The RCE World Conference was held on October 21-23, 2025, in Okayama, Japan, and was attended by more than 260 participants from around the world. The event was a recap of the 20-year history of the global RCE network, which is coordinated by the United Nations University – its Institute of Advanced Studies in Tokyo (the activities of these institutions and support for the network are funded by the Japanese government). The main mission of the RCE is to promote the transformative role of education for sustainability in the specific conditions of a given region, with the democratic involvement of regional actors, including (or primarily) universities. The development of the global network and examples of activities are summarized in the publication: Learning, Collaborating and Transforming: The 20th Year Anniversary of the Global RCE Network. Our country also has a Regional Center of Expertise, Czechia, whose activities were presented at the conference.
Conference participants shared best practices and experiences from around the world, gained during two decades of practice in education for sustainability for various target groups. The discussions highlighted the important role played by young people today – they are co-creators of sustainable solutions, participate in intergenerational learning, and can initiate changes in practice. In the context of international cooperation, other topics were also discussed, ranging from politics and action-oriented pedagogy to community involvement and the role of new technologies, with an emphasis on the diversity of approaches within the global RCE community. At the conclusion of the RCE conference in Okayama, the Declaration on "Shared Commitments of Regional Centres of Expertise for a Shared Future" was adopted, summarizing the state of global efforts to promote education for sustainability in a regional context and indicating the way forward.
Keynote speeches highlighted the transformative role of education for sustainability. RCE pioneer Dzulkifli Abdul Razak (former rector of the International Islamic University of Malaysia) reflected on the network's journey and the development of "community universities" as models for community education. Her Royal Highness Princess Abze Djigma of Burkina Faso spoke about the importance of inclusive and lifelong learning that begins at birth, emphasizing local wisdom and justice as the foundations of resilient and prosperous communities. Other figures who have succeeded in engaging local actors and moving their regions towards sustainability also provided inspiration through examples that can be applied in other local contexts.
Sources:
Conference website: https://14th-global-rce.com/
Conference program: https://14th-global-rce.com/assets/img/home/Concept_Note_and_Programme.pdf
Conference report on the UNU website: https://unu.edu/ias/news/conference-celebrates-20th-anniversary-global-rce-network
Publication summarizing the development of the RCE network: Learning, Collaborating and Transforming: The 20th Year Anniversary of the Global RCE Network: https://unu.edu/publication/learning-collaborating-and-transforming-20-year-journey-global-rce-network
Insebayeva, N. et al (eds.) (2025) Learning for a Sustainable Future: RCE Stories of Action-Oriented Pedagogy. UNU IAS. Online https://unu.edu/publication/learning-sustainable-future-rce-stories-action-oriented-pedagogy
Unfortunately, the declaration has not yet been published.
