LORA – Laboratory for Sustainable Development

Project summary

This is a project that aims to design and implement innovative education programmes for sustainable development for primary schools and civil society organizations. The programmes will be developed and delivered through a partnership between the NGOs Bioteka, Biom, and Hyla, and the Borovje Primary School in Zagreb, with the subsequent involvement of 20 primary schools from all counties of the Republic of Croatia.

Our development and way of life have led to changes in the environment and human communities, which in turn have caused severe global challenges (such as hunger, poverty, environmental degradation, etc.). The United Nations are addressing these global challenges by defining and striving to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, in order to ensure a sustainable future for all.

Through a strategic approach, assessment of the current situation, development of a prioritization methodology, and finally, through the traditional restoration of ponds and wells, we aim to ensure the long-term conservation of these important karst ecosystems. As part of the project, a caretaker programme will also be developed to encourage active involvement of local stakeholders in the stewardship of water bodies in their area. In each project area (Učka, Velebit, Dinara, Biokovo), activities will include mapping of ponds and wells, prioritization, development of management plans, restoration of at least one pond or well, and implementation of the caretaker programme.

Sustainable development project

Within the LORA project, in which Biom participates as a partner, educational programmes for sustainable development will be designed and implemented in 21 primary schools and in 3 partner NGOs. All programmes will be highly collaborative, will involve intensive cooperation with local communities, and will be tailored to the specific needs of each school. A distinctive feature of the project is that it will be implemented throughout the entire Republic of Croatia, with planned cooperation with one school from each county.

Schools as partners and collaborators

During the project preparation phase, Borovje Primary School from Zagreb joined the project as a partner. The school already holds the status of an International Eco-School and a Microsoft Showcase School, thanks to its integration of STEM into extracurricular activities. The remaining 20 primary schools will join the project as collaborating organizations, with whom we will work on establishing educational programmes throughout the entire project duration, until March 2021.

LORA will also involve teachers, who will participate in seminars and workshops focused on their personal and professional development, capacity building, and the improvement of teaching methods in the field of sustainable development. Teachers will be educated on all key components of sustainable development (society, economy, environment) so that they will be fully equipped to independently implement sustainable development projects in their schools and local communities.

Contemporary education

The planned activities will also involve students, who, under the mentorship of teachers and with professional support from the partner organizations, will design and implement their own projects involving the local community and volunteers. In this way, in addition to theoretical knowledge, they will acquire practical experience in the values, processes, and practices of sustainable development.

Furthermore, participation in the project will strengthen the integration of non-formal learning approaches into the formal school curriculum. By encouraging practical, research-based, and project-based learning, we will motivate students to learn, develop a sense of teamwork and mutual respect, and at the same time build their self-confidence.

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