University Sains Malaysia

Strategic back-casting and foresight to create a sustainability-led university

Institution

University Sains Malaysia

Region

Asia

COuntry

Malaysia

founding year

1969

student body

29000

Website

Institutional Approach

Universiti Sains Malaysia implements widespread Education for Sustainable Development approaches. Specific efforts include a Campus as a Living Lab approach, active since 2000, and targeted activities for engaging students in extra- and co-curricular sustainability activities, with the intention of exposing all undergraduates to easy-to-access sustainability projects. The Center for Global Sustainability Studies functions as a central convergence point for transdisciplinary research on sustainability, with the mission of transforming Universiti Sains into a sustainability-led university, mainstreaming “sustainability into the entire fabric and rubric of the university. This Centre is designed to work with all other relevant sections of the University, regional and international sustainability organizations, national and regional governments, the private sector, civil society groups, and NGOs to promote sustainable development, with a specific focus on empowering the disadvantaged bottom billions populations.” Universiti Sains has been an action leader in using strategic back-casting to chart the sustainable development of the university, beginning their ‘foresight’ process in 2005. University leaders explored five scenarios for higher education to determine their preferred future vision for the university. This was followed by a process of visioning, contesting, dynamic equilibrium and self-direction/externalization.

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