The international network Regional Centres of Expertise on ESD (RCE), which promotes sustainability, has awarded a prestigious commendation in the Climate Action category to the LUMA Center Finland network’s international and community-based initiative Teachers’ Climate Change Forum (TCCF). The nomination for the award was made by RCE Helsinki Metropolitan.
LUMA Centre Finland has been organizing climate change education in various forms since 2016. The current activities of the Teachers’ Climate Change Forum began in 2019 when the University of Helsinki Science Education started organizing the forum in close cooperation with researchers from the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) at the University of Helsinki.
The program has been implemented both at the Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station of the University of Helsinki and online. It has been planned collaboratively and interdisciplinarily with researchers, teachers, and science education experts. For example, In Hyytiälä, teachers have had the opportunity to learn about the latest research at the SMEAR II measurement station (Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations). Experts from both Finland and abroad have participated alongside teachers. The planning of the program has particularly taken into account the wishes and needs of teachers.
The program has reached a large number of teachers from different continents so far, and the feedback has been encouraging. The activities are also part of a research program (e.g., Aksela & Tolppanen, 2022; Herranen & Aksela, 2024).
“This recognition is an inspiring encouragement for all of us. Community and research-based approaches are at the core of our forum’s activities. Teachers globally must have access to the latest research and learn from each other together with researchers. Young people want more understanding of scientific, societal, and ethical issues, as well as solutions and hope. Together we are more!” says Professor Maija Aksela from the University of Helsinki, the director and founder of the forum, while thanking INAR and all participants globally for the recognition and cooperation. Promoting sustainability is one of the key principles of LUMA activities.
This recognition is the second significant international recognition received by the LUMA Centre Finland network. In 2018, the international StarT program was awarded the Global Best Award 2018 in the category of Europe’s best program bridging the gap between working life and STEM education at schools. The award was presented at a conference in Houston, Texas.
If you are interested in participating in our award-winning activities, in spring 2025, LUMA Centre Finland will organize the TCCF in collaboration with INAR as part of an international conference. Read more about it on the University of Helsinki’s website.
Read more:
- All awarded projects globally
- Last summer’s TCCF forum program and materials
- Aksela, M., & Tolppanen, S. (2022). Towards Student-Centered Climate Change Education Through Co-design Approach in Science Teacher Education. In YS. Hsu, R. Tytler, & P. J. White (Eds.), Innovative Approaches to Socioscientific Issues and Sustainability Education: Linking Research to Practice (pp. 85-99). (Learning Sciences for Higher Education). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1840-7_6
- Herranen, J., & Aksela, M. (2024). Fostering teachers as sustainability and climate change educators through understanding of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. LUMAT: International Journal on Math, Science and Technology Education, 12(3), 30-52. https://doi.org/10.31129/LUMAT.12.3.2085
