Mohd Syafiq Aiman Mat Noor, Roslinawati Mohd Roslan, Hardimah Mohd Said, Marlizayati Johari, Desalegn Yayeh Ayal, Ulisses M. Azeiteiro, Henri-Count Evans, Inga Grinfelde, José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra, Jasenka Gajdoš Kljusurić, João Carlos Correia Leitão, Chunlan Li, Newton R. Matandirotya, Bethwel Mutai, Gustavo J. Nagy, Thierry Razanakoto, Jame Schaefer, Goran Trbic, Roberto Ariel Abeldaño Zuñiga, Sane Pashane Zuka, Charles Galdies, Adriana Consorte-McCrea, Francisco Platas, Mittul Vahanvati, Pedi Obani, Safwatun Nida, Lucas Gabriel Zanon, Mayara Régia Sousa de Melo, Renato da Costa dos Santos, Alison Glover, Roman Vakulchuk
This chapter presents an in-depth exploration of a university initiative to integrate indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) into a climate change curriculum for primary schools in Brunei Darussalam. Highlighting the work of the STEMFunds Project (Universiti Brunei Darussalam), the chapter demonstrates a participatory, community-based approach to curriculum development with the indigenous communities of Temburong, Brunei. This approach ensures that the curriculum both adheres to national educational standards and is also deeply interwoven with the communities’ ILK. The research was executed across three Iban-majority schools serving underprivileged indigenous communities, with two primary phases in its implementation process. Phase 1 involved conducting extensive interviews (n = 14) and site visits (n = 6) with key stakeholders in the Iban communities. The objective was to identify, understand, and map the ILK embedded within these communities. In addition, the research sought to comprehend the communities’ views on climate change. Phase 2 focused on developing a climate change curriculum for primary schools, underpinned by a community-based approach and the integration of the communities’ ILK. The process involved the collaborative efforts of teachers, parents, and curriculum specialists through four study group sessions and an expert group meeting. The two research phases demonstrate how incorporating ILK can significantly enhance the climate change curriculum, making it more relevant and beneficial for indigenous children in the community. Overall, this chapter outlines the processes involved in developing a culturally relevant climate change curriculum, from identifying ILK to executing a participatory, community-based approach, which could have significant implications for researchers, teachers, children, and policymakers. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Eswatini, Manzini, Kwaluseni Campus, Matsapha, South Africa; Institute of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, Latvia; Center for Sustainable Development (Greens), Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (Unisul), Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil; School of Urban and Regional Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Kgotso Development Trust, Beitbridge, Zimbabwe; Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Centre, Beitbridge, Zimbabwe; Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; CERED, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Marquette University, Milwaukee, United States; University of Sierra Sur, Oaxaca, Mexico; University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Land Economy, University of Malawi, The Polytechnic, Blantyre 3, Malawi; Institute of Earth Systems, University of Malta, Msida, Malta; Academy for Sustainable Futures, Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom; Casa de Cultura de la UAEMéx en Tlalpan, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico; School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; University of Bradford, Bradford, United Kingdom; Science Education Department of Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia; University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil; State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil; Universidade do Contestado-UNC, Mafra, Brazil; The Open University, Cardiff, United Kingdom; Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Oslo, Norway; School of Education, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom; Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam; Center for Food Security Studies, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa Univesity, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; The Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
