A team of authors from three universities which have been among the

leaders in ESD (Polytechnic University of Catalunya, Spain; Delft University of Technology, Netherlands; and Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden) describe their progress in bringing ESD into the Bachelors level programs at these universities. The articles in this special feature issue have several important commonalities. Since many of these initiatives have been established only recently, it has not always been possible to offer an in-depth assessment of the successes (or lack thereof) for a particular approach. These articles should, therefore, be viewed as ‘case reports’ on ESD initiatives underway which, we hope, will suggest and stimulate additional R428 price initiatives at other universities. There is a clear common theme to all of these initiatives, though, and that is the inter- or trans-disciplinary nature of the programs

and curricula being developed and implemented. As Yoshikawa (2008) has noted, this aspect, which he terms ‘synthesiology,’ is a core element of sustainability science. Wilson (1998) has similarly designated ‘consilience,’ defined as the unity of knowledge, or the synthesis of knowledge from different specialized fields of human endeavor, as Selleck Fulvestrant being essential for addressing the problems that face human society and the natural environment. Professor Akito Arima’s message, “A Plea for More Education for Sustainable Development,” clearly states both the need for and the difficulties associated with this approach. The articles in this Special Feature Issue highlight some of the Anacetrapib many strategies that are being developed to introduce these principles into higher education. If these efforts succeed, we may be at the threshold

of a paradigm shift in our educational systems, which could be as far-reaching and momentous as the transition which took place in the 15th–16th centuries, from the medieval scholastic system to the empirical, discipline-based educational model which still forms the basis of our universities. This model has served us very well in the past, leading to enormous expansions of human knowledge, technology, and the global economy, but it may not be sufficient to address the problems of global sustainability that we now face, which result, in part, from this growth in human activity. Indeed, this transition must succeed if we are to leave a healthy environment, a just society, and a sustainable future to our descendants. References Wilson EO (1998) Consilience: the unity of knowledge. Alfred A. Knopf/Random House, New York Yoshikawa H (2008) Synthesiology as sustainability science. Sustain Sci 3(2):169–170CrossRef”
“Introduction Most of the problems arising from the impact of human activities on the Earth’s life support systems come from complex, global, and social human interactions. Unless we understand these interactions, we will not be able to design a path towards sustainable development.