Education for Sustainability (EfS) is based on the premise that profound social changes are needed if modern society is to adequately address the environmental challenges that threaten the future health and well being of humanity, and that education and learning has a central role to play in this change. Throughout Australasia and the world EfS initiatives are being implemented that transform traditional teaching and learning practices in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. The Australasian tertiary sector has an important role to play in ensuring all graduates receive education about the sustainability issues we all face, it must also ensure that this education is delivered in innovative and interdisciplinary ways.
There is no better time to begin the EfS journey than now. The period 2005-2014 is the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD). In Australia a new institute has been established that is conducting leading edge EfS research in a number of sectors including the tertiary sector. The Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES) adopts an innovative approach to research with a view to translating awareness of sustainability issues into action and change.
However, responsibility for ensuring that EfS is integrated within all curriculum rests with the colleges, TAFES and universities in Australasia. A number of proactive universities are already leading the way in this area; ACTS hopes to expand these initiatives further through information sharing and capacity building initiatives that allow all institutions in Australasia to implement meaningful EfS programs.
