Professor Hans van Ginkel, Rector of the United Nations University, Tokyo, (1997-2007) and president of the International Association of Universities (2000-2004), pioneered the concept of Regional Centers of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development (RCEs) as a strategy for meeting the goals of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UN DESD) by translating its global objectives into the context of local communities. van Ginkel's fields of interest include human geography, urban and regional development, population, housing studies, science policy, internationalisation and university management. He has published widely in these areas and has received numerous awards in addition to three honorary doctorates. He was born in Kota-Radjah (Bandar Acheh), Indonesia, and came to the Netherlands in the 1960s to study at Utrecht University where he obtained MSc and PhD degrees, both cum laude. This article presents an interview with Professor Hans van Ginkel in which he discusses the concept of Regional Centres of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development (RCEs); elaborates on how the necessity for critical engagement and face-to-face contact act as natural constraints; shares some insights on the origins and history of the RCE concept; and comments on the significance of integrating formal, nonformal, and informal education into the RCE process. (Contains 7 notes.)