The UNESCO Associated Schools Network
Information
The UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) was established in 1953. ASPnet links educational institutions across the world around a common goal: to build the defenses of peace in the minds of children and young people. The over 11,500 ASPnet member schools in 182 countries work in support of international understanding, peace, intercultural dialogue, sustainable development and quality education in practice.
ASPnet - a driver for innovation and quality in education - is recognized as an effective tool for reaching target 4.7 on Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) - Education 2030.
ASPnet uses three complementary approaches:
- Creating: As a laboratory of ideas, ASPnet develops tests and disseminates innovative educational materials and promotes new teaching and learning approaches based on UNESCO's core values and priorities.
- Teaching and Learning: Capacity-building, innovative teaching and participative learning in specific ASPnet thematic areas allow school principals, teachers, students and the wider school community to integrate UNESCO's values and become role models in their community and beyond.
- Interacting: ASPnet gives its stakeholders opportunities to connect and exchange experiences, knowledge and good practices with schools, individuals, communities, policy-makers and society as a whole.
ASPnet operates at both international and national levels. A team at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris oversees the network's international coordination. At the country level, ASPnet National Coordinators are designated by UNESCO's National Commissions. Principals, teachers and students lead activities in member schools.
Management
Contacts
Main activities:
A well-functioning system of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network has been working since 1957 in Russia. Each school member acts under the leadership of the Regional and National Coordination Center and works on regional projects at international level according to four main areas of activities:
- Dissemination of information on the United Nations and UNESCO;
- Education for Sustainable Development;
- Study of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage;
- Human rights and intercultural education.
Our work is based on four pillars of learning “learning to know, learning to do, learning to be and learning to live”.
#Learning to know – a broad general knowledge with the opportunity to work in depth on a small number of subjects.
#Learning to do – to acquire not only occupational skills but also the competence to deal with many situations and to work in teams.
#Learning to be – to develop one’s personality and to be able to act with growing autonomy, judgment and personal responsibility.
#Learning to live together – by developing an understanding of other people and an appreciation of interdependence.
Cooperation
There are 369 certified UNESCO Associated Schools in Russia. Nine regional coordination centres are created in the country on a geographical basis: “Moscow” , ”Center” in Voronezh, “Baltic-North” in St. Petersburg, “South-the Caucausus” in Krasnodar, “Volga” in Kazan, “Bashkortostan” in Ufa, “Ural” in Izhevsk, “Siberia-Altai” in Khanty-Mansiysk and “Sakha-Baikal” in Yakutsk.
The project activities are supported by the international coordinator, the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, local authorities, non-state organizations and business structures.
The National Council of the UNESCO Associated Schools Project in the Russian Federation is held annually, where the most successful practices and initiatives and cooperation mechanisms with the UNESCO Chairs of Russia are discussed, annual reports and a work plan for the coming year are presented.
