<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The documents adopted by the international community during the UN Conference on the Environment and Development convened in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 make clear the leading role institutions in higher education are to play in transforming contemporary civilisation in the direction of sustainable development. It is beyond dispute that higher education has a critical role to play in developing tomorrow’s decision makers, professionals and citizens. Universities can help with the accomplishment of sustainable development goals if they transform education in this direction, extend their support to interdisciplinary scientific research and ensure the appropriate evolution of the means by which they themselves are managed. However, ensuring that a higher education establishment heads in the direction of sustainability in all academic areas of activity is a difficult process requiring much effort. The article thus presents current international initiatives of the UN in this regard, as well as Higher Education initiatives, alliances and treaties in support of the process, and the objectives and activities of the network of cooperative links between universities that is now taking shape. Also the status of education for sustainable development (ESD) in higher education and existing ESD professional development opportunities for university educators is discussed. In this context, examples of good practice characterising the activity of the University Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development will serve as a case study.</p></abstract>

The documents adopted by the international community during the UN Conference on the Environment and Development convened in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 make clear the leading role institutions in higher education are to play in transforming contemporary civilisation in the direction of sustainable development. It is beyond dispute that higher education has a critical role to play in developing tomorrow’s decision makers, professionals and citizens. Universities can help with the accomplishment of sustainable development goals if they transform education in this direction, extend their support to interdisciplinary scientific research and ensure the appropriate evolution of the means by which they themselves are managed. However, ensuring that a higher education establishment heads in the direction of sustainability in all academic areas of activity is a difficult process requiring much effort. The article thus presents current international initiatives of the UN in this regard, as well as Higher Education initiatives, alliances and treaties in support of the process, and the objectives and activities of the network of cooperative links between universities that is now taking shape. Also the status of education for sustainable development (ESD) in higher education and existing ESD professional development opportunities for university educators is discussed. In this context, examples of good practice characterising the activity of the University Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development will serve as a case study.

Universities for sustainability – new challenges from the perspective of the University of Warsaw

University Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury Str. 93, 02-089 Warszawa, Poland

Environmental & Socio-economic Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The documents adopted by the international community during the UN Conference on the Environment and Development convened in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 make clear...

Universities for sustainability – new challenges from the perspective of the University of Warsaw

Published Online: May 23, 2015

Page range: 26 - 34

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2015-0054

Keywords
sustainability, higher education, Copernicus alliance, university networking, interdisciplinarity, education for sustainable development (ESD)

© 2015

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Universities for sustainability – new challenges from the perspective of the University of Warsaw

Published Online: May 23, 2015

Page range: 26 - 34

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2015-0054

Keywordssustainability, higher education, Copernicus alliance, university networking, interdisciplinarity, education for sustainable development (ESD)

© 2015

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
sustainability, higher education, Copernicus alliance, university networking, interdisciplinarity, education for sustainable development (ESD)