Chess in Education Discussion Group
Wednesday, 25th March 2026
18:00 - 19:30 London Time (BST)
19:00 - 20:30 Central European Time (CET)
Registration closes 15 minutes before the start of the event.
Chess in Education
Join the Global Conversation!
Every last Wednesday of the month, the ECU Education Commission holds a Discussion Group Meeting for chess educators to share knowledge and discuss ideas on various topics related to Chess in Education.
Discussion Group Meetings allow participants to learn from one another and gain new insights through diverse perspectives.
This month's topic:
Forest Chess Pedagogy: Strategic Thinking Tools for Education and Sustainability
Forest Chess Pedagogy is a new interdisciplinary educational concept that combines chess-based strategic thinking with systems approaches used in forest science and sustainability education. It responds to the growing need for teaching tools that develop analytical reasoning, long-term planning, and decision-making in complex, uncertain environments by drawing parallels between chess positions and forest ecosystems, both of which are characterised by dynamic interactions and interdependence. The presentation explores how structured chess teaching methodologies can support scenario thinking, strategic planning and systems understanding relevant to environmental education. Practical teaching examples will illustrate how this approach can be applied across youth and professional learning contexts, with relevance for broader interdisciplinary initiatives within the framework of Chess in Education.
Speaker
Vitalie Gulca (Moldova)
Vitalie Gulca is a forestry expert and researcher with over 30 years of experience in forest ecology, sustainable forest management, wildlife conservation, land-use assessment and environmental policy. He has collaborated with international organisations including the Food and Agriculture Organisation, ONF International, the United Nations Development Programme and the Fulbright Program, alongside academic and forest research institutions. His work focuses on interdisciplinary approaches linking sustainability science, systems thinking and education for climate resilience. Since March 2025, he has also been active in Chess in Education as a chess trainer at the Specialised Sports School of Chess and Checkers in Chișinău, delivering structured training programmes for children.
Currently, he is developing the interdisciplinary concept of Forest Chess Pedagogy, an innovative framework integrating chess-based strategic thinking with environmental systems education.
Register and join the Discussion Group Meeting to learn more!
Wednesday, 25th March 2026
Don`t forget to check your time zone here!
The event is managed by ChessPlus.
