Higher Education needs to cater vital principles of sustainability. -Dr.K.Govidaraju

Higher Education is an essential tool for achieving sustainability. People around the world recognize that current economic development trends are not sustainable and that public awareness, education, and training are keys to moving society toward sustainability. Beyond that, there is little agreement. People argue about the meaning of sustainable development and whether or not it is attainable. They have different visions of what sustainable societies will look like and how they will function. These same people wonder why educators have not moved more quickly to develop education for sustainability programs. The lack of agreement and definition has hindered efforts to move education for sustainable development forward. It is curious to note that while we have difficulty envisioning a sustainable world, we have no difficulty identifying what is unsustainable in our societies. We can rapidly create a laundry list of problems - inefficient use of energy, lack of water conservation, increased pollution, abuses of human rights, overuse of personal transportation, consumerism, etc. But we should not blame ourselves because we lack a clear definition of sustainability. Indeed, many truly great concepts of the human world - among them democracy and justice - are hard to define and have multiple expressions in cultures around the world. We need to use three terms synonymously and interchangeably: Higher Education for sustainable development, Higher education for sustainability, and sustainability education. As with all work related to sustainable development, the name and the content must be locally relevant and culturally appropriate. Sustainable development is also continually evolving. "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" Sustainable development is generally thought to have three components: environment, society, and economy. The well-being of these three areas is intertwined, not separate. For example, a healthy, prosperous society relies on a healthy environment to provide food and resources, safe drinking water, and clean air for its citizens. Sustainability is an example for thinking about a future in which environmental, societal, and economic considerations are balanced in the pursuit of development and improved quality of life.

Higher Education needs to cater vital principles of sustainability such as.

• People are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.
• Development today must not undermine the development and environment needs of present and future generations.
• We have right to exploit our own resources, but without causing environmental damage beyond their borders.
• Higher Education shall be taught with the precautionary approach to protect the environment. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, scientific uncertainty shall not be used to postpone cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.
• In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection shall constitute an integral part of the Higher Education process.
• Eradicating poverty and reducing disparities in living standards in different parts of the world are essential for Higher Education frame work to achieve sustainable development and meet the needs of the majority of people.
• Higher Education shall be taught to conserve, protect and restore the health and integrity of the Earth's ecosystem.
• Nations should reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, and promote appropriate demographic policies.
• Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens. ‘
• Higher Education should be taught effective with a focus on environmental laws, pollution and other environmental concerns.
• Sustainable development requires better Higher Education with scientific understanding of the problems.
• The full participation of women is essential to achieve sustainable development. The creativity, ideals and courage of youth and the knowledge of indigenous people are needed too.
• Peace, development and environmental protection are interdependent and indivisible and this is to be incorporated in Higher Education.

Education: Promise and challenge

Two of the major issues in the higher Education on sustainability are population and resource consumption. Increases in population and resource use are thought to endanger a sustainable future, and Higher education is linked both to fertility rate and resource consumption. Educating females reduces fertility rates and therefore population growth. By reducing fertility rates and the threat of overpopulation a country also facilitates progress toward sustainability. Unfortunately, the most educated nations leave the deepest ecological footprints, meaning they have the highest per-capita rates of consumption. This consumption drives resource extraction and manufacturing around the world. Simply educating citizens to higher levels is not sufficient for creating sustainable societies. The challenge is to raise the education levels without creating an ever-growing demand for resources and consumer goods and the accompanying production of pollutants. Meeting this challenge depends on reorienting curriculums to address the need for more-sustainable production and consumption patterns. Higher Education is also central to improving quality of life. Education raises the economic status; it improves life conditions, lowers infant mortality, and improves the educational attainment of the next generation, thereby raising the next generation's chances for economic and social well-being. Improved education holds both individual and national importance.

 Community colleges are to be established at par with University studies:

Community Colleges are an alternative system of Higher education which aims to empower individuals through appropriate skill development leading to gainful employment in collaboration with the local industry and community. They need to offer Higher Education courses catering to local needs and complying with University education norms by using approaches that will be most acceptable to rural population in the given community. Community Colleges need to have a 1-3-year curriculum after plus 2 that either leads to a Diploma, Associate Degree or a specific undergraduate course to the students’ direct entry into any occupation or trade or for Post graduate Degrees of the Universities. These colleges with basic infrastructure with minimum number of courses of studies will be a source of economic growth because they can provide an educated and skilled workforce that improves the quality of life for individual’s students, communities especially in rural areas with University affiliations. Such community college students should be given Government assistance at par with Government and Government aided colleges, the college teachers salary can be on self finance basis.

By -Dr.K.Govindaraju, Chairman, Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI), a NGO.Trichy.www.sevai.in