Abstract:

In 2005, the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UN-DESD) was declared in order to integrate the sustainable development values into all aspects of learning and to encourage changes in individual and collective behaviors. Several intermediary reports, formal and informal, were produced by countries so as progresses to be monitored and assessed. The aim of our study is to provide a global picture of the progresses made in Romania as far as the objectives of the DESD are concerned. In order to achieve this goal, an empirical analysis was led within several Romanian districts, and interviews with key Education actors provided qualitative data on the good practices observed at different Education levels. Our findings confirm certain improvements regarding the actions undertaken by some local communities in the field of Education for Sustainable Development. However, the awareness of the importance of SDE doesn’t seem homogeneous and varies depending on several factors such as pupils’ age and the degree of information and motivation of the teaching staff. Furthermore, many good initiatives in Romanian Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) are introduced by informal and non formal Education actors such as NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations), who often have at their disposal the data, human resources and methods for financing such projects.

Keywords:

Sustainable development, education, Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, Romania, institutions, learning, monitoring.