Introduction

The introduction presents an overview of key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aims to advance an 'eco-philosophy' of the university and to advance a conception of the ecological university. The first part of the book explains how the author interprets the idea of ecology and how it is that the university can be illuminated by an ecological perspective – both our understandings of the university and its possibilities. The second part takes up in turn one particular ecosystem in which the university is especially implicated and sketches those relationships and offers indications of ways in which the university can better realize its ecological possibilities therein. The third part reflects on the whole idea of the ecological university in the light of the journey of the book and further draws out the value of this way of thinking about the university.