Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, tefan cel Mare University - Suceava
Volume X,  Issue 3 - 2011

77

THE ROLE OF OPERATING RISKS IN INTERRELATION WITH THE
EDUCATION FOR  SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Ye. G. Torosyan

European Regional Educational Academy, Yerevan, Armenia, yevatorosyan@yahoo.com

Abstract: The risks of the modern society provide the basis for the process of decision-making
also in the field of education. The importance of risk regulation systems, it is necessary to analyse the
ways the public is engaged in education system related with environmental study processes.
Interrelation between risks and the education for sustainable development should be considered for
educational system in Armenia.
         The sustainable development under the conditions of risk society today is quite extensively
investigated. According to the studies conducted all over the world for the evaluation of ecological
awareness in many developed and developing countries the level of awareness of the issues of
environmental protection, as well as the perception of ecological risks has been growing gradually
during the last ten years. In Armenia  there are no many data available regarding ecological
awareness of the population and the perception of ecological risks.

The main global problem is sustainable development, that main part is  protection of an
environment. The influence of the human factor or anthropogenous influence on an environment
becomes the basic part in problem of protection of an environment. Necessity of for education for
steady development here is shown, as necessities for modern educational system, is especial in higher
education. It is necessary to note, that the education for sustainable development is an educational
novelty, which continues the successful introduction in global educational system.

 Ecological education and education for sustainable development are in close interrelation. The
education for sustainable development not only is closely connected to ecological education, and also
occured from it. The bases of education for sustainable development assume reception of fundamental
knowledge on natural sciences, understanding for inter discipline connections and global processes,
modern practical researches with application of new and newest devices and apparatus,

 In the present paper the attempts of introduction of ecological education in higher education
system in Armenia  with close interrelation with education for sustainable development are resulted.

Keywords: The risks , the sustainable development, Ecological education,

1. Introduction

Globalization and industrial development of
the states create fast changes in an
environment and opportunity of occurrence of
new principles for definition of tasks of a
society. Moreover, growth of the extreme
climatic phenomena create sharp situation on a
global scale.
In the present paper the idea develops that in
above mentioned circumstances there is a
necessity of complete spiritual and physical
formation of a human individual for an

environment. This can reach by development
of complex educational system. In this aspect
the special value is received with development
of all forms of education in interrelation with
ecological thinking of the pupils.

2. The  higher  education  system  in
former soviet countries

The modern period of development of
Armenia (after the collapse of the Soviet
system) especially difficultly proceeds in
education – the major mechanism social

mailto:yevatorosyan:@yahoo.com


78

and cultural heritage. The role of education
system is defined in a present stage of
development of Armenia by the tasks of its
transition to democratic and lawful state, to
market economy. It will enable to
overcome backlog of the country in
economic and social development. The
purpose of education varies from narrow
professionalism education and
development  of  the  person.  It  changes  the
representation about the forms of
university training, about a nature of
knowledge, place and role of teachers and
another considerably.
One  of  the  important  reasons  of  long  crisis  in
economy on a post the Soviet space is the fall
of  a  level  and  ability  to  a  competition  at  a
global level of education system. The Soviet
educational system had been considered as the
best in the world under many factors. At 1960
-  70  years  for  USSR  characteristic  became
growing demand for higher education. And is
not casual, that the students went here  not
only from the Socialist Countries and Third
World, but also from many West countries. It
was considered, that the high level of
education system was one of few factors,
which allowed to be proud to the Soviet
system. The level of education system have
allowed USSR also to be one of super-
countries.
However system of education, as well as much
another events in former USSR, was beginning
to hand over to a position at the end of 80-s'.
At the first, the quantity of higher schools so
has increased, the government, in generally
Communist Party, decided that more higher
education means more social mobility. In this
case the state assignation on higher education
were not ripening behind growing costs for the
system of higher education developed in logic
of the centralized planned economy. The most
part of the budget left on the salary, the
consequence that arose deficiency of means on
service, purchase of the literature for libraries,
equipment. Moreover, the instability of
teaching structure was increased in the
beginning of 1990 years, when many of

professors have begun to change sphere of the
activity.
One  of  other  reasons  was,  that  the  state
began interested less for education
qualifications and on the foreground was
put forward reception of the diploma, piece
of  a  paper.  Especially,  the  managing  elite
has  made  all  for  his  generation  for
reception not only the diploma of higher
education, but also even of a doctor's
degree and professorial rank. As the
present directly working persons in the
field of higher education system, we would
like to note, that this tendency remains
unfortunately, moreover on our sight
prospers. Other reasons here are latent, and
most important, that some of present
leaders have passed on this ways.
The opportunity of Soviet system
democratization has appeared also in
education. Alongside with it there was a
necessity of integration with the international
system of education. The processes of
integration have begun to develop in many
directions,  that  has  appeared  useful  to  a
developing of educational process on more
modern level. For Armenia by this major
factor is also maintenance of activity of
educational institutions in abroad for the
Armenians, with the purpose of preservation
of the Armenian nationality. Though this
question was decided and in the Soviet time,
but it carried more political character. And
moreover question on self-management of
higher schools has risen. More financial
independence for universities means less state
control.
Since 90 years the post-Soviet system of
higher  education  began  to  reformer  the
administration and management structure
and revised the curricula, accepted the
internationally adopted 2 or 3-level model
of University education. The difficulties
have begun here, as many of institution
send by copying by Western, most of all of
American system of higher education,
instead of the changes have connected
from  the  substantial  party  of  his
educational process.



Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, tefan cel Mare University - Suceava
Volume X,  Issue 3 - 2011

79

There were two basic models of higher
education in the World  practice.

1. The orientation of preparation of
the  experts,  professionals  was
characteristic for the German
school. Here student studied all for
mastering by the necessary sum of
knowledge, skills and skills.

2. Other, liberal model, assumed the
importance of development of the
person.

The Soviet system basing on the first
model mainly has gone on a way of
revealing of the educational purposes,
definition of the contents and principles of
organization of educational process. It
carried out the order of the state assuming
mass manufacture of the experts for
system. It also has entered into the
contradiction with volume of the
information and increased quantity of
disciplines. There was a characteristic
individualization of education with the
minimal set of disciplines for the present
time,  with  study  of  bases  of  scientific
knowledge, preparation of the expert of a
narrow structure within the framework of
the advanced branch development of
manufacture.

It  was  began  with  a  definite  risk  factor  in
former socialism countries  the organization of
private education, originally in higher education
system was. At 1990 some of communist rulers
countries was embracing private education.
The east European countries as Poland,
Romania with demand for higher education
growing began to make buildings and rooms
for private universities. Now there is hundred
thousands students are learning in private
universities, which provide more high level of
education and opportunities for realization of
educational process, than official bodies.

    The same took place and in the Asian
countries.  For  example,  Malaysia  so
successfully has applied system of private
universities, students of such educational
institutions surpass now in quantity of the
students of public institutes. The last, for
example, have lavished funds on Malay and

Islamic Studies departments for nationalist
reasons, despite little demand for their
graduates. Such situation was also in former
USSR,  when  many  persons  studied  at  Party
Higher Schools on ideological bases.
Moreover, there it had aspired the persons,
who basically did not differ in other
educational institutions and went for reception
" communist " of higher education. All of
them were basis for higher level employers
not  for  Party  only,  but  also  as  State  and
Government rulers. In our opinion given
graduates made faster the collapse of the
Soviet system.
The post-Soviet system of education also have
begun to occur private higher educational
institutions in the same time, which are taking
place outside of a field of scheduled system of
the  state.  The  state  began  to  provide  an
opportunity of training in state and private
educational institutions. It should become the
form of realization of principles of market
economy in social and spiritual spheres of life
of  a  society.   One  of  the  first  became  of  the,
largest private educational institution of
Armenia, one of best on former USSR.
The private education system has revealed
new opportunities of all system education and
stimulated development of its not budget
forms and inside state higher institutions. The
chiefs of these universities are guided on
market, inquiries of the employers.

3. Ecological Education
Sustainable development courses

During changes there is a necessity of
introduction of subjects, completely new to
our higher school, - educational disciplines of
the increased level for the purposes of post-
graduated education.
Now we shall consider what new educational
programs such are entered in educational
space  former  USSR,  in  particular,  which  are
directly connected to democratic trends
anywhere and everywhere. Moreover, a major
direction program is convergention.
Nowadays different higher schools carry out
various educational modules and disciplines,



80

specialists under the all-European circuits. It
promotes also movement of the teachers and
students on Europe, promotes attraction of a
labor in the European market of work. In this
paper we represent two programs according to
our scientific interests.
In a modern society there are all
preconditions to promote education of the
person. Thus it is necessary to take into
account integrity spiritual and physical
formation of the individual in a natural
environment. For this it can reach by
development of ecological thinking. In this
aspect the special value is received with
development of ecological education. With
this purpose in many private high schools,
including at university Hrachya Acharyan,
general ecological formation education of
the students widely takes root. Moreover at
university all is done for development of
ecological thinking of the students not of
humanitarian directions.
The importance of ecological education is
marked also Law of Republic Armenia "
About ecological education and formation
" from November 20, 2001. There it is
marked, that the ecological education is
continuous process directed to the person
with the purpose of its orientation in an
environment and nature of use.
Globalization and development of post-
industrial countries with his problems
result in sharp and fast changes in a society
and to occurrence of new principles in
definition of tasks of a community.
The main global problem is a sustainable
development. The basic making of
sustainable development  is a
environmental protection. The influence of
Human amplifies on an environment,
anthropogenic factor becomes as principal.
At the international level, the developed
nations must be prepared to provide help to
the Third World if sustainable
development is to be successful.
Education for sustainable development is a
dynamic concept that utilizes all aspects of
public awareness, education and training to

create or enhance an understanding of the
linkages among the issues of sustainable
development and to develop the
knowledge, skills, perspectives and values
which  will  empower  people  of  all  ages  to
assume responsibility for creating and
enjoying a sustainable future.
The realization of principles of ecological
policy and its program purposes requires
the wide and organized actions in the field
of the education. The similar approach
should provide to the nearest future
specialists in wide involving in process of
product realization, in creative process of
making the new goods and the end
prosperity in modern life. The modern
approach to sustainable development is
increasingly multi-faced, with a need to
integrate  a  wide  range  of  elements.  It  has
become people centred with local
strategies being developed to meet local
problems, for example, as education.
The urgency of ecological-educational
programs is caused by a place of chemical
manufactures in modern life. Today
commodity nomenclature of chemicals
consists more than of thousands. Thus
many from received target  and collateral
substances represent danger for industrial
personals, for consumers and in generally
for environment.
The  aim  of  this  program  is  training  the
students of the last course in BA level of
Chemical technologies and Engineering
ecology Department of SEUA. This type
of course will ensure and create conditions
for  perception  of  scientific  and  technical
achievement by the students not only in
narrow local space, but also in wider
geographical, global scale. The global
scale it is a level of the international
community, that is connected to
development of the international institutes
and documents accepted by them.
The priority of ecological imperative will
promote  an  orientation  in  a  choice  of
possible directions turning in a major
condition socially ecological policy. On



Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, tefan cel Mare University - Suceava
Volume X,  Issue 3 - 2011

81

the other hand, it is known that if the
company or other economical organization
invests in knowledge, which increase
productivity of investments of the physical
or human capital or raises a common level
of participation of the businessman, the
gain of productivity conducts an
achievable due to this to growth of
economy as a whole.
The beginning of 21 centuries has shown that
the Mankind leaves on a new coil of
challenges and uncertainties. The growth of
the extreme weather phenomena all over the
world  precisely  testifies.  That  the  change  of  a
climate is not the skeptical forecast and the
reality. This call requires resolute measures.
The realization of ideas and projects can made
at taking into consideration   of balance
between requirements present and vital
prospects of the future. The stability of human
development is something greater the
continuation of ecological policy by different
means. It is strategy of modernization in
which to cover huge innovation potential for
economy, environment and society.
The students of the Chemical technology
and environmental engineering department
of  SEUA  pass  some  of  ecological
disciplines: General ecology, Engineering
ecology, Microbiology and Microbial
growth,  Toxicology,  Air  Pollution  and
Control, Water quality, Waste water
treatment, Solid waste disposal,
Monitoring. The students, the future
experts in the field of chemical
technologies - basic organic synthesis,
electrochemical manufactures,
manufacture of a glass an silicates, the
biotechnology and pharmacy, should be
acquaint with the newest ecologically pure
technologies, with reorientation on sharp
reduction of resources and pollution of an
environment. The students should
understand that with limiting care it is
necessary to carry out industrialization.
The criterion of SD is considered such
economic attitude to an environment and
natural ecosystem that allows keeping

them within the limits of economic
capacity.
The given course will allow acquainting the
future specialists with global problems facing
by mankind in the 21-th century. It will
present to the students of the tendency of
change of an environment on a global scale.
Acquaintance with principles of SD will allow
the future engineers to take possession of
methods of management, scientific, technical
and economic levels connected with
researches in the field of protection of an
environment and feedback, and also with
legal-political norms in researched area. A rate
propose also acquaintance of the young
experts with the circumstance  of Republic
Armenia before a world public in the field of
protection of an environment with
organizations of different levels  responsible
in the sanction of the above mentioned  tasks.
The realization of the program on study of a
course < Sustainable development>  provides
with the pedagogical staff having wide
experience of activity in social sphere
regularly engaged in scientific and
pedagogical activity. The lectures of proposed
discipline have a scientific degree also.
Effective means for solving the task of SD
program has become: science and methods of
seminars and conferences, holding
discussions, issuing of specialized literature on
SD, collections of scientific themes end
method developments for ecological, political,
economical and low problems. book
popularizing science and explaining the
surrounding world. For to days of Armenian
educational system the most important thing is
mass and accessible educational technologies
and techniques, able to solve the problem of
joining the students to social intellectual
potential.
The basic preparation of the program provides
with access of each student to library funds
and databases. It is necessary to organize the
student’s visits in special libraries of the
foreign representations in RA, firms, factories.
The realization of practical employment at the
modern enterprises succeeded in realization of



82

the programs of environmental protection is
supposed.
There are supposed also acquaintances of
students with the practice work of National
Assembly and Constitutional Court of RA,
with the practice work of government agencies
that are responsible for organization and
sanction of questions in sphere of Human
development and Environmental protection.
The passage of a course should be
accompanied by display of the didactic
materials - the pictures, tables, video films,
clips and others.
Education for sustainable development has
two major thrusts.

- Promotion and improvement of Basic
Education: The quality of basic education
must improve to focus on imparting
knowledge, skills, values and perspectives
throughout a lifetime that encourage and
support citizens to lead sustainable lives.

- Reorienting Existing Education
Programs: Rethinking and revising education
to include more principles, knowledge, skills,
perspectives and values related to
sustainability in each of the three realms –
social, environmental, and economic – is
important to our current and future societies.
This should be done in a holistic and
interdisciplinary manner. The best chance of
success of education for sustainable
development lies not in a separate program but
in embedding its vision within other
initiatives.

Conclusions

The traditional predisposition of Armenians to
education as the integral part of our mentality
is  not  crossed  out  by  complexities  of  life,  and
on the contrary, gives itself to know every
time, when in it there is a public need. The
problems of education excite all society. The
Armenian citizens of should receive such
knowledge, which are necessary not only
today,  but  also  for  a  future.  For  small  and
rather  poor  natural  resources  of  Armenia  is
important the development of high

technologies, for which are necessary the
competent experts.
The final purpose of spent reforms in sphere
of higher education – is became of such
system, which would allow the country to be
entered in a new social and economic context
of development of the country. On the
schedule of day a number of reforms with
definition of the status of establishments of
higher education, which should receive the
large autonomy in view of the requirements of
the market. The role of the state should change
considerably. The state should become the
original chief of educational policy. It should
trace processes proceeding in a society and
education, to coordinate an efforts, to carry
out an estimation and accreditation, to render
to universities information services. More far-
reaching reforms are needed. Central control
of higher education stops universities from
competing for the best students, professors.
Professors and other higher education system
employees had been paid by performance. The
universities should be run like industrial
companies, that mean it`s necessary the
competition among the educational
organizations. For example, American
universities are fiercely competitive. They
struggle for talented staff and students, for
donations and results. “ Fund-raising efforts at
the best-organized universities start even
students have graduated. STAR
PROFESSORS ATTRACT STAR
SALARIES”.
For small republic as Armenia there we need
no more universities, here we need a
competitive edge, when better universities
may be essential. The influence of state for
higher education system should be hade same
for  state  and  for  private  universities.  It`  s  not
be forgotten, that Government and Ministry
responsible for educational program, for
license and accreditation and not more.
         The realization of reforms should
pass not by copying of this or that system.
For example, praising American system
nor is deprived of defects, is not flawless -
“ The diversity which makes the system so
dynamic also leaves it vulnerable to abuse.



Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, tefan cel Mare University - Suceava
Volume X,  Issue 3 - 2011

83

In the humanities, intellectual fashion
seems bizarrely distant from the real
world. Many bad ideas – notably political
correctness – started life as American
campus fads. And budget pressures
squeeze the system when times are tough.
This year, the axe has fallen hard on
California's  public  universities.  Yet  for  all
that, the numbers going into American
higher education continue to rise, and the
average tuition fee in an American
university is around $4,500—some $1,000
less than the proposed maximum to be
charged in England. Fees in the California
state system, even after two steep recent
rises compelled by leaner budgets, are less
than $3,000, and a third of the income
from them goes into grants for students

who cannot afford even that” / The
Economist, Print edition, Jan, 22nd 2004/.

6.  References

Literature
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Polity Press, Cambridge. (1995).
2. Bruntland, G. (ed.). Our common future: The
World Commission on Environment and
Development, Oxford University Press, Oxford. (
1987) .
3. Diesendorf, M. and Hamilton, C. (Eds.). Human
ecology, human economy, Allen and Unwin, St.
Leonards, New South Wales. ( 1997).
4. Ekberg, M. The Parameters of the Risk Society //
A Review and Exploration,Current Sociology. (
2007).