The future oriented concept of sustainable development, by now firmly established in the international political discourse, clearly poses a challenge that asks for a societal reorientation on different levels. Universities in their roles of researching and teaching institutions are playing a crucial role in the context of sustainable development: They generate, transfer and communicate new knowledge and offer in addition education and training as one of their key tasks (Cortese 2003, Fien 2002).

Implementing sustainability policy and practice in universities’ activities go hand in hand with research questions related to aspects of organizational change, innovation and transfer processes (Brand/Karvonen 2001, Fien 2002, Corcoran et al. 2004, Wright 2006, 2007). The implementation of education for sustainable development is the subject of numerous case studies that analyze different levels of integration (Blewitt/Cullingford 2004; Corcoran/Wals 2004; Leal Filho 2000). However, considerable criticism centers on the limited possibilities of generalizing the more or less descriptive findings and verifying findings from the outside (Corcoran et al. 2004, Fien 2002). In response to this criticism, theoretically grounded concepts have been developed focusing on processes of implementation (Scott/ Gough 2003; Tilbury 2002) while first meta-analyses try to cluster different approaches according to their empirical data (de la Harpe/Thomas 2009; Gough/ Scott 2007; Thomas 2004).

Such research on the implementation of ESD in the curriculum can build on the tradition of curriculum change research. The literature offers three different but interlinked strands of research for consideration: (1) the examination of stages of curriculum change and conditions necessary for institutional adoption (Barnett/Parry/Coate 2001, Drake 1998, Ewell 1997, Fullan 1991, Stark/Lattuca 1997); (2) the internal and external influences that support or hinder implementation (Dressel/Marcus 1982, Loup et al. 1993, Markward/Drolen 1999, Stark/Lattuca 1997, Trinkaus/Booke 1980); and (3) obstacles to the academic innovation process (Ellsworth 2000, Lindquist 174, Toombs/Tierney 1991).

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