Research Institutes, Centres and Units - Universiti Sains Malaysia
Research Institutes, Centres and Units - Universiti Sains Malaysia
Research Institutes, Centres and Units - Universiti Sains Malaysia
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Centre for Global Sustainability<br />
Studies (CGSS)<br />
It is now clear that the development models of the past have so stretched the tolerance<br />
margins of nature that they are seen to be depleting scarce resources <strong>and</strong> degrading<br />
the global environment. With the full realisation that environmental problems are<br />
closely linked to economic <strong>and</strong> socio-cultural problems, a great change is required<br />
in the stewardship of the earth <strong>and</strong> the life on it to move away from paradigms that<br />
rely exclusively on concepts of continuous economic growth, corporate profit, <strong>and</strong><br />
consumer avarice.<br />
<strong>Universiti</strong>es everywhere are beginning to realise that their roles too are changing rapidly<br />
in a globalising world. We have to redirect our intellectual enterprise to develop capacity<br />
to underst<strong>and</strong>, anticipate <strong>and</strong> act on the basis of global challenges. Convinced that building<br />
capacity for making decisions that consider the long-term future of economy, ecology,<br />
<strong>and</strong> equity is a key task of education <strong>Universiti</strong> <strong>Sains</strong> <strong>Malaysia</strong> (USM) has embraced<br />
the vision of becoming a sustainability-led university of world-class st<strong>and</strong>ing as part of<br />
its APEX initiative. While the APEX award is a fitting recognition for the university’s<br />
wide–ranging <strong>and</strong> remarkable accomplishments of the past, it is also a call to excel in<br />
addressing the sustainability challenges of the future.<br />
In order to achieve the broad APEX vision, USM has embarked on a range of missions<br />
which through their specific objectives <strong>and</strong> activities are expected to contribute to the<br />
achievement of the overall sustainability vision. One such mission of great significance is<br />
the decision to establish a Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (the Centre, CGSS)<br />
to mainstream sustainability into the entire fabric <strong>and</strong> rubric of the university. This<br />
Centre is designed to work with all other relevant sections of the University, regional<br />
<strong>and</strong> international sustainability organisations, national <strong>and</strong> regional governments, private<br />
sector, civil society groups <strong>and</strong> NGOs to promote sustainable development, paying<br />
particular attention to the disempowered bottom billion.
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