About Us

Griffith University is known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to problem solving and communication and a commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development. Griffith University has the largest group of environmental academics and environmental researchers of any university in the southern hemisphere and amongst the largest in the world. They provide expertise to all facets of environmental assessment and planning. The School of Environment is a world leader in the training of environmental professionals. It combines and integrates study of the many traditional course areas and new areas required for understanding and solving environmental problems.


The School has over 140 full-time academic and research staff, 500 undergraduate fellows, over 150 Masters Fellows and 150 PhD Fellows from 20 countries. The School is also associated with several research centres such as the Australian Rivers Institute, The Centre for Aquatic Processes and Pollution, The Centre for Urban Research, The Urban research Centre and our Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development for Indonesia (CESDI) at Nathan campus, Brisbane, Australia. The Centre has long-established links with Indonesian and overseas agencies such as UNESCO, UNEP, UNDP and WHO. 

Dr Peter Davey the Director of CESDI's International Research and Projects stated, 
“CESDI is able to provide a range of innovative and responsive sustainable development programs and research options to meet the environmental and organisational needs of the Asia Pacific Region, and to provide tertiary education and customised professional training courses in priority areas”

The key Environmental Issues to be addressed by CESDI in partnership with government, agencies and communities are:

• Climate change
• Natural resource management
• Urbanisation and industrialisation, and Sustainable Development Planning and Policy.

The specific strategies include:

• Engaging in scientific, technical and policy advice on environmental management
• Building organisational and community capacity for more sustainable community development
• Establishing collaborative research, and International networking, capacity building and collaboration development.

Our Mission

To build capacity for more sustainable development and environmental management in Indonesia and across the region.