In times of increasing global challenges, e.g. climate change, biodiversity loss or plastic waste in the oceans, education for sustainable development (ESD) becomes more and more relevant. The Agenda 2030 issued by the United Nations emphasizes that by 2030 education needs to “ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development”. Sustainability needs educated citizens for responsible action and transformation of the present society. The project Promoting Relevant Education in Science for Sustainability (PRESS) invests in the capacity of HEIs to better educate teachers for ESD. The aim of the project is to install courses for teacher education in science with a focus on promoting ESD. Courses will be developed and implemented to allow partners to strengthen science teacher education with a focus on ESD. Responsible action in society needs participation skills which are (in our contemporary society) inseparably bound to self-determined coverage of media. For ESD, critical scientific media literacy and communication skills with societal stakeholders are suggested as important goals in education, in general and in science education in particular. That is why the PRESS courses on ESD will include a special focus on critical scientific media education and science communication skills to the wider public, both concerning traditional as well as digital/social media. Courses will also include training teachers for integrating school science learning with partners from businesses (SMEs/industry) and the wider public in small educational projects in connection to the non-formal educational arena.

The reason for undertaking this project is to bring curriculum reform for promoting active Civic Education (CE) in academic teacher training (TT) programs in IL and in GEO a quantum leap forward through:1. Developing and implementing a comprehensive program of courses and student activities that promotes civic education and behavior within our TT program.2. Integrating these courses into the curriculum in partner HEI.3. Faculty and in-service Teacher Workshops4. Courses and activities will integrate innovative pedagogy that will strengthen the aims and objectives of the courses (e.g. PBL, Service-Based Learning, VaKE; experiential and peer learning and teaching; integrating new technology in teaching and learning, etc.).5. Create course readers or kits that will enable other professionals and teachers to benefit from the CURE’s innovative courses.6. Establish an international network of professionals who collaborate together, share knowledge and good practices.7. Establish centers for promoting CE on HEI campuses.8. Create a website to disseminate program. 9. Publish results and strategies (online and hard copy): articles and handbooks. CURE’s curriculum reform will enhance the quality of CE in CURE's teacher-training programs both for our faculty as well as for our students, who are future educators of our societies. The faculty, teachers and students who benefit from CURE’s program will be able to effectively present, discuss and challenge the rudimentary notions of civic involvement in our society. Moreover as educators, they will help shape knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards responsible citizenship within a democratic setting, encourage critical thought and enactment of civil rights, actions and duties within their own classrooms thus sustaining and multiplying the program aims.