In partnership with the UPC and the UAB, RCE Barcelona is organizing a conference entitled A new knowledge culture to face global changes, with the overall aim of maximising universities´ potential to address the needs of the 21st century.

A new knowledge culture is needed in higher education to enable universities to address the great challenges we face in the 21st Century (e.g climate change, unsustainable consumption and production, corruption, lack of transparency, explosion of urban populations and world poverty).

This conference is the 5th edition of the series of international EMSU conference (Environmental Management for Sustainable Universities) and has the following specific objectives:

• Share sustainability practice in universities
  Build database of sustainability practice in universities to be made available on-line in collaboration with existing networks (eg. ULSF; UNU; UNESCO)

• Create networks in key areas of work, and at regional levels
  - Organise thematic workshops/on-line conferences/email discussions
  - Facilitate individual contacts and group email lists for common interest
  - Build a database of sustainability tools/experiences for universities
  - Activate local/regional networks for a new knowledge culture

• Analyse progress on the UN Decade for ESD
  Questionaires results and report disseminated through University of United Nations RCE network

• Share participatory visioning/backcasting processes to help build sustainable societies in the context of rapid global changes (2015)
  Share visioning approaches/experiences and replicate simulations on a regional level

The conference is mainly addressed to university staff: decision-makers, professors, researchers, managers, green campus offices, student networks and local stakeholders.

 

The conference activities also addressed to other international stakeholders (through e-based participation): ESD and SD networks, civil society organizations, private companies, educative organizations, foundations in a regional-local perspective, administrations, sustainable business networks.

 

Eg. GUNI, Planet 2025, OECD, UNESCO, UNU, ULSF, Journal of Cleaner Production, IJSHE, WBSCD, WWI, WRI, UNU-IAU (RCEs)

 

The conference will be held on the 15th-17th of October 2008.

In the context of the vision for a new knowledge culture to build sustainable societies, this 5th edition will be focused on key global changes:

• Climate change and resource scarcity (food, energy, water)
• Production and consumption patterns
• Governance and changing responsibilities
• Poverty reduction and equality
• Urban systems

If you are interested in participating please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and we will send you a pre-conference survey on the role of universities in society.