Abstract:

The permanent care of the environment is closely related to increasing environmental awareness and education of the population. Environmental education must be a natural part of a modern school system. The Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic as a central state administration authority for the creation and protection of the environment in its activities, under the applicable statute, promotes environmental education. The current state of the environment is placing ever more and ever evolving requirements for continuing education. Training in Environmental Sciences, that the protection and safety of the environment, can increase people's awareness and a change of opinion, which may make this world a healthier, more prosperous and more secure.

Environmental security still remains a very actual topic. The disruption of the environment has a major impact across state borders, the environmental security gets increasingly on the agenda of several international and non-governmental organizations. The protection of the environment is a concept that has taken the society towards the environment. The aim of caring for the environment is to maintain or improve its quality, having regard to all organisms, including humans, while respecting the principles of sustainable development. An important role in the system of care for the environment is environmental education, environmental assessment and in particular providing information about the current condition of environment and about the causes and consequences of environment condition.

The authors of the contribution present the possibilities of the current state of education of university students at selected universities in Slovakia. The authors point to the different ways and possibilities applicable for the process of preparation, training and education of young people in the field of environmental security as a new trend for the comprehensive improvement of the general nationwide educational level. In the paper authors also presented the proposal of new educational model. This model is already implemented in the process of education of first year students at the Faculty of Security Engineering in University of Žilina.

Keywords:

Environmental security, protection of environment, education, new model.