which increase the wellbeing of the inhabitants, protecting the diversity of nature, responsibility, participation, sustainable consumption, recycling and energy efficiency.
Re-orienting education towards sustainable development is an important way to reach these goals.
The goals of the RCE Espoo network are
To raise the awareness of and understanding on well-being, sustainable development and of ways to act in a sustainable way
To integrate sustainable development as a part of education and everyday practices in daycare and all educational institutions
To increase the expertise of teachers and other personnel in daycare and educational institutions through offering training, methods and materials
To create practices which help every resident in the city to the care of the environment and participate actively in developing of the city according to the principles of sustainable development.
RCEs bring together institutions at the local and regional level to jointly promote sustainable development. The RCE Espoo network was founded by the Education and Cultural Services, Social and Health Services, and Environment and Technical Services in the City of Espoo, Omnia,The Joint Authority of Education in Espoo Region, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Aalto University, Helsinki University and many associations and private companies dedicated to promoting sustainable development.
