The Entropy of Sustainability: Observed Tensions in Canadian Tertiary Innovations

University innovations relevant to sustainability education do not always come labelled as such. Inspiration can potentially be drawn from a wide range of fields and initiatives. During a 2005 study tour of Canada, seven universities were visited to investigate such programs, focussing on those that comprise more than one subject and that are intended for an undergraduate audience. In this paper, an exploratory study is undertaken of the collected interviews, field notes and documents to identify some of the debates common to the wide range of cases. Core structure and content, equity of access, operational constraints, and organizational structures are discussed, each delineating characteristic tensions between homogeneity and diversity; collegiality and isolation; idealism and pragmatism; and, flexibility and rigidity.