New research project at the HSZG investigates ESD pilot program in rural schools in Saxony.
Analysis and further development of conditions for successful Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in schools in rural Saxony
On November 17, 2025, the new research project LONAVE was launched to investigate the impact of the Saxony-wide ESD pilot program at schools in rural areas. Funded by the Saxon Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, the project is being carried out by Dr. Rachel Bowden under the direction of Prof. Dr. Mandy Schulze (Faculty of Social Sciences).
The ESD pilot program is a central building block for the implementation of the Saxon State Strategy ESD (2019) at schools in rural areas of Saxony. The focus is on committed teachers - the so-called ESD pilots - who support schools in anchoring education for sustainable development in the sense of a whole institution approach. Through formats such as the "Round Table", they bring together members of the school community, initiate exchange and reflection and strengthen regional networking. This is complemented by regular training and further education opportunities as well as professional support from the regional ESD service points.
This is where LONAVE comes in: The project investigates how these interventions - from advice and moderated reflection processes to internal school dialog formats - work in practice. In addition, research is being carried out into the framework conditions required to anchor ESD in rural schools in the long term and into possible indicators for this. The results will be incorporated into the further development of the ESD pilot program and reflected upon together with the state ESD coordination office. In addition, they are integrated into teaching at the HSZG and presented in specialist publications and at scientific conferences.
With LONAVE, the HSGZ is providing an important impetus for strengthening sustainable educational structures in Saxony's rural areas.
