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Call for Paper

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We invite all researchers and higher education institutions committed to integrating sustainability into their curricula to contribute to the conference by sharing their experiences and presenting research activities for Sustainable Development in Higher Education. Presentations both oral or as poster can be either of theoretical and academic type, reflecting research results, or rather practical, highlighting experiences and good practices in any of the following thematic lines:

1. Mainstreaming HESD
   The first half of the UN Decade was characterized by more or less systematic attempts to integrate sustainability into teaching and learning. Many of these efforts had the character of case studies; these often led to further dissemination and by now numerous activities with different reach and scope. Reflecting on the second half of the Decade, the challenge lies in systematically and longitudinally anchoring sustainability in the different aspects of teaching and learning in higher education. A number of promising approaches can be found together with initial systematic experiences which document how education for sustainable development can function as an innovation impulse for advancing teaching and learning in higher education.
2. Impact of HESD
   Mainstreaming and securing innovative approaches raises the question of advantages, additional benefits, and success. Following a first phase of integrating various approaches and a ’testing of the system,' the focus is now increasingly shifting to description and/or assessment. Apart from general quality management and quality control, efforts of developing indicators and the description and assessment of competencies are two strands of activity to mention here.
3. Innovation in HESD
   Integrating sustainability into higher education teaching and learning can be described as innovation which necessitates a re-orientation of teaching and learning and which questions traditional-conventional approaches. At the same time, it is necessary to advance innovative approaches to move HESD forward, so that the many challenges that sustainability in higher education raises can be addressed. For instance, methods and approaches handling uncertainly and complexity, the integration of inter- and transdisciplinarity, the systematic analysis of interactions between formal and informal learning processes, the consideration and ‚mining’ of emotions and values in learning, and many others can be envisioned in this context. A number of interesting approaches can be found which can be tested for their innovation potential.