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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Intercultural Education: Promoting Sustainability in Education and Training

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Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a dynamic concept that encompasses a new vision of education seeking to empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating and enjoying a sustainable future. Today the notion of sustainable development includes ecological, economic, social and cultural sustainability. Cultural diversity and intercultural education contribute to the social and cultural aspects of sustainability. Responding to the challenge of ESD entails that the education policy is based on the participation of the whole population: all individuals should be aware of their own responsibility for creating a sustainable future in terms of ecology, economy, social relations and culture. The objectives for each education and training system stem from each country’s culture, economic and environmental context. Nevertheless, the global dimension of sustainable development must be taken into consideration in each country. Education, as a mean for sustainable development, covers formal and non-formal education, local civil society, the media and the workplace. Each country’s capacity to move towards sustainable human development depends on the existence of skilled human resources in the scientific, technical and professional fields that are needed for addressing complex environmental, resource and development issues. In an international global marketplace, large numbers of both temporary and permanent migrants can result in a highly diverse workforce. This diversity gives rise to intercultural competence and thus poses the question to educators and TVET, in particular: is intercultural education a separate subject of curriculum or should it be seen as an essential component of overall education? Internationalization, regionalization and localization, as trends within globalization, have provided new kinds of requirements and opportunities for intercultural dialogue and learning. However, in some countries the focus has been on promoting the mobility of the workforce and unifying qualifications across the region, rather