On 17th May, 2011 at 9:30am first delegate arrived at the Karlskorna's central train station, marking the start of 4th World Student Environmental Summit (WSES). Around 80 students from all part of the world gathered at the Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) to be a part of the summit. These include 65 delegates, which were from 36 different universities  situated in 18 countries. These delegates are nationals of 27 different countries, thus making this summit a real global event.    

The student orgainzed 4th WSES provided a platform for these students to collaborate with their peers to create solutions towards alternative futures. World-class personalities from science, humanities and education joined in a discussion about economically and socially relevant issues that challenge our sustainable future. The BTH and other venues in Karlskrona served as an attractive unconventional meeting places for sustainability enthusiasts for four days.

The core team of six people organized the summit that included Tony Thompson, Faculty advisor and key organizer, and the five co-chairs, Danielle Hiscock, Elza Stepanyan, Jovin Hurry, Muhammad Adnan Hanif and Sabine Mukaze.

This Summit’s relevance and uniqueness was supported by well-known personalities. Our Patron is Professor Karl-Henrik Robèrt, M.D. Ph.D. Professor Robèrt is an Ashoka Globaliser, one of the handfuls of Ashoka Fellows within this network with the greatest potential for catalysing global systems change. He received the Green Cross Millennium Award for International Environmental Leadership and the Blue Planet Prize, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Sustainability" for having led the development of the framework for strategic sustainable development, in the business community also known as The Natural Step Framework.

Our equally strong supporter is Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, the Director General at TERI University, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the 2007 Nobel Peace Price winner. In his own words, "... I commend the World Student Environmental Summit for thinking outside the box to provide a platform for the most important stakeholders ... the youth, to make their voices heard."

Dr. Ursula Hass, Vice-Chancellor of BTH, also enthusiastically supported the World Student Environmental Summit. "The Summit will be a strong magnet that will attract young talents from all continents to creatively discuss burning sustainability issues. BTH is delighted to be the host and thanks its partners who will contribute to making the Summit an even greater highlight of 2011."

The summit provided international students an extraordinary opportunity to meet leaders in the field of sustainability while establishing networks with like-minded, highly motivated international peers. Whether you were there to learn about sustainability or work on your next Excel project, the experience was invaluable. On 22nd May, 2011, these students left Karlskrona with the vision to return to their homelands and contribute to making Earth a strategically sustainable planet.