Global sustainability strategies (e.g. Global Action Programme on ESD, Rio+20 The Future We Want, Rio+20 Treaty on Higher Education) call for a transformation, more structured knowledge sharing in the Higher Education (HE) area as well as up-scaling of ESD actions and initiatives. HE thematic discussion during the 8th Global RCE conference in Nairobi explored the idea of scalability of sustainability initiatives in the science-society interface. Through a workshop delegates were offered with the opportunity to identify the demand, challenges and potentials of scaling local and regional sustainability initiatives at the science-society interface. The following questions were addressed: • How has your initiative been institutionalized at your university or surrounding policy environment? • What conditions will (furthermore) be required for institutionalizing ESD initiatives in the HE – community interface? You are invited to further deliberate how HE institutions within your RCE network can enable the institutionalization of sustainability initiatives with a view to scaling co-operation between higher education and community.