On 23rd February 2012, the first lesson of public course “Sustainable Development and Future” held in Siping Campus and Jiading Campus of Tongji University. More than 800 students from 14 faculties attended this class. This curriculum was organised by UNEP – Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD), which is an interdisciplinary public elective course for the whole undergraduate students.

In Siping Campus, our University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor CHEN Xiaolong presented the first lesson for nearly 600 students. Based on the requirements of sustainable development and its connotation, Professor CHEN explained the university role and responsibilities in the social construction, and take Tongji University as an example, he displayed the efforts of Tongji University for building sustainable development society during the construction of resource saving campus. And then, in question session, students are very positive and asked many sustainable development questions which closely related to their own life.

At the same time, the first class in Jiading Campus, Professor TAN Hongwei, Vice Director of Green Building and New Energy Research Centre, presented a lecture on the introduction of sustainable development for about 200 students. In lecture, Professor TAN described the international research achievements for sustainable development, and especially in China. After the course, he also answered students’ questions in detail.

In addition, the follow-up lectures will be invited the well-known experts, scholars from economics, ecology, science technology, social aspects on sustainable development project.