The EDINSOST Project: Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals at University level

1 The EDINSOST Project: Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals at University level Silvia Albareda-Tiana 1 *, Jorge Ruíz-Morales 2 , Pilar Azcárate 3 . Rocío Valderrama- Hernández 4 and José Manuel Múñoz 5 (*) Silvia Albareda-Tiana (PhD) Faculty of Education Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Terré 11-19, 08017 Barcelona, Spain Corresponding author: [email protected] Keywords: Competency Map on Sustainability, Education for Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development Goals, Higher Education, Sustainability Training Abstract This article presents a review of the generic competencies in sustainability in Higher Education (HE). It provides a compilation of these sustainability competencies as an instrument to facilitate their assessment in university studies. Within the framework of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), the Bologna process proposed working by competencies. It will not be an easy task to implement these competencies, together with the global challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), at university level. Higher education institutions (HEIs) have a key role to play in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development adopted at the United Nations, and developing sustainability competencies is a way to promote it. This paper presents the first result of the EDINSOST project: a competency map on sustainability. The map has been developed within the EDINSOST project, whose objective is to train graduates capable of resolving the challenges facing our society by integrating training in sustainability competencies into the Spanish University System (SUS). At eight Spanish universities, this map has been successfully adapted to several undergraduate degrees in education (Primary Education, Pre-School Education, Pedagogy and Social Education) and a master degree programme in Environmental Education. 1 Introduction This paper reviews the generic competencies in sustainability in HE and provides a compilation of these competencies in sustainability as a resource to facilitate their assessment in different education degree programmes. This important task of assessing generic competencies in sustainability is not easy since two new paradigms for teachers converge: first, the adaptation of the new educational model of assessing competencies and, second, the development of sustainability awareness leading to a better world for new generations. 1 Universitat Internacional de Catalunya 2 Universidad de Sevilla 3 Universidad de Cádiz 4 Universidad de Sevilla 5 Universidad de Salamanca 2 The framework of the EHEA defines and evaluates all kinds of educational qualifications and establishes what skills students must achieve (EHEA, 2009). The Bologna process in Europe and the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014 (UNESCO, 2005) have catalysed a debate on which competencies for sustainability in education future professionals should acquire and, hence, which ones should be worked on in universities (Aznar and Ull, 2009; Barth, 2007; Kraker et al, 2007; Leal, 2009; Sleurs, 2008; UNESCO, 2017). Both the generic (common to any type of qualification) and specific (related to a particular field of knowledge) (Aznar and Ull, 2009; UNESCO, 2017) competencies for sustainability have been introduced into new degrees in a complex transition process in which both conceptual and methodological difficulties were encountered. On the one hand, there is the difficulty of understanding the competencies for sustainability, which is associated with the difficulty of understanding the concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) (Wals, 2009), and the concept of sustainability (Lozano, 2008) including the integral view recommended in the preamble of the 2030 Agenda (UN, 2015). On the other hand, the creation of the EHEA has meant a methodological change. It has gone from the traditional system of passing subjects by acquiring certain knowledge, to the assessment of learning results through competencies, which, in addition to knowledge, includes procedures, attitudes and values. This methodological change is bringing about a revolution in teaching and learning methods (Cano, 2008) at universities, which, logically, also affects implementing sustainability in the curriculum of universities. (Sterling, 2004; Mulà et al, 2007; Tilbury and Wortman, 2004; UNECE, 2013). According to the resolution of the UN General Assembly to declare a Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) “Emphasizing that education is an indispensable element for achieving sustainable development” (UN, 2002), and to the Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives publication, education has a responsibility in promoting the right values and skills for implementing the SDGs (UNESCO, 2017). The University, as an institution dedicated to the creation and transmission of knowledge through research and teaching, plays a leading role in the diffusion and application of possible solutions and alternatives to the socio-environmental problems our current society faces (UNESCO, 2005a; UNESCO, 2014b and UN, 2012). The challenge is for future professionals who must have competencies in sustainability to find solutions to the different global issues. “ESD can develop cross-cutting key competencies for sustainability that are relevant to all SDGs” (UNESCO, 2017, p.10). After the Declaration of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) and the Declarations on Sustainability in Higher Education (Leal, 2010; Lozano et al 2013 and Michelsen, 2016), efforts have been made to implement sustainability at University level (Albareda and Alférez, 2016 et; Barrón et al, 2010; Calder and Clugston, 2013; Disterheft, A. et al, 2012; Ferrer- Balas et al, 2008; Geli and Leal, 2006; Leal, 2010, 2011, 2015a, 2015b; Lozano, 2009 and 2011; Michelsen, 2016; Müller-Christ et al, 2014; O’Byrne et al, 2015; Ramos et al, 2015; Wals, 2014 and Wals et al, 2016). The challenge for universities to be more sustainable is complex. The preamble of the 2030 Agenda for SDGs (UN, 2015), stresses the importance of working on SD from a holistic point of view: “We are committed to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions -economic, social and environmentalin a balanced and integrated manner” (UN, 2015). This integral and holistic view of sustainability is also present in 3 ESD documents published at the beginning (UNESCO, 2005a and UNESCO, 2005b) and at the end of the DESD 2005-2014 Nagoya Declaration on Higher Education for Sustainable Development (UNESCO, 2014a). In practice, however, much remains to be done. Within the SUS, several universities are working on the implementation of sustainability in all areas of the university. The Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE in Spanish) 6 has two specific sectors, CRUE - Internationalization and Cooperation and CRUE –Sustainability, that work on sustainability. Both departments consist of different working groups that focus on the different areas. At the beginning of 2018, the Internationalization and Cooperation sector conducted a survey among all the SUS Universities on the knowledge and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at Spanish universities (CRUE, 2018). With regard to the implementation of curricular sustainability, CRUE -Sustainability drafted and approved documents that propose core competencies in sustainability (CRUE, 2012). The content related to the SDGs includes the important social and environmental priorities worldwide, and the interconnections between them: No Poverty; Zero Hunger; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Clean Water and Sanitation, etc. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN, 2015), including its 17 goals, offers universities a unique opportunity to meet their social obligations. “These goals combine efforts to eradicate poverty and increase the development of poor countries while decreasing the human footprint on the environment” (Saito, O. et al, 2017). The objective for implementing the SDGs in HE is to ensure graduates develop different competencies in sustainability: “competencies in systemic, anticipatory, and critical thinking” (Rieckmann, 2012; Wiek et al., 2011), “competencies related to ethics and values” (Barth et al., 2007; Rieckmann, 2012; Sleurs et al., 2008; Wiek et al., 2011) and “interpersonal competencies” (Wiek et al., 2011). The implementation of the SDGs does not only require knowledge creation. It also requires a change in teaching methods, and in the methodological strategies linked to ESD (Albareda et al, 2018), including learning from real problems, anticipating and preparing for future sustainability challenges (Ryan and Tilbury, 2013; Wiek et al., 2011), core methodologies, integrative thinking and practice including different disciplines, cultures and perspectives (UNECE, 2011). HEIs play a key role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations, and developing competencies in sustainability at university level is a way to promote it. The challenge is to train university graduates to become competent in sustainability. In order to measure the students’ level of sustainability and to verify the efficiency of the methodological scenarios allowing their implementation, an instrument like a competency map on sustainability is needed. This paper presents, as the first part of the EDISNOST project, the process of drawing up the competency map on sustainability for education degrees. This competency map will be operative, that is, implementable in the different degrees in education and adopts an integral and holistic view of sustainability. 6 CRUE is a non-profit organisation composed of 76 Spanish universities: 50 of which are public and 26 are private. It acts as the main interlocutor between universities and the central government and plays a key role in all the regulatory developments that affect higher education in Spain. For more information, visit the website: http://www.crue.org/SitePages/Inicio.aspx. 4 2 The EDINSOST Project The EDINSOST project (Education and Social Innovation for Sustainability, in Spanish) is entitled: “Training professionals as change agents to meet the challenges of society in Spanish universities” and is funded by the “Programa Estatal de I+D+i Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad” (RDI Government Programme directed towards societal challenges) from 1 January, 2016 to 31 December, 2018. The overall objective of the project is to advance in education innovation for SD in universities, providing future graduates with the necessary competencies to initiate the change towards a more sustainable society. To achieve the goal of the project, frameworks and processes that facilitate the holistic integration of ESD into the University curriculum will be developed. This will be done by mapping the existing pedagogical practices and frameworks in ESD, by making a diagnosis of the conditions of ESD in Spanish Universities and by creating and evaluating teaching and learning materials for students. Competencies in ESD will be developed for teachers by designing support materials and professional development courses. The four specific objectives of the EDINSOST project are the following: 1. Define the sustainability map of the courses involved in the project and establish the framework that facilitates their holistic integration into the different degree programmes 2. Validate teaching strategies for the acquisition of sustainability from a pedagogical, constructivist and community approach 3. Diagnose the conditions of the sustainability training needs of the teaching staff, develop and test training proposals; and 4. Diagnose the conditions of sustainability learning for university students, develop and test training proposals The project involves a total of 15 degrees in the fields of education, business administration and engineering in 9 universities in Spain (UAM, UCA, UCJC, UCO, UdG, UIC, UPC, US and USAL), and 52 researchers between the research team and the work team. The 9 universities work together with the CRUE’s Sustainability in the curriculum working group. This group assumes sustainability as a “concept that includes the pursuit of environmental quality, social justice and a fair and viable economy in the long run” (CRUE, 2012). The research methodology of the EDINSOST project is the interpretive approach, including quantitative and qualitative techniques that cover the three dimensions of SD: the social dimension of SD (education degrees), the environmental dimension (engineering degrees) and the economic dimension (business administration degrees). On the one hand, three undergraduate degrees related to the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social and economic) are studied. 5 On the other hand, and taking into account their multiplier and long-term effect, special emphasis is placed on four undergraduate degrees and one master degree programme, since their graduates are the future teachers of the new generations of citizens. Finally, seven technological degrees and a master degree in Sustainability Science and Technology will be studied because of their great impact on the challenges of society in the short-term. The degrees on which the project will focus are: - Undergraduate degrees: Pre-School Education, Primary Education, Pedagogy, Social Education, Environmental Sciences, Business Administration, Mechanical Engineering, Design Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Architecture. - Master degree: Science and Sustainability Technology and Environmental Education The results of the project will be promoted nationally through the Commission of the CRUE on Sustainability, and internationally through its plan of dissemination and transferability. An observatory on ESD and European Networks of HE in Sustainability will be created for this purpose (Sánchez et al, 2017). 3 Methods for developing a competency map on sustainability degrees As a starting point for integrating sustainability into the curriculum of the SUS, according to the CRUE (2012), four competencies in sustainability were identified that should work in all university degrees (generic or cross-curricular competencies). The formulation of these competencies was expanded in the plenary session of the commission of the CRUE on Sustainability in Valencia on 9 March 2012, and was presented at the CRUE's General Assembly at the University of Girona on 28 June 2012. It was subsequently sent to all Spanish universities. The following cross-curricular competencies for sustainability are proposed for inclusion in university education (CRUE, 2012): - SUST1. Competency in the critical contextualisation of knowledge through the linking of social, economic and environmental issues at a local and/or global level - SUST2. Competency in the sustainable use of resources and in the prevention of negative impacts on natural and social environments - SUST3. Competency to participate in community processes that promote sustainability - SUST4. Competency to apply ethical principles related to sustainability values in personal and professional behaviour Sustainability competencies defined by the CRUE (CRUE, 2012), the rubric of generic competencies assessment, used for the evaluation of Service-Learning in the Faculty of Education of the UIC since 2009 (Fuertes, 2014), and the work of the STEP group of the Computer Science Faculty at UPC were taken as a starting point for designing the competency map on sustainability. This group has been working on the design of a competency map on sustainability for computer engineering studies (Sánchez et al, 2016) since 2008. The convergence of the three projects mentioned above, which were partly produced by members of the EDINSOST project, has been the starting point for a competency map on sustainability. For this purpose, a structure based on 4 competencies 6 related to sustainability was defined: SUST1-SUST4. Each competency is divided into three sustainability dimensions and, for each dimension, units of competency and levels, were defined using the levels of competency of the simplified Miller pyramid (Miller, 1990). Miller (1990) established a hierarchy of competencies in the medical profession (that can also be applied to other professions), which are depicted in Figure 1. Figure 1. Miller’s Pyramid (1990) Source: Author’s adaptation of various versions of Miller’s Pyramid From the selection of competencies and the hierarchy of results established by Miller (1990), the study focuses on analysing what the learning outcomes allow us to evaluate. It established three levels of acquisition defined by learning outcomes (indicators), based on the standards set by the National Centre for Education Statistics (NCES) (2002). The first level domain corresponds to knowledge and refers to “learning”, the second level domain corresponds to integration and development in the situation and finally, the third level domain is linked to demonstrating competency in the action and the possibility of transferring this action. Drawing up a competency map on sustainability for several education degrees was an arduous and complex process. Therefore, it was decided to elaborate a work of simplification focusing on the holistic view of sustainability in the SDGs (UN, 2015) and thus concentrating only on the holistic view of every competency. The work was organised per degree. The degree programmes that were part of the project were the following: Pre-School Education, Primary Education, Pedagogy and the master degree in Environmental Education. This work method per degree programme consisted of three phases and took place during academic year 2016-2017: 1st phase: Compilation: In this phase, all the generic competencies were associated with the degree reports 7 of the 8 universities, including the competencies in sustainability of the CRUE (2012). Those 7 The degree reports are official documents of University degrees, presented by each University and approved by the Spanish National Agency for Quality Evaluation and Accreditation (ANECA). DOES (Action) SHOWS HOW (Performance) KNOWS HOW (Competence) KNOWS (Knowledge) 7 competencies were reviewed for international reports of competencies in sustainability and International Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2016; Sleurs, 2008; UNECE, 2013; UNECE, 2016; UNESCO, 2017). Each degree programme from each university had its own map of competencies based on an analysis of the curriculum included in the official documents of university degrees and the degree reports elaborated by the CRUE. In almost all competencies, each of the dimensions of sustainability and their corresponding holistic view was considered. 19 different maps were drawn up in total. This first phase intended to be as exhaustive as possible without leaving out any cross-cutting core competency for sustainability or SDGs aspect. 2nd phase: Compilation per university and degree: Once the 19 competency maps were completed, synthesis and compilation were performed per degree and postgraduate course, with the aim of obtaining a single map of competencies for the education degrees. In this phase, five final maps of education were obtained, corresponding to 4 undergraduate degrees and 1 master degree. First, we discussed and agreed on introducing the specific competencies in accordance with the degree programmes, an idea that was nuanced in the second phase. We then analysed the contributions of each university in the different degree programmes to obtain complete findings, not only a sum of specific contributions. Finally, it was decided to consider only the four general competencies initially established. 3rd phase: Compilation to obtain a single map of competencies. The purpose was to obtain a simple operational and finished instrument that would be useful for all education studies. From the map of 5 competencies (4 undergraduate degrees and a master degree), a synthesis effort was made, which entailed an intense debate between the coordinators of the different education degrees. This last phase of compilation meant perfecting the units of competencies. We decided to consider all of them from a holistic viewpoint, integrating the three dimensions of sustainability, as recommended in the 2030 Agenda (UN, 2015). We characterised these units of competency according to the domain levels: knowing, knowing how, demonstrating and doing, thus adapting the initial scheme of the Miller pyramid. Figure 2 shows the methodological process used to elaborate a single map of competencies. 8 Figure 2. Methodological sequence for the elaboration of a competency map on sustainability Source: Own work 4 Results and Discussion There have been numerous attempts to make compilations of core competencies in sustainability in HE, both in sustainability in general and in ESD. The understanding of sustainability and competencies for sustainability at universities is sufficiently deep and complex to analyse the concept of competency, the concept of sustainability and the competencies in sustainability further. Implementing the proposals of the EHEA has at least led European universities to work on competencies and they are reflected in the curriculum for each degree. The difficulty lies in assessing the competencies from the learning results of the students. This paper presents the first result of the EDINSOST project: a competency map on sustainability for 4 undergraduate education degrees (Primary Education, Pre-School Education, Pedagogy and Social Education) and a master degree in Environmental Education, offered at eight Spanish universities. The map is easily adaptable to any education degree and to other HE degrees. obtained 1 competency map 3rd Phase: Final compilation competencies and units of competencies from a holistic viewpoint obtained 5 competency map 2n Phase: Compilation per university and degrees Synthesis and compilation of 4 undergaduate degrees and 1 master degree obtained 19 competency map 1st Phase: Compilation of sustainability competencies SUST CRUE Professional Standards for Teachers 5 Degree reports in education from 8 Spanish universities 9 Level 1. KNOWING Level 2. KNOWING HOW Level 3. SHOWING & DOING 1.1. Understands the functioning of natural, social and economic systems, as well as their interrelations and problems, both at a local and global level Knows the functioning of natural, social and economic systems and the mutual relations between them Analyses and understands the relationship between natural systems and social and economic systems Is able to imagine and predict the impacts the changes produced in natural systems may cause in social and economic systems and among each other 1.2. Possesses critical thinking and creativity, taking advantage of the different opportunities presented (ICT, strategic plans, regulations, etc.) in the planning of a sustainable future Knows the procedures and resources to integrate sustainability into educational projects Understands and takes advantage of the opportunities that present themselves in educational contexts in order to plan sustainable projects Provides solutions to educational projects from a critical and creative viewpoint with the aim of planning a sustainable future SUST 2- Sustainable use of resources in the prevention of negative impacts on natural and social environments Holistic 2.1.Designs and develops actions, making decisions that take into account the environmental, economic, social, cultural and educational impacts so as to improve sustainability Has basic knowledge ofidentifying possible socioenvironmental impacts derived from educational actions Knows how to develop educational actions that mitigate negative socio-environmental impacts Designs and develops educational activities in which negative socio-environmental impacts are taken into account and incorporates mitigating measures SUST 3- Participation in community processes that promote sustainability Holistic 3.1. Promotes and participates in community activities that encourage sustainability Recognises himself/ herself as an integral part of his/ her surroundings and knows the community education programmes that encourage participation and commitment to socioenvironmental improvement Is able to interact satisfactorily in educational community projects, encouraging participation Designs and carries out socio-educational activities in participatory community processes that promote sustainability 4.1. Is consistent in actions, respecting and valuing (biological, social and cultural) diversity and commited to improving sustainability Knows the ethical principles of sustainability and the importance of respecting diversity in educational intervention Understands and integrates the ethical principles of sustainability in his/ her actions, considering nature as a good in intself and transmiting the importance of education for a change in the relationship between human beings and the socio-cultural environnment Is able to design and/ or manage educational projects taking into account ecological ethics to improve quality of life and to promote the common good 4.2. Promotes education in values oriented to the formation ofresponsible, active and democratic citizens Takes into account promoting integral and sustainable human development as the basic purpose of the formation of citizenship Critically analyses and assesses the consequences his/ her personal and professional actions may have on the integral development of students and on promoting sustainable human development Designs and develops educational intervention proposals that integrate the values of sustainability and which result in justice and the common good Holistic Holistic SUST 4- Application of ethical principles related to sustainability values in personal and professional behaviour SUST Competency map of all the degrees in educaton Domain levels (according to the simplified Miller pyramid) SUST 1- Critical contextualization of knowledge establishing interrelationships between social, economic and environmental, logal and/or global problems Competency Unit Dimension Related Competencies Table 1. Competency Map on Sustainability in Education at University level 16 UNESCO (2017). Education for Sustainable Development Goals. Learning Objectives. UNESCO, Paris. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002474/247444e.pdf UNITED NATIONS (UN) (2002). Resolution 57/254 adopted by the General Assembly United Nations. Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. http://www.undocuments.net/a57r254.htm (accessed February 2018). UNITED NATIONS (UN) (2012). “The future we want: Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development adopted at Rio+20”. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/733FutureWeWant.pdf. UNITED NATIONS (UN) (2015). Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015. UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE (UNECE). (2011). Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development. Learning for the future: Competences in Education for Sustainable Development, available at:https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/esd/ESD_Publications/Competence s_Publication.pdf UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE (UNECE). (2013). Empowering educators for a sustainable future. Tools for policy and practice workshops on competences in education for sustainable development. Geneva, Switzerland. UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE (UNECE). (2016). Ten years of the UNECE Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development. New York and Geneva. Wals, A. E. (2009). A Mid-DESD Review: Key Findings and Ways Forward. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 3, pp.195-204 Wals, A. E.; Tassone, Valentina C.; Hampson, Gary P.; Reams. Jonathan (2016). Learning for walking the change: eco-social innovation through sustainabilityoriented higher education. In: Matthias Barth, Gerd Michelsen, Ian Thomas and Marco Rieckmann (eds.): Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development. London: Routledge, pp. 25–39. Wals, A.E. (2014). “Sustainability in higher education in the context of the UN DESD: a review of learning and institutionalization processes”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 62, pp. 8-15. Wiek, A., Withycombe, L. and Redman, C.L. (2011). “Key competencies in sustainability: a reference framework for academic program development”. Sustainability Science, Vol. 6, No.2, pp. 203-218. 17 Biographical note Dr. Sílvia Albareda-Tiana is Lecturer of Experimentally Science at the Faculty of Education of Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), Barcelona, Spain. Director of the Sustainability of the UIC and Head of the Research Group SEI (Integral Sustainability and Education). Theologian Doctorate, master’s degree in Landscape Architecture and Biology degree. Her research is focused on analysing how Education for Sustainability Development is being implemented in the Spanish University System, helping to clarify the concept of sustainability, design teaching and learning strategies for the implementation of Sustainability in the universities and evaluate the results of this implementation. She is the author of more than thirty-five articles and one book of scientific impact. Dr. Pilar Azcárate has a degree in Physical Sciences and Ph.D. in Philosophy and Education Sciences. Is Professor and researcher of Mathematic Education at the Faculty of Education of the University of Cádiz, Spain. Head of the Research Group, “Teachers’ Professional Development”. Her current research interests include teacher education, assessment and methodology in Mathematics Education and Education for Sustainable Development. She has special interest, design teaching and learning strategies for the implementation of Sustainability in the universities and evaluate the results of this implementation. She is the author of a wide variety of articles, chapter of book and book of scientific impact. Dr. José Manuel Muñoz-Rodríguez is a Pedagogy PhD Lecturer from the University of Salamanca of de Theory and History of Education. Extraordinary Doctorate Award. His research lines include theory of education, analysis of education processes, pedagogy of time and space, and training processes in virtual environments; from social pedagogy, environmental education for sustainable development. She is a member of the research group: "processes, spaces and educational practices”. Teaching on the areas of environmental pedagogy and anthropology of education. Author of several papers and book chapter of scientific impact. Dr. Jorge Ruiz-Morales is Professor of Didactics of Experimental and Social Sciences, at the Faculty of Education of University of Sevilla. Doctor and Bachelor of Science in Education –Pedagogy. Research and Professional Experience: participación ciudadana, educación socioambiental, educación libre, educación y ciudadanía, didáctica de las ciencias sociales. Professional Appointments: - 2014. Technical Coordinator and social and educational projects. Co-revitalization program, Co-participation and co-research ―Almensilla (Con) Participation Amount. Tangling hired by the Association Meetings ―Red-is Human Scale Development‖ in collaboration with HE. City of Almensilla (Sevilla) and the International University of Andalusia. - 2014. Educator and Researcher Free Education Project. - 2008-2013. Director and Trainer in joint projects Training and Employment. Years 2005- 2007. Research Coordinator Research Project and Revitalisation in Seville Participatory Budgeting. Vice President for Research, University of Seville and HE. City of Seville Honors: Award obtained in Andaluz III Contest of Good Practices for Environmental Education and Local Sustainability Project Co-research, Co-revitalization and Coparticipation ―Almensilla (Con) Total Responsibility, obtained in November and 18 awarded by the Ministry of Environment and the Andalusian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces, delivered in Baza (Granada). Dr. Rocio Valderrama-Hernández is a teacher at the University of Seville since 2009 with an academic and management involvement outstanding in the degree of pedagogy and in different masters of the Faculty. He has a proven research experience in areas related to the analysis of citizen participation and competential development in secondary school teachers. She is Member of the Research Group HUM596, Director of the Adult Education and Human Development Cooperation Group PANGHEA, Member of the Gender Research and Cooperation Network. She holds a PhD in Pedagogy from the University of Seville. Its line of research is developed in relation to human development, socio-environmental education, society, family and education, participatory research and the construction of citizenship from the earliest educational levels. Lecturer in the Andalusian Interuniversity Master of environmental educators, awarded in 2014 as best educational space of environmental practices by the Government of Andalusia. He has led the teaching innovation project through social cartography as an innovation tool within the framework of the University's own Teaching Plan.