About Us
About Us
The Centre for Education and Sustainable Development in Africa (CESDA) is an International Network based in Kenya with regional chapters in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and other African countries that host the Education for Sustainable Development (ESDA) and the Transforming Universities for a Changing Climate (Climate-U) projects.
Objectives
- Support educational institutions’ action on sustainable development initiatives.
- Promote student-led initiatives on education and sustainable development;
- Promote and contribute to theory and understanding of higher education and sustainable development.
- Advance climate action and sustainable development through teaching, research and community service.
- Enhance national and international collaborations to expand higher education opportunities by developing relevant programs and alternative delivery modes.
Our Impact
Education for Sustainable Development in Africa
Our researchers have played a primary role in strengthening regional and global efforts to enhance higher education’s role in advancing sustainable development. CESDA’s researchers were among a team of experts implementing a collaborative project, the Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA). ESDA was an inter-university collaboration programmes of graduate training and research among eight African partner universities for promoting sustainable development in Africa.
The project's primary mission was to contribute to the continent's sustainable development agenda by training professionals who may serve as planners, organizers, instructors, researchers, field development agents and practitioners, and to organize research and information dissemination activities. The eight African partner universities of ESDA are collaboratively implementing:
(1) three Master’s Programmes
(2) a joint research project of their Next Generation Researchers team
(3)an exploratory project on the Africa Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative.
Transforming Universities for a Changing Climate Project
Our team has also been involved in implementing the Transforming Universities for a Changing Climate Project (Climate-U). Climate-U is a multi-country partnership involving 20 universities in 9 countries: Kenya, Brazil, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Mozambique, Tanzania and the United Kingdom. The project is funded by the United Kingdom Research Innovation (UKRI) under the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the lead university in the project is University College London (UCL). The project is implemented through Participatory Action Research (PAR) model. The PAR approach provides equality, equity and inclusion of marginalised individuals and groups affected by a particular challenge in the design and execution of an intervention. Participatory Action Research Groups (PARGs) have been formed in participating universities to guide the implementation of the project. PARG comprises diverse stakeholders from the university, immediate communities and professionals from the relevant private organisations and government agencies.
The PARGs identified and implemented appropriate interventions at their university and communities. PARGs in three participating universities in Kenya, Kenyatta University, Kisii University and Kenya Methodist University (KeMU) have reviewed diverse courses, such as the Growing Leaders Programme at Kenyatta University, a certificate course offered to all final-year students. At KeMU, two courses were revised, the Environmental Science and Environmental Health courses. On the other hand, Kisii University introduced a new common course, Introduction to climate change management, to be offered to all students in their first year of education. Modes of delivery of the four courses in the three participating universities include interactive lectures, local case studies, audio-visuals, student discussions, tutorials, projects, or fieldwork that will facilitate the co-creation of knowledge with the students and local communities.
Moreover, through research and Participatory Action Research (PAR) approaches, a range of campus greening activities were developed and piloted at the three Kenyan universities. The activities include the establishment of Kenyatta University Green Education Hub (GEH) in 2022. The Hub spearheads research, co-design of teaching and learning materials on climate change, sustainable development and green education. Another key role of the Hub is coordinating the students clubs and offering them a platform to take climate action through co-creation and dissemination of knowledge, community service advocacy activities. KeMU’s climate action includes waste management and afforestation initiatives. While Kisii University is spearheading clean energy and smart farming initiatives.