TY - JOUR
T1 - Higher education and ESD in England
T2 - A critical commentary on recent initiatives
AU - Sterling, Stephen
AU - Scott, William
PY - 2008/8
Y1 - 2008/8
N2 - This paper provides a commentary on education for sustainable development (ESD) within higher education (HE) in England, set against the wider international and European background. The recent history of attempts to clarify ESD and its implications for higher education institutions is outlined, and some of the tensions between a developing agenda and the autonomy of universities are reviewed. The paper presents a summary of positive and negative trends and concludes that while the near future is likely to see ESD achieving a higher profile in HE, the question as to whether this signals a fundamental shift of policy and practice remains unresolved. It concludes with a commentary on recent empirical research that surveyed sustainable development focused work in English universities, and points to issues that might usefully be pursued when such research is build upon.
AB - This paper provides a commentary on education for sustainable development (ESD) within higher education (HE) in England, set against the wider international and European background. The recent history of attempts to clarify ESD and its implications for higher education institutions is outlined, and some of the tensions between a developing agenda and the autonomy of universities are reviewed. The paper presents a summary of positive and negative trends and concludes that while the near future is likely to see ESD achieving a higher profile in HE, the question as to whether this signals a fundamental shift of policy and practice remains unresolved. It concludes with a commentary on recent empirical research that surveyed sustainable development focused work in English universities, and points to issues that might usefully be pursued when such research is build upon.
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504620802344001
U2 - 10.1080/13504620802344001
DO - 10.1080/13504620802344001
M3 - Article
SN - 1350-4622
VL - 14
SP - 386
EP - 398
JO - Environmental Education Research
JF - Environmental Education Research
IS - 4
ER -