Carine Verschueren, PhD
Transforming education for a sustainable future
VISION
In a world where climate change and environmental decline are the most pressing issues of our era, Carine aims to redefine the critical role of education in addressing these challenges. Drawing from her extensive research and expertise in holistic institutional approaches to education systems, she is convinced that we hold the key to tackling the environmental crises. Carine envisions an educational policy landscape where sustainability is deeply engrained into learning objectives, preparing a generation to tackle environmental and climate challenges head-on.
AT A TIME WHEN ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS MORE THAN EVER, IT IS CRITICAL TO BRING TO LIGHT BOTH THE POLICIES THAT ARE ENACTED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AS WELL AS THE ACTORS AND FACTORS THAT ENABLE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AUTHORITIES TO NAVIGATE THROUGH TENSIONS AND MOVE TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION FORWARD.
ABOUT
Carine is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the International and Comparative Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She teaches an introduction to environmental and sustainability education course as well as an introduction to research methods in international and comparative education course for graduate students. Her research sits at the intersection of education policy and sustainability. More specifically, she explores environmental, sustainability and climate change education policies in education systems worldwide. She is particularly interested in urban schools and school districts, and the implications of urban politics and environmental and sustainability policies for schools and students that are disproportionately affected by climate change in the urban context.
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Carine received an M.A. in Translation and an M.A. in International Politics from the University of Antwerp; she holds an Ed.M. in International Educational Development and a Ph.D. in International and Comparative Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She has lived and worked in Belgium, Singapore, China, Japan and the United States.
Carine is a policy analyst at Teachers College’s Center for Sustainable Futures. At the Center, she was instrumental in 2018-2019 in launching, coordinating and moderating the webinar series: “Thinking Global, Educating Local”. At the center, she is currently working as the PI on a study that explores the role of education in the Climate Action Plans of global cities. She is also an active member of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES), and is serving since 2020 as the Chair of the Environmental and Sustainability Education Special Interest Group, a group of 150 researchers and practitioners in the field worldwide.
Carine trained as an environmental educator at Sheldrake Environmental Center and is currently a board member of the Westchester Land Trust where she co-chairs the urban engagement working group. She can also be found chasing landscape photos, hiking, or sailing on her sailboat "Gaia".
THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION POLICY AND FORMAL MUNICIPAL SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS SUCH AS A SIGNED AND DATED SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
PUBLICATIONS
Global and Local (F) Actors in Environmental and Sustainability Education Policies: Three Articles on School Districts in the United States. C Verschueren - 2021 - search.proquest.com
Verschueren, Carine (2022). Media Review. “The sequel: What will follow our troubled civilization?” Comparative Education Review, 66(4): 788-790.
BUT ARE WE, AS FACULTY MEMBERS, EQUIPPED TO TEACH FORWARD THINKING AND VISIONARY SKILLS THAT TRANSFORM OUR SOCIETY? AND HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE ACTION, HOWEVER SMALL?