Families in Balance
The post 2015 Development
Agenda- Setting a new course for
the world families want …..
World Family Summit +9
Berlin- Germany
2-5 December 2013
Success story
Education for Sustainable Development
in Higher Education (2012-2013)
By
Mona Sharaf Abdelgalil ( PhD)
Associate professor household management and family sciences
Department of Home Economics Faculty of Specific Education
Alexandria University- Egypt
Liaison of IFHE in Egypt
Email: mon_abdelgalil@hotmail.fr
Alexandria University
Research , Teaching, Interaction with the surrounding society
Faculty of Specific
Education
Home
Economics
Food &
Nutrition
Textiles and
garments
Art
Education
Household
management and
family sciences
Preparing teachers in
the field of its 3
department s
Music
Education
Educational
and
psychologic
al sciences
Home Economics pedagogic interest is preparing a
home economics teachers for primary, middle and
secondary school
*Preparing home economics’ teacher program, is a
multidisciplinary program include humanities,
social and economic sciences and applied
sciences (e.g. physiology, microbiology, organic
and analytical chemistry).
whose Vision is To become a leading, educational
and research institution in different approaches
of Home Economics studies.
• Its mission is to educate, train, research, disseminates
knowledge and technology, and promotes family in its
3 domains;
• Home economics focus on the family , as primary unit
of change in human society. We propose that the basic
unit of society is the family, and define it as a
household, no matter who the members are, so long as
they are living together intentionally.
• Man's life and its development as well as food, clothes
and health issues are studied.
• Teaching Home Economics is addressed to students
from 11 to 18 years of old at the primary , middle and
high school.
What is The change project
Education for Sustainable Development ESD ?
The Swedish International Development Cooperation
Agency Sida offered Advanced program (as a change
project) to the social and economic development in
the participants’ countries.
-The program is a collaborative venture with UNEP’s
Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU) and
seeks to support the Global University Partnership on
Environment and Sustainability (GUPES).
-The program are specially designed for persons
qualified to participate in reform processes of strategic
importance on different levels and hold a position in
their home organisation with mandate to run processes
of change, it seeks to support creative thinking and the
development of Education for Sustainable Development
practice in higher education in Africa and Asia.
The program is built around an ESD change project
conceptualized by an institutional team consisting of
the participant and a selected co-participant.
This change project can be innovations in teaching,
research, community engagement or university
policy and management.
-The project objectives :
-To provide an opportunity to exchange knowledge
and experiences in ESD in the higher education sector.
- deepen understanding of the environmental, socialcultural and economic dynamics of sustainable
development.
-Enhance the teaching, learning, research,
community involvement and management of higher
education institutions with regard to ESD.
The long term specific objectives
To contribute to:
- Poverty reduction and sustainable development;
- Capacity development and change processes in
participants´ institutions and home countries;
-Strengthening of methods, processes and monitoring to
enable effective education;
- Improved institutional infrastructure for ESD.
- Increase the awareness of the importance of effective
ESD in the higher education sector; and
-Stimulate development and sustainability of networks
in the field of higher education.
The program has been structured into 5 phases outlined below. Each phase is
structured to support the development of the ESD Change Project which be worked
on over a year. Each phase has results associated with the ESD Change Project.
Main problem in the first stage of the change
project :
1. How can ESD be integrated at the
Home Economics program ?
2. How can the department of Home
Economics ’s work on ESD be visible for the
university,
the
community
and
internationally?
There is an opportunity
for changing project as
the university mission and
vision enhance the
sustainable development
 How to change?
Lectures – seminars – workshop –
Training programs for teachers and students
Reorientation of the scientific research plan
How did we work?
• integrate of Environment- life Science /
family affaires - daily life activities
 What did we achieve?
• Initially, the objective of this change project is to
mainstream and implement the idea of
sustainability in household management education
program at the faculty of specific education in
Alexandria University within some courses of under
and postgraduate students.
• However, after several meetings with the dean, vice
dean and the staff member we decided to :
1- held an information day for all students about
sustainable Development with the collaboration of some
staff members
2- insert the concept of sustainable development in both
under and post graduates program;
3- Re orient the scientific research plan of the department
to include the sustainability under titled
“management of family resources and sustainable
development in home economics”
4-Reorient the content of some courses to be integrated with
sustainability issues e.g.
a- family health, ( grade 1)
b- family economics and consumer guidance ( grade 4)
c- Home task management (grade 1 and master )
d- Family relations and family crises(grade 3)
e- human rights to water” is a small chapter added to
consumer rights course in the university compulsory course
“human right” addressed to all the faculty students ( grade 1).
5- change the content of 2courses for master degree titled
“family health and the environment” and “Advanced Home
task management” focus on the sustainability issues and
some relevant skills and activities to integrate the community
issues.
That was done during phase 1 ,2 and phase 3
6- Reorient the curriculum of home economics by adding 2
new courses design addressed to 3rd and 4th year students
titled “Strategies for Sustainable living and family
wellbeing” this objective came up where the faculty
intended to transfer the education system to credit hours
system for under graduate students according to university
demand.
The course explores the use of management systems and
performance frameworks to make sustainability part of
family daily life tasks. Projects, activities and scientific
ideas are used to reinforce the concepts and develop the
skills to enable students to use the knowledge imparted
in the course.
Practical outcomes:
- the curriculum become more relevant and responsive to
changes in urban and rural area.
- the new courses will improve the students’ cognitive,
about social sustainability which is a pattern of resource
use that aims to meet human need,
- the courses will support the capacity of current
generations to create healthy and livable communities
and will reflect to the future generation .
then 3 proposals at the department was approved for PhD
and master degree;
the first is a PhD proposal “ the effectiveness of a training
program for developing time management skills for life
satisfaction on a sample of Alexandria university students”
by assistant lecturer Shaimaa El Naggar .
the second is for a master degree “ the effectiveness of a
training program to develop consumer skills in making a
fortified bread and its impact on management and
simplication of domestic tasks” by Ghadir post graduate
student , work as a teacher of home economics at private
middle school.
Another master proposal was approved about the
knowledge and attitudes of girls at middle schools about
the risk of early marriage.........by post Graduate Shaimaa a
school teacher
Example of a course content ( What we teach)
(Home tasks management)
Approach to household management
Natural
Minerals used in
resources fabrication of household
utensils and cook ware
Types of flooring ( woodplastic- marble – ceramic):
properties
Properties – the best
practices in
handling, caring,…..
Caring and cleaning .
Producing a low
price liquid soap.
Produce a liquid
environment
friendly for cleaning
floor and glass
Social
inclusion
The art of hospitality –
the art of setting table different ways in how to
serve the food.
Human
resources
development
.
Work
environment
Kitchen design
Time and effort
management
Purchasing management
Storage management
Food and clothes
management
Flower arrangement on
the tableDifferent ways of
folding napkinsSetting table and
serving .
Making deodorant from
environment–friendly
ingredient ( bio )
Applications on saving
time and effort when
working in the kitchen .
What is discussed in this course (applied part )?
• Academic tutorial for household management for
social stustainability
• some practices and activities to develop students’ skills as
a tool for development
• importance of Student involvement and engagement .
• specialized content to future home economics teacher
working For Sustainable Development
Applied part of the course
It was planned to:
- realize some of the activities to mainstream the
sustainable development (sustainability) principles
and practices among the students.
to integrate some of the sustainability issues in
the activities of the course content.
By the end of the course ( module ), students were
be able to :
Define and link the sustainability in each activity
they have done
- A concern for sustainability taken up in student research
for grade 4 department of home Economics, through
course titled family economics and consumer guidance.
They made researches on “emphasising operational
practices that include ideas for domestic waste
reduction, recycling the food residues to make different
varieties of receipt, e.g. take advantage (make benefits)
of the bread crumbs instead of , which has received in
the trash
Plastic Cups
Plastic Spoons Flower
• Rationalizing consumption in different
resources, Consumer guidance and protection
discussed in Family economics and consumer
Guidance
• carbon dioxide and air pollution reduction,
safe gas stove used at households , energy and
water conservation practices, and so on ...
were discussed in both courses family health
and household establishment and
development
And is it ESD?
Our course
•Focus on natural resources linked
to the social behavior and economics
•Room for discussions and team work
•Student involvement
•Innovative forms of learning
Training program for some HE teachers
and students about “How to establish
a small business domestic project
international workshop at the university
on “Sustainable Development” in the
presence of the program co-ordinator
from Rhodes University – South Africa
A workshop
How to addressed the eco system, sub marine and
African mask to activities for the students by using
compilations of natural colors. A Collaborative work
with the department of art education
Students’ practical work to establish a
small domestic project
Students design and make their garments – graduation project
course . Home Economics program promote fashion and design
Establishing small business projects
in graduation project course (home
management program) based on a
feasibility study
•What did we achieved?
• 1- Development of existing course .
2- Involvement of students (post graduate ) in
activities in mainstreaming education for
sustainable development as staff members .
3- Participation of young future teacher
of home economics ( in middle and secondary
school) with their new ideas .
4- producing low cost household products can be
contribute to reduce household expenditure.
Acknowledgment
I present my thanks to the World Family Organisation
for giving me the opportunity to participate and talk
about our project in this prestigious summit +9
I acknowledge with deep thanks the Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) ,
the program organizer of the training program NIRAS
which provided opportunity for exchange knowledge
and experiences in ESD in the higher education sector,
and collaboration amongst African, Asian and Swedish
universities, also, I present my great thanks to
Alexandria University, the dean, vice dean,s , my
colleague ‘contributors’ and all staff members
contributed , whose commitment and dedication have
made this work is done.
The situation prior to the change project
• Although the study of home economics can be used to
achieve social sustainability and sustainable living for
individuals , families and communities, where it aims at
teaching many skills, activities of interest to the girl, who is
the mother of the future, and transfer- in turn -these
knowledge , experiences and practices to the next
generations through the family. But
• the study of home economics at schools today is not a
compulsory education and became an optional study instead
for middle and secondary schools.
• No enough fund at schools for the applied and practical
lessons,
• The ministry of education has stopped issuing the home
economics’ textbook for girls at middle and secondary schools
many years ago, teachers depends on the old textbook and
their experience .
• Because the study of home economics
became non compulsory course at schools;
many schools’ directors replaces the Home
Economics quotas, with mathematics, science
and/ or languages.
The objectives of the program of Home management are:
 Student must be familiar to the basic skills in the areas
associated
with
household
management
, and employing skills, cognitive ,knowledge
and sciences associated in household management , as
well as the use of modern strategies in the development
of critical thinking and creative skills in domestic
environment.
 To raise the awareness’ level of the values of
responsibility and the consumption behavior.
 to participate in the development of household small
business projects,

The Home Economics profession will contribute to support
Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity through
· Home Economics research addressing aspects of social
integration and intergenerational solidarity in relation to
families and households.
· Home Economics education to improve the capabilities of
young and old including resource management and income
generation.
· Supporting families and communities to contribute to social
integration and intergenerational solidarity. (IFHE Press
Release
International Day of Families, 15th May 2013
“Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational
Solidarity” Bonn April 2013)
• The IFHE supports comprehensive approach to the six
“Education For All” goals: each one counts for providing
quality education throughout life - strong foundations in
early childhood, universal primary education, gender
equality, life skills, literacy and quality learning at all stages,
in both formal and non-formal approaches. The six
Education for All goals to be met by the learning needs of
all children, youth and adult by 2015 are:
• 1. Expand Early Childhood Care and Education
• 2. Provide free and compulsory Primary Education for All
• 3. Promote learning skills for young people and adults
• 4. Increase Adult Literacy by 50
• 5. Achieve Gender Parity by 2005 and Gender Equality by
2015