ABSTRACT
System leadership originated in the field of academia, with early system leaders seeking to sustain gains in literacy and math skills, while simultaneously introducing more fundamental reform in the entire educational system. The focus of this chapter is with system leadership for sustainability within academia, with sustainability defined within the previously described definition and context originating in the Brundtland Report. This chapter includes examples of how system leadership can be applied within academia to achieve sustainable outcomes. Early system leadership within the field of academia is examined, along with the role of systems thinking within facility operations and curricula. Education for sustainability, business sustainability education, and sustainability research are also examined. Methods of development of system leadership in academia are explored, along with global perspectives and barriers to system leadership implementation. The chapter concludes with a personal interview summary of an academic sustainability system leader.
