Elyx helps launch world’s first Sustainability Literacy test at the UN Environment Assembly

1st June 2016

The world’s first online test of sustainability literacy, Sulitest.org, was launched at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi, Kenya on May 26. Sulitest.org, a tangible implementation of HESI, aims to create and nurture an awareness of both global and local sustainability challenges.

The EAUC is part of the Regional / National Expert Commitee (RNEC) and have been working with universities from across the UK and Ireland alongside colleagues from Business Schools who are members of the UK and Ireland PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education) Chapter to provide the UK and Ireland specific questions.

The test was launched in presence of H.E. Oyun Sanjaasuren, environment minister of Mongolia and first elected president of UNEA during the Green Room event organized by UNEP Environmental Education and Training Unit, and the Global Universities Partnership on Environment and Sustainability (GUPES).

As an awareness building program, Sulitest.org invites visitors to the website to participate in an online Multiple Choice Questionnaire of their knowledge of the sustainability issues facing the world and their country. By participating in a unique combination of online learning, testing and access to a sustainability library, visitors leave with a greater understanding of their role in building a sustainable future.

Sulitest.org’s innovative method of testing participants’ awareness of sustainability literacy (the “Suli” in “Sulitest”) is closely aligned to the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. For this reason, the website features the endearing animated character Elyx throughout its pages.

Elyx was created by the artist Yacine Ait Kaci, or Yak, and it was recently made the first UN’s digital ambassador. At Sulitest.org, Elyx introduces visitors to the interesting challenge of testing your sustainability awareness and finding out more about the social, economic and environmental challenges facing humanity.

“Sulitest.org is the product of several years of online testing and development on our beta-site, www.sustainabilitytest.org. In its development phase, more than 44 000 students from 430 universities across 48 countries tested their knowledge of the challenges facing our world and then learned more from the large online library on the subject,” says Jean-Christophe Carteron, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at KEDGE Business School and project lead for Sulitest.org.

Using the information gleaned from the pilot site, Sulitest.org was developed to create awareness of global sustainability issues, and includes country-specific modules for a growing list of countries that currently sits at 19 but will most probably reach 30 before the end of 2016. It further caters for additional, organization-specific modules and will soon expand to include testing and training modules specific to industries and professions.

The idea for Sulitest.org was born at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 (the Rio +20 conference) following the observation that many political and economic leaders may not have the basic knowledge needed to make sustainable decisions.

“Education plays a vital role in transforming our societies towards a sustainable future. By raising awareness, Sulitest is a powerful tools to help anyone to become deeply committed to building a sustainable future. I hope to see it spreading in more and more countries.” conclude H.E. Oyun Sanjaasuren.

In its development phase, Sulitest.org was guided by over 300 contributors and the insights and assistance of its panel of senior and regional advisors. These include, among other, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, (UNDESA), the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI), The Principles for Responsible Management Education (UNGC PRME), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Association of Universities.

The launch of Sulitest.org kicks off an aggressive development program, which will include a major campaign to canvass more global and national questions on sustainability, the introduction of an individual certification program and new features for specific industries and professions.