The Sustainability Institute is a non-profit trust, founded in 1999. An international living and learning centre focussing on studies and experience in ecology, community and spirit, we work in partnership with the School of Public Management and Planning, University of Stellenbosch in the following areas of  education (Masters and PhD degrees in Sustainable Development Planning and Sustainable Agriculture), Early Childhood Development, Community Development Practice and Management, project facilitation to establish Sustainable Neighbourhood Developments in various localities,policy research in the sustainable development sector. The Institute is located in the Lynedoch EcoVillage, a place where we have provided development facilitation to create a space for sustainable living and learning.

Over two hundred applications were received for the 2010 intake of the Masters Programme in Sustainable Development. This is much higher than previous years.  Applicants come from many different parts of the world, with many from African countries. For the second year running the largest group of applicants who have been accepted come from the private sector, followed closely by the number who work for the public sector, with a scattering from NGOs and educational institutions. The majority of applicants who have been admitted are black, thus reflecting South Africa's demographic profile. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to accept everyone because we only have the space and supervision capacity to accept at most 60 students. Regretfully, no further applications can therefore be considered.