PARTICIPATION IN AN EDUCATIONAL NETWORK

Since February 11, 2023, BEELOSOPHY has been participating in the educational network "Environmental Education for Sustainability and Citizen Science". The network is an initiative of the Environmental Education Laboratory of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EEL- NKUA), as part of the European project Cos4Cloud (HORIZON 2020, 2019–2023).

The connection between Environmental Education for Sustainability (EES) and Citizen Science (CS) represents a new and emerging international field with significant potential. It aims to integrate and mutually leverage the practices and strategies of EES with corresponding CS initiatives, actions, and tools for the environment. Its areas of application include schools and local communities, with the goal of mobilising, educating, and empowering young citizens to face contemporary sustainability challenges through science and social participation.

The network seeks to promote the principles of open science and education, collaborative research, and participatory learning, which have been prioritised by the European Union, and to contribute to all Cos4Cloud actions that aim to connect Citizen Science with the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). The EEL-NKUA leads the establishment of the network in Greece, with the prospect of expanding it across Europe and internationally during and after the completion of the Cos4Cloud project.

The network is intended to function as a creative space for exchange, collaboration, and joint action among teachers, researchers, citizens, students, representatives of civil society and volunteer groups, public policy and administration bodies, local authorities, and private enterprises. Within this framework, innovative educational programmes and activities will be proposed, tested, and promoted, ideas and good practices will be exchanged, and events (e.g., conferences, seminars, webinars, workshops) will be organised with national and European participation. Schools, local communities, and youth will be at the center of these initiatives, with the key goal being the development of partnerships and joint action plans across different regions and countries in Europe and worldwide.

Source: https://eecs-net-eds.eu/