The Latin America meeting of sustainable universities (I Elaus)

Abstract

Higher Education Institutions (HEI) play an important role in sustainable development with their education, research and developed extension activities on environmental practices. With the purpose of organizing an event focused on the argument for education for sustainable development within Latin America and to initiate a process of coordination of the regional proposals, the First Latin America Meeting of Sustainable Universities (ELAUS) took place in October, 2008. This objective of this article is to relate and systemize the results of ELAUS, aggregated at the University of Passo Fundo, Brazil, with the support of the National University of Cordoba, Argentina and the University of São Paulo, Brazil and with collaboration from the Technical University of Catalonia, Spain. The data was obtained from the analysis of the reports, workshops and sessions that formed part of the event schedule and proceedings. The results show that the initiatives are expanding and increasing irreversibly. However, the majority of them are still isolated far from a systemic ideal. In conclusion, some possibilities and challenges have been indicated; among them, the necessity of having a systemic vision involving all the people and the activities of the university. The necessity of having a space for the discussion on sustainability in the universities of Latin America guaranteed the success of ELAUS. This event will be continued every two years in other countries.