The challenge of sustainable development

The challenge of sustainable development is now recognised world wide. Three dimensions are relevant: the interaction between culture, structure and technology, the approaches optimisation-improvement-renewaI and the parties involved. Renewal of systems requires new ways of search and design of exploration processes comprising human needs as a starting point, backcasting as a method and jumps in eco-efficiency, measured as factor X as orientation. This implies a strategic approach to innovation and breakthroughs in which transdisciplinarity is a key factor to obtain viable results. Dutch experiences reveal that innovation options can be identified and innovation paths can be paved. Support conditions were identified; in order to ensure the availability of sufficient capacity, strong efforts must be made in the system of (higher) education. A proposal is made for a European policy to strengthen and spread the system's renewal approach in interaction with educational renewal. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.