From Ideas to Action: AELIA Webinar Empowers Educators for Sustainable Change

On 26 June 2025, the webinar titled “Sustainability in Action: Ideas, Experiences & Approaches for Educational Institutions” was successfully held, attracting the participation of 50 individuals from across the education spectrum. The webinar was co-organised in collaboration with the Unit for Education for the Environment and Sustainable Development and the Pedagogical Institute, and was primarily addressed to educators of all levels, both in formal and non-formal education, as well as adult trainers, students of education faculties, and professionals from educational institutions committed to integrating sustainability into their practice.

The event opened with a presentation of the AELIA Project, with a focus on the educational resources developed within the framework of the European project. Particular emphasis was placed on the MOOC – an open, asynchronous online course designed to support Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). This resource aspires to empower both educators and organisations in adopting holistic approaches to sustainability.

Following the introductory session, a series of inspiring presentations highlighted good practices and practical tools from professionals and institutions in the field:

Maria Elia, CARDET Project Manager and Researcher presented the AELIA Project along with selected ESD methodologies featured in the MOOC; Dr. Athena Georgiou-Siippi (KykloIKOdromio) shared initiatives in circular economy and sustainable development targeting both students and teachers; Panagiota Koutsophta (Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free) introduced awareness campaigns aimed at reducing plastic use; Stella Chatzichillaios from the Unit for Education for the Environment and Sustainable Development, a public body, facilitated an engaging workshop designed to inspire and support participants in developing and implementing sustainability actions within their educational settings.

The webinar concluded with a hands-on session, inviting participants to brainstorm and record ideas and initiatives tailored to their own institutions. These proposals focused on enhancing day-to-day operations, fostering partnerships, mobilising resources, and systematically embedding sustainability at the pedagogical, organisational, and social levels.

This training initiative aimed to cultivate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for advancing Sustainable Development and to strengthen the role of educators as agents of change within the educational process.

The AELIA Project aims to facilitate the acquisition of skills and competences necessary for the green transition among all citizens. To achieve this goal, the project will employ a comprehensive, multistakeholder, whole-institutional approach that encompasses both formal and non-formal education settings, businesses, civil society, and the public sector. Participants from these diverse sectors will engage in all phases of the project, adhering to a quadruple helix innovation approach. This collaborative endeavor seeks to establish an enabling learning ecosystem, fostering transformative change at institutional, individual, and societal levels.

Find out more about the AELIA Project here.