Purpose Higher education and its leadership are not yet using their potential impact for a sustainable future. This paper aims to focus on UN developments and the long history of university involvement in sustainability might create more interest and understanding that sustainably oriented universities are actually possible and a much stronger role for higher education is needed when nations are discussing their future. Design/methodology/approach Literature review with a focus on international treaties and declarations on the UN level and international university networks, literature review of the background and potential of the whole-institution approach and the need/suggestions for further research, also to measure advancement. Findings History shows a strong engagement of higher education with sustainability from its beginnings. There have been strong calls/offers from within university networks to take a crucial role in moving towards sustainable development that involves more than teaching about sustainability. The international community calls for higher education to be involved in policymaking rather than simply implementation, have been limited and the full potential of higher education institutions using all opportunities such as being living labs for sustainability has not as yet been realized. Currently, calls for engagement are often still limited to training and providing research when scientific evidence is wanted. Research limitations/implications Literature review focused on UN level treaties/declarations English- and German-language review national developments limited to samples of members of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 subcluster in the Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development (HESD) Global Cluster by the International Association of Universities (IAU). Practical implications Guidance for university leaders and other stakeholders to become aware of and consider a whole-institution approach. Practitioner relevance as countries is encouraged to embed UN recommendations, treaties and declarations. Defining opportunities for further research. Presenting the HESD Cluster by the IAU as a sample for new approaches of higher education to interact with the SDGs. Social implications Strengthening the role of higher education in the pursuit of a better future would focus on science and research as a neutral basis for decision-making and policy development. Sustainability embedded in all streams of university can help universities to be a practical example of the possibilities of sustainability at work. Originality/value Composition of authors with UN background and involvement. Focus on UN treaties/declarations and guidance for academics and practitioners in leadership on adopted UN and other international documents. Summarizing the background of the whole-institution approach as a genuine development over time but including limitations and implications for future roles for higher education leadership. IAU SDG 4 Subcluster is unique in its own approach and with its connections to a global network of higher education institutions and UNESCO.

The closest formative developmental dependence of the axial skeleton upon the morphogenesis of the intraspinal nervous structures is reflected in the roentgen features of the individual vertebrae as well as of the vertebral column in its entirety. The vertebroneural developmental events are characterized by a steady relative decrease in size of the nervous structures (the first to be laid down and huge in the embryonic period) under a corresponding increase in size of the skeletogenic tissues. There exists experimental evidence that the maintenance of the necessary developmental balance between the two tissues, the bony and the skeletogenic, is a function of the nervous substance. The tight spinal canal appears to result from a failure of the latter neural function leading to overgrowth of the bony structures, viz., to massive vertebrae and laminae encroaching upon the neural contents. Morphogenesis of the normal and tight lumbar spinal canal is discussed with special reference to the developmental interrelations between the cauda equina complex and the lumbar vertebrae.

Parole chiave: relazione neurovertebrale ed osteoneurale durante lo sviluppo, patologia dell'accrescimento neurovertebrale ed osteoneurale, patologie degenerative dello scheletro, displasie scheletriche

La Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible es un compromiso y un reto para las universidades. Además del llamado a garantizar una educación inclusiva, equitativa y de calidad y a promover oportunidades de aprendizaje a lo largo de la vida, las universidades, como agentes formadores y generadores de conocimiento, tienen la oportunidad y responsabilidad en su rol de agentes transformadores de las sociedad de hacer una contribución significativa al cumplimiento de los ODS. Los espacios asociativos se convierten en escenarios únicos de encuentro para potenciar el diálogo, la formación, la investigación, la acción y la cooperación alrededor de los ODS. La Asociación Internacional de Universidades (AIU) promueve el Enfoque de la Institución Integral (WIA) en el ámbito de la Educación Superior e Investigación para el Desarrollo Sostenible (ESDS) y lidera el Clúster Global ESDS. Este artículo presenta el trabajo de la AIU en ESDS y los avances en el desarrollo del modelo integral de implementación de la Agenda 2030 de la Universidad Antonio Nariño (UAN) de Colombia. Su propósito es mostrar el esquema colaborativo del clúster y el caso de la UAN como ejemplos que pueden inspirar nuevas colaboraciones para un futuro más sostenible.

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