Encyclopedia of Sustainability in Higher Education

… of Sustainability in …, 2010

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the contributions of theAsia-Pacific region to leading practice in sustainability in higher education (HE), as prelude andorientation to this special issue collection from different countries and regions. Design/methodology/approach – This is a critical review that includes international and regionalpolicy contexts in sustainability and “education for sustainable development” (ESD), whilst exploringthe trajectories of key initiatives across the region and considering the broader context of sustainability innovation within the HE sector. Findings – The Asia-Pacific region offers many creative initiatives and shows considerable progressin ESD and in understanding the learning dimensions of sustainability. At the same time, it mirrorsglobal trends in that further work is needed to promote systemic change in educational arenas,particularly in terms of strategic integration within HE institutions. The Asia-Pacific contributions tothis collection demonstrate the need to harness national policy, to develop local and regional initiativesand to work effectively towards more profound change in HE curricula and through collaboration withexternal communities and stakeholders. Originality/value – This is a distinctive collection of new initiatives from the Asia-Pacific, whichcompensates for the comparative lack of dissemination in this area. There is considerablesustainability innovation emerging in this region which shows leading-edge responses from within theHE sector on a number of key challenges and issues."

2013

The idea of evolution is deeply rooted in Western culture as since the eighteenth century the concept of continual development. Indeed, the latter commenced with the Industrial Revolution with the intent of improving the standard of living and thus quality of life. Higher education is necessarily part of this requirement and has been enacted by Universities that provide graduate whom typically become active and responsible citizens often internationally and usually supported by Government. To an extent, Universities control education, research, and training and thus provide a pivotal role in the dissemination of any concept. In this chapter, we examine the concept of sustainability and, based on an analysis, demonstrate the historical significance of sustainability and outline the significant contribution made by Universities with regard to the elucidation of sustainability. Indeed, it is our perception that Universities should use the concepts of both sustainable development and sustainability to reinforce their mission and improve the quality of the learning process. Although the University is seen as the most traditional of all institutions, it has of late become the major instrument of change in social, economic, and political systems, by adopting a new educational paradigm based on multidisciplinary education concerning environmental issues, stressing the values of equity, justice, cultural, and environmental sustainability, and viewing the learning process itself as lifelong.

New Trends in Sustainable Business and Consumption, 2023

The educational approach to sustainability represents a concern initiated more than two decades ago and aims to form that mentality that ensures the understanding of values and motivations to act for this purpose now and in the future. In academic education, it is also important for students to understand and be aware of the concept of a sustainable university. The current work is based on documentary research and aims, on the one hand, to analyze the role of university education, especially the economic one, in the formation of a behavior that supports ensuring sustainability in their future activities, and on the other hand, to highlight the steps taken in this regard by the university education units at national or international level. In this sense, the concerns of some international organizations for supporting education for sustainable development (ESD),a lifelong learning process, part of quality education are also presented. In conclusion, the efforts of different actors must be continued in order to develop in universities all over the world educational programs to sustain a sustainable lifestyles and to promote methodological and pedagogical tools to be used.

2006

"The book series "Higher Education for Sustainability" provides information and experiences on the question of how sustainable development may be applied as a guiding principle for university education, and how it may be implemented in sustainability-related research activities. A variety of different political, methodological, and didactical approaches are intended to form an intricate mosaic of ongoing activities from around the world in the field of higher education. The series aims at stimulating international cooperation and intercultural dialogue on higher education for sustainable development. "

The space of flows, the rules of play, and sustainable urban design: The sustainability game as a tool of critical pedagogy in higher education

Springer Nature, 2019

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), in the form of higher education (HE), plays a pivotal role both in the achievement of sustainable development goals and in the implementation of Agenda 2030 (UNESCO, 2012, 2014). Academia has always been the cradle of innovation, theoretical debates and practical experimentation. However, its mission is also to discern truth, impart knowledge, skills and values and prepare responsible citizens and competent workers who will contribute to an improving world. Recently, colleges, universities and networks of different kinds (e.g. SDSN, IAU, WEEC, etc.) have developed educational initiatives which represent a wealth of sources of innovation in sustainability. The paper aims to identify methodologies, tools and learning processes in order to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the ongoing initiatives taken into consideration. The paper highlights evidence, practices and policies by investigating recent literature on the topic (literature review and state of the art) and subjects and methods used in HE sustainability education in face-to-face traditional classroom environment (trends in HE sustainability education) and in an open online environment, namely MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses). The outcomes of the paper will contribute to the suggestion of future scenarios for the improvement of sustainability in HE and for the educational transformation that is required in order to create a sustainable future.

See above

"Higher education is uniquely placed to play a leading role in the attainment of sustainable development. This catalyst potential needs grounding, however, in a context where universities and colleges are currently seen as contributing to the sustainability crisis. Sustainability challenges the current paradigms, structures as well as predominant practices in higher education: this is a consistent message found throughout the literature. Universities and colleges are facing this reality as they seek to meaningfully contribute to sustainability. The paper argues that this requires going beyond the integration of key ideas in existing curriculum; the commissioning of a new sustainable building or supporting the sustainability action projects which often occur in the fringes of the institution. Instead, the sustainability journey engages universities and colleges in a quest for interdisciplinarity, participatory pedagogies, ‘real world ‘ research and the opening of institutional boundaries so that the notion of sustainable communities is extended beyond university and college walls. The paper proposes that a systemic or connected view of sustainability across institutions is required to transform the educational experience of students and lead social change for sustainability. Through mapping the international declarations and frameworks for higher education, this paper confirms the, in principle, commitment of universities and colleges to transform the higher education experience towards sustainability. The paper then contrasts these public intentions with a review of global and regional progress in the areas of leadership and strategy; modeling practice; education and learning; partnerships and outreach for sustainability in higher education. It suggests that achievements have been random and mostly disconnected from the core business of higher education. The paper concludes that if the higher education sector is to be transformative, it needs to transform itself. This will be a lengthy and ambitious process which will require strong leadership."

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2023

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the main areas in which researchers are focusing their efforts in terms of sustainability in higher education (curriculum, campus greening, research, governance, or outreach), the format in which this research is performed (in terms of individual or combined efforts) and the primary research focus (in terms of local or global issues).

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2015

Purpose -This paper aims to analyse trends in implementing the main initiatives in the field of environmental management and sustainability in Spanish universities, taking as a reference point the guidelines adopted by a number of universities in countries most committed to sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach -An analysis of information available on the Internet and of data collected from a questionnaire completed by a significant proportion of Spanish higher education institutions was carried out. Findings -The research found that the Spanish university system follows international trends: it possesses permanent working structures, applies a variety of environmental management and sustainability tools and carries out other activities related to the environment and sustainable development. But there still appears to be scope for improvement in some aspects, including to increase the visibility of the efforts in the environmental area, and other aspects such as the varying terminology used to refer to similar tools and processes and, conversely, of the same nomenclature to refer to distinct concepts. Originality/value -This paper provides new data and updated information on sustainability in Spanish universities and some recommendations for improvement.