Natur- und Umweltschutzakademie NRW

The Natur- und Umweltschutz-Akademie NRW (NUA) – the central educational institution of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia for education in the fields of nature, environment, and sustainability – connects stakeholders from education, public administration, science, and civil society. As a state institution, it strengthens both the quality and the reach of educational initiatives for sustainable development.

The BNE-Agentur NRW - state agency for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) - based at the NUA, acts as the statewide coordination, advisory, and networking body for ESD. It supports educational stakeholders across all sectors in structurally embedding ESD, accompanies quality development processes, and contributes to the implementation of North Rhine-Westphalia’s sustainability strategy as well as the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Through the state programme Schule der Zukunft, the NUA supports schools and extracurricular partners in integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as a core element of teaching and school development. The programme promotes practice-oriented projects, cooperation, and long-term school development processes that combine ecological, social, cultural, and economic perspectives. It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Environment and connects schools with the BNE-Agentur NRW to strengthen the quality and impact of ESD.

Together, the NUA, the BNE-Agentur NRW, and Schule der Zukunft stand for future-oriented educational work that fosters knowledge, values, and action competence—for sustainable development in North Rhine-Westphalia and beyond.