UN-Agenda 2030 & SDG 4

In 2015 the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all United Nations Member States. At its heart are the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly. The SDGs are part of Resolution 70/1 of the United Nations General Assembly: "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

The SDGs an urgent call for action by all countries to recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

The ICDE community focuses primarily on - Sustainable Development Goal 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

There are also education elements in the targets of several of the other 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Sustainable Development Goal 4 has 10 targets encompassing many different aspects of education. There are seven targets which are expected outcomes and three targets which are means of achieving these targets.

7 Targets for expected outcomes

4.1 Universal primary and secondary education
4.2 Early childhood development and universal pre-primary education
4.3 Equal access to technical/vocational and higher education
4.4 Relevant skills for decent work
4.5 Gender equality and inclusion
4.6 Universal youth literacy
4.7 Education for sustainable development and global citizenship

3 means of implementation

4.a Effective learning environments
4.b Scholarships
4.c Teachers and educators

Reference: https://en.unesco.org/node/265600

WHY IT MATTERS

Education is the key that will allow many other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved. Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to creating sustainable development. In addition to improving quality of life, access to inclusive education can help equip locals with the tools required to develop innovative solutions to the world’s greatest problems.

HOW ICDE CONTRIBUTES TO SDG4

The international ICDE community leverages online, open and flexible education in its global commitment towards ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

There is a strong need for integrating online, open and flexible education as an important cornerstone in leveraging quality higher education on a global scale towards 2030. Within this context the ICDE community of passionate advocates and international educational thought leaders work in collaboration on a number of initiatives which all contribute towards the global fight to bring quality education to all.

ICDE Networks

ICDE PROJECTS

ICDE POLICY WORK

ICDE KNOWLEDGE HUB: SDG4 RESOURCES

Got a contribution you want to share? Contact the ICDE Secretariat.

Knowledge Hub, Reports, Events etc.

Summary Report: ICDE Roundtable at UNESCO World Higher Education Conference 2022

This report presents regional perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for the topic of quality within Open, Flexible and Distance learning (OFDL).

European Commission: A European approach to micro-credentials

The European Commission have just launched a new website on micro-credentials and explains why an European approach is needed. The website outlines the wide-reaching benefits of micro-credentialing and highlights the importance of flexible learning, in addition to providing several reports and approaches in a multitude of languages.

Report: Open Education as a game changer – stories from the pandemic

The study presents examples of positive initiatives and changes in education originated as a reaction to the closure of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and which are part of what is known as Open Educational Practices and Open Educational Resources.

UNESCO 'ESD for 2030' Roadmap launches with series of regional events

UNESCO is organising regional online launch events of the ‘ESD for 2030’ Roadmap which provides guidance for Member States and other stakeholders for the implementation of the new global framework.

Making ODL Happen: Open and Distance Learning Planning Workbook' A staff development workbook on open and distance learning design (July 2018)

The 'Making ODL Happen' workbook was developed for the Nigerian National Universities Commission to assist with ODL capacity building across Nigerian universities.

Submitted by University of London

Continental Education Strategy For Africa (CESA) 16-25 2016 – 2025

The goals and intents of CESA 16-25 are unambiguously ambitious as they seek to achieve better results than any previous education strategic frameworks, be it regional or international. Therefore, here is Africa’s response which comes at the heels of the Conference of Education Ministers held in Kigali and the World Education Forum in Incheon (Korea).

Global Alliance to Monitor Learning GAML

The Global Alliance to Monitor Learning GAML is designed to improve learning outcomes by supporting national strategies for learning assessments and developing internationally-comparable indicators and methodological tools to measure progress towards key targets of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4)

Final Document Of The Ugra Declaration: On Preserving Languages And Promoting Linguistic Diversity In Cyberspace For Inclusive Sustainable Development

Read the final document here.

ICDE present at the UNESCO IITE-2016 International Conference

The Secretary General of ICDE gave an opening speech and presentation at the UNESCO IITE-2016 International Conference “ICT in Education: Innovation for Quality, Openness and Inclusion”.

Global Education Monitoring Report launched with urgent call to prioritize education to reach SDGs

In May 2015, the World Education Forum in Incheon (Republic of Korea), brought together 1,600 participants from 160 countries with a single goal in mind: how to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030?

Education 2030 Framework for Action has been adopted

The Education 2030 Framework for Action (FFA) "Towards inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all", provides guidance to countries for the implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goal 4, SDG4, Education 2030 agenda.

High Level Policy Forum, Pretoria, 17 October 2015

News release from the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), UNESCO, Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Open Education Consortium (OEC) and the University of South Africa (UNISA).

UNESCO World Education Forum 2015 Declaration

ICDE is participating in two UNESCO events in Asia this month.