Background

For 25 years, the Swedish Aral Sea Society (SASS) has worked for increased knowledge dissemination in Sweden about the environmental disaster in the Aral Sea watershed in Central Asia. The Society has also endeavoured to contribute to its solution. One step in this effort has been to develop and introduce a distance learning course entitled Sustainable Development and Sustainability Science, which is since 4 years presented annually in collaboration with universities in Central Asia, mainly Uzbekistan. In 2024, 11 Central Asian universities participated in the course. In connection with its 25th anniversary, SASS wants to draw attention to the need for increased higher education for Sustainable Development in Central Asia. This is done in the form of an international distant mode conference in cooperation with Karakalpak State University in Uzbekistan and on the theme of Implementing Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education.

Aim and objectives

The aim of the Conference is to spread and discuss knowledge and information about the development of the Aral Sea disaster. It also aims to motivate participants to strengthen efforts to improve and implement higher education with relevance for improvement of the situation around the Aral Sea.

The objectives of the Conference are:
(i) To spread knowledge about the development of the Aral Sea Disaster,
(ii) inform participants about the course Sustainable Development and Sustainability Science,
(iii) Bring in knowledge from other similar water related disasters,
(iv) spread information about other initiatives for higher education for Sustainable Development,
(v) increase the interest in higher education for Sustainable Development.

Time and venue for the conference

• The Conference takes place Thursday 23 January 2025
• The Conference is convened by means of ZOOM;
• It will have a program of 4 hours’ duration, starting at 10.00 Swedish time (14.00 hrs Uzbek time and finish at 14.00 hrs Swedish time (18.00 hrs Uzbek time).

Conference organizers

Swedish Aral Sea Society
Bo Libert, Chairman

Karakalpak State University
Rustam Eshniyazov, Prof, Head of Department