The UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) unites students, teachers and educational institutions across the world around a common goal: “to build peaceful and sustainable societies in the minds of children and young people”. The aim of the worldwide UNESCO Associated Schools Network is to promote intercultural dialogue, peace, sustainable development, and quality education in a world of increased complexity and interdependence. ASPnet members support UNESCO’s mission and translate its global goals into teaching, learning and action.

UNESCO Associated Schools Network

The UNESCO Associated Schools Network is the world’s largest school network which consists of 11 700 educational institutions, from preschool education to teacher training schools in 182 countries.

The network was established in 1953 and Finland has been a member since 1959.  The Finnish network consists of approximately 60 learning institutions, ranging from kindergartens to University Teacher Training Schools. UNESCO’s ideals and values can be seen in the pedagogical approaches and operational culture of the member institutions.

Network policies

UNESCO Associated Schools promote the values and principles of the Constitution of UNESCO and the Charter of the United Nations:

  • ASPnet contributes to the achievement of Agenda 2030 goals
  • All ASPnet members carry out UNESCO’s strategies and programs regarding education, science, culture and communication 
  • The member schools implement the ASPnet strategy 2014-2021 

ASPnet schools develop, test and share innovative educational materials, new teaching and learning approaches based on UNESCO’s core values. ASPnet member schools utilise UNESCO’s teaching materials and exchange ideas and best practices among the ASPnet community.

The UNESCO Associated Schools network provides means to deal with and address current and global questions together with the students. The aim is to increase students’ understanding about the complexity and interconnectedness of the world.

ASPnet strategy for 2014-2021

The main themes for the ASPnet strategy period 2014-2021 are Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The ASPnet strategy is based on UNESCO’s Strategy 2014–2021 and supports the strategy’s goal to empower learners to become creative and responsible global citizens.

Objectives of ASPnet strategy for 2014–2021:

  • To integrate GCED and ESD into ASPnet school’s curricula
  • To experiment innovative approaches on GCED and ESD in ASPnet schools
  • To strengthen the sharing of experiences and best practices among ASPnet schools 

Global Citizenship Education aims to empower learners of all ages, to become active promoters of more peaceful, tolerant and sustainable societies, both locally and globally. It encourages students to understand the interdependencies between nations and to recognise that problems such as human rights violations, climate change, inequalities and poverty are global problems that should be solved from a global perspective. 

Education for Sustainable Development aims to promote the development of knowledge, skills, understanding, values and behaviors that are required to create a more sustainable world. It empowers learners to take informed decisions and responsible actions to ensure environmental protection, promote social equity and encourage economic sustainability. It requires participatory teaching and learning methods that motivate and empower learners to change their behaviour and take action for sustainable development. 

ASPnet emphasises the importance of national and international cooperation.  Interacting and sharing experiences, knowledge and best practices between ASPnet schools is central in order to widen the impact of their actions.  

ASPnet strategy in English
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Network's activities

The member schools implement creative and participatory projects based on UNESCO’s values and objectives. In addition to the local school projects, schools participate in national, regional or international flagship projects and share knowledge and experiences with ASPnet members around the world. In accordance with ASPnet’s whole-school approach, UNESCO’s values and ideals should form a central part of the daily lives and operational culture of the whole school. 

  • Flagship projects and international cooperation

Regional and international flagship projects form a central part of ASPnet schools’ action. Schools can participate in the projects depending on their location and these projects vary in duration and theme. The current Futures of Education initiative unites ASPnet members around the world to share ideas and reflections on how we should re-imagine education, learning and knowledge in a world of increasing complexity, uncertainty, and fragility. You can learn more about this initiative and share your own ideas and thoughts on the subject on UNESCO’s own Futures of Education website. 

  • Materials

The international ASPnet produces and publishes materials for the member schools to use. On ASPnet’s own website you can find published materials for the members to use. These include a collection of best practices and initiatives that have been carried out by both ASPnet schools and theirs partner institutions. It is encouraged that schools share their own ideas and practices and participate in the conversation about current topics on the ASPnet schools’ own website.

UNESCO ASPnet schools carry out projects in ASPnet thematic areas such as:

  • Global issues and the role of the United Nations

Getting familiar with the role and actions of the UN, helps students to understand the importance of international cooperation and local, national and international aspects of global issues. ASPnet schools have organised activities, such as international days. 

  • Sustainable development

Promoting UN’s sustainable development goals (Agenda 2030) is one of the central objectives of UNESCO ASPnet schools. The aim is to encourage changes in knowledge, values and attitudes with the vision of enabling a more sustainable and just society for current and future generations.

  •  Peace and human rights

Human rights, open-mindedness and democracy have been central objectives in ASPnet schools from the very beginning. Human rights education aims to provide learners with knowledge, understanding, and attitudes that encourage all individuals to recognise and stand for their own rights and those of others. Human rights education develops an understanding of everyone’s common responsibility as a global citizen to make human rights a reality. Projects related to human rights can be for example about children’s rights, racism or discrimination.

  • Intercultural learning

Intercultural learning emphasises understanding, respect and dialogue between people from different cultures and backgrounds. Pupils are encouraged to be curious towards other cultures and their cultural knowledge and understanding should be supported. This way students understand that cultures are a product of social interaction and students can see their own culture from a new perspective. Culturally diverse classrooms and schools provide favorable conditions to practice this kind of skills. In addition, ASPnet schools have undertaken international projects together with member schools in other countries. You can learn more about these projects on ASPnet’s own website. On the website members can also add their own project or find a partner school for a collaboration.

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UNESCO ASPnet in Finland

In Finland The UNESCO Associated Schools Network is quite big, consisting of approximately 60 educational institutions, from preschool education to teacher training schools. The schools collaborate regionally, and Oulu region’s Polaris network has been particularly active.  Especially human rights, world heritage sites, and environmental education have been popular themes in Finnish UNESCO schools. After the latest curriculum reforms, the emphasis has moved even more towards global citizenship education and promoting sustainable development goals.

The Finnish National Agency for Education organises an annual collaboration seminar for the UNESCO schools in between August and September. Because of COVID-19, the 2020 event was organised as a two-day webinar on the 1st and 2nd of September. The first day’s program was organised partly in collaboration with Platon’s Academy.  The program focused on enhancing the systematization of action and collaboration between ASPnet schools, both regionally, nationally and globally.  

The Finnish network is coordinated by the Finnish National Agency for Education together with Finland’s UNESCO-committee. If you represent an institution interested in becoming a member of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network, you should contact Finland’s national coordinator. Finland’s UNESCO Associated Schools’ national coordinator is Counsellor of Education Satu Honkala. However, new schools are only considered on rare occasions. Schools interested in the values and actions of the United Nations, are encouraged to sign up as a UN school instead.

UNESCO schools in Finland
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Futures of Education

In the autumn of 2020, a large number of Finnish ASPnet schools took part in the UNESCO Futures of Education campaign, which aimed to gather students’ visions of the 2050: what would they want to see there, and what not? The theme of the campaign touched on children and young people and provided an opportunity to take part in a global debate. What do young people say when they talk about 2050? How should adults respond? 

Based on the responses, the following article addresses young people’s thoughts, feelings and attitudes about (sustainable) future and highlights the importance of two specific competencies that might play a significant role in achieving the desired future.

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