Editorial

Welcome to another issue of IJSHE. In this issue readers will find a further set of papers dealing with sustainability issues in universities in different parts of the world. An interesting feature of this issue is the two papers from the Caribbean and South Africa, regions rich in biodiversity and where sustainability is a particularly important issue.

In this editorial I am pleased to inform our readers that the Heads of Government in the European Union have adopted a revised sustainable development strategy. European Heads of Government have also been discussing international aspects of on-going moves towards a common EU energy policy. External energy priorities should include infrastructure projects that are “compatible with environmental considerations”, they agreed. Leaders also underlined the need to promote renewable energies and pursue an international agreement on energy efficiency. Leaders have also been discussing the “better regulation” initiative, mooting the idea of establishing EU-level targets for reducing administrative burdens imposed by regulations by up to 25 per cent,following the example of some member states.

In all these areas, universities all over Europe can and should play an important role in providing sound advice for the agreed policies. As centres of expertise, they are uniquely placed to provide technical assistance to the efforts being made all over the European Union to make sustainability part of everyone's day to day life.

Enjoy your reading!

Walter Leal Filho