MSU Professor Addresses at ESHA International Conference in Croatia

Prof. Karanam Pushpanadham, Head of Department of Educational Administration was invited to deliver a keynote address on 'Education for Global Citizenship". There were around 1000 school principals across the Europe continent consisting of 30 countries have attended this conference along with the representatives from UNICEF, UNESCO, world bank and OECD. He attended the Bi- Annual International Conference of the European School Heads Association (ESHA) has taken place in Dubrovnik, Croatia from 24th Oct to 27 Oct 2023. The theme of the conference was ' School Leadership: Making a Difference ".

NEP 2020 envisages the importance of Global Citizenship Education. The NEP, 2020 notes that “as the world is becoming increasingly interconnected, Global Citizenship Education (GCED), a response to contemporary global challenges, will be provided to empower learners to become aware of and understand global issues and to become active promoters of more peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure, and sustainable societies”. The NEP 2020 highlights certain aspects which have a direct linkage with citizenship education. It points out that towards the attainment of a holistic and multidisciplinary education, “the flexible and innovative curricula of all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) shall include credit-based courses and projects in the areas of community engagement and service, environmental education, and value-based education”. Environmental education is expected to include areas such as climate change, pollution, conservation of biological diversity, management of biological resources and biodiversity, forest and wildlife conservation, and sustainable development and living. Value-based education is expected to include the development of humanity, ethical, constitutional, and universal human values of truth, righteous conduct, peace, nonviolence and love, citizenship values, and life-skills; lessons in service and participation in community service programmes is considered an integral part of holistic education.

“The primary aim of Global Citizenship Education (GCED) is nurturing respect for all, building a sense of belonging to a common humanity and helping learners become responsible and active global citizens. GCED aims to empower learners to assume active roles to face and resolve global challenges and to become proactive contributors to a more peaceful, tolerant, progressive, equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and secure world”, said Prof. K. Pushpanadham.

“The United Nations Global Citizenship Education highlights that it is not enough for education to produce individuals who can read, write, and count.  Education must fully assume its central role in helping people to forge more just, peaceful, tolerant, and inclusive societies for which the nurturance of 21st century skills are essential. It was a great platform to put our innovative ideas in front of larger professional communities to think and reflect for successful implementation”, he mentioned.