Interesting question, David.  The most important part of the curriculum,
especially for a nation (and university) thinking hard about the future, is
steady-state economics.  We need a new curriculum that addresses how to
build an economy that can meet people's needs without undermining the
life-support systems of the planet.  This means accepting the ecological and
social limits to growth.  And we need a new generation of economics
professors and students who can help develop the most effective policies and
institutions.  It looks like an auspicious time for such an educational
overhaul.  Brian Czech's latest essay in the Daly News describes the
positive reactions of Rio+20 delegates to steady-state concepts:
http://steadystate.org/positive-vision-international-affairs/

We can make a good start on the required economic changes by pushing to add
ecological economics as a critical part of what universities offer.

Thanks,
Rob Dietz
Editor, Daly News

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