At the recent QS Reimagine Education awards, we were elated to clinch the Bronze award for Sustainability Education! This prestigious accolade recognises the remarkable impact of the ACES project, an initiative that has successfully integrated frugal education and playful learning practices to deliver impactful, community-centred, sustainable education practice. The ACES project’s success marks our second QS award through the transformative initiatives of GameChangers within the past three years.
The ACES project stands as a testament to the power of frugal education and playful learning practices. At its core, the project was driven by principles of community, playfulness, frugality, and co-creation towards developing social resilience, which you can learn more about in the ACES charter. The recognition of the Bronze award for Sustainability Education highlights the positive impact of infusing frugal education into the project’s framework.
One of the key contributors to ACES’ success was the enthusiastic embrace of sustainable education practices by our partner teams in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Their dedication, adaptation, and evangelism of these principles played a pivotal role in delivering such profound impact. The collaborative efforts across borders inspired ingenious and impactful education designs, thanks to the collective efforts of our partners. By weaving frugal practices and playful learning into the fabric of the project, we witnessed the emergence of innovative solutions and transformative educational experiences. These changes were not only groundbreaking but also aligned with the ethos of sustainability and adaptability that define frugal education.
Being at the helm of the frugal education strand of the ACES project was a privilege and a responsibility that I embraced wholeheartedly. Helping shape the design and delivery of such a successful and globally recognised international research project was a journey filled with challenges, learning, and immense pride. It reaffirmed my belief in the potential of frugal innovations in an educational context towards addressing global educational challenges and fostering sustainable, impactful practice.
The Bronze award for Sustainability Education at the QS Reimagine Education awards is not just a recognition of the ACES project’s success but also a celebration of the continued success of the GameChangers movement. The collaborative efforts across borders and the ingenious transformations witnessed throughout the project underline the potential of playful and frugal education to positively impact the landscape of sustainable education worldwide. As we reflect on this achievement, it’s a moment of pride, gratitude, and renewed commitment to continue championing frugal education and playful learning for a more sustainable and inclusive educational future.