WISDP History
UNESCO Hong Kong Association (UNESCOHK) and Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development (HIESD) are dedicated to facilitating and achieving UNESCO’s mission, creating conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples based upon respect for commonly shared values. It is through this dialogue that the world can achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty. It strives to work towards the building of peace and to facilitate the sustainable development of society, economy and environment through education, sciences and culture.
In year 2017, a group of professionals and academics who found a common cause in advocating the UN Agenda 2030 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) started to initiate a campaign to find ways and means to foster their common cause. The conclusion is that positive actions can best be undertaken by establishing an international institution of sustainable development which embraces training and certification for professionals. In so doing, the institution aims to support the international communities to set targets and indicators with a view to achieving the 17 SDGs. Supported by the UNESCOHK and HIESD, the World Institute of Sustainable Development Planners (WISDP) was established in December 2017.
WISDP operates in the form of a Learned Society and a Research Institute, and works with a view to providing training programmes for professionals. It has established memberships and certification processes to recognize the training, experiences and contributions of individuals and corporations to sustainable development. WISDP was registered in Hong Kong in October 2017 as a Company Limited by Guarantee to drive the training and foster professional recognition of sustainable development in the business, education and public sectors. It has formally been launched in February 2018 and is striving to establish strategic partnerships with like-minded institutions to advocate the UN Agenda 2030.
WISDP Founder
Founder, Professor Lee Ngok (1939 – 2019)
JP, PhD, Hon EdD, Hon D Uni (Oxford Brookes & Leeds Met)
Professor Lee Ngok, JP received his PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies, the University of London. He was awarded three honorary degrees by British Universities. His half-century career covers both research and academic administration in Hong Hong and Australia. His research focuses include strategic studies, public policy, vocational education and lifelong Learning. He has worked in six tertiary institutions in Australia and Hong Kong in various capacities. In the last decade, Professor Lee devotes himself to volunteer work by joining the UNESCO Hong Kong Association. He developed and formally launched World Institute of Sustainable Development Planners (WISDP) in February 2018 and successfully established 6 Divisions inside WISDP to push the training in different aspects of sustainable development planning. It was unfortunate Professor Lee passed away in March 2019. WISDP will follow his aspiration to continue the development of sustainability for UN agenda 2030.
Founder’s Message
The World Institute of Sustainable Development Planners (WISDP) is initiated and supported by advocates of UN Agenda 2030 and the 17 SDGs. They include UNESCO Hong Kong Association, UNESCO Office of Pacific States, UNESCO Chair in the Political Economy of Education, the UNESCO Chair in TVET & Lifelong Learning, Members of Working Groups of UNPRME (UN Principles for Responsibility of Management Education), Members of UN Global Compact, and Members of UNOSSCO (UN Organization of South-South Cooperation).
WISDP is a Learned Society fostering advocating the UN Agenda 2030 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in accordance with the three components of Environment, Society and Economy. Training is provided for professionals according to their needs and successful trainees are awarded professional membership from WISDP and the UNESCO HK Association, and subject to adequate relevant work experience, trainees are entitled to become Certified Sustainable Development Planners (CSDP). Opportunities are provided for awardees to apply for Fellowship status after a number of years of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
WISDP Divisions would launch training programmes leading to professional memberships. A ceremony of WISDP will be held in April to kick-start training programmes in Corporate Social responsibility (CSR), Sustainable Finance and Investment, Healthy Society and Wellness, Early Childhood Education, Sustainability in Engineering and Sustainable development in Insurance. This column will be updated from time to time to relate to you the latest development concerning WISDP.
