Coordination & Planning

2857 resources

Sustainability Rankings: What they are About and How to make them Meaningful

  • RMIT University

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have long embraced a path towards sustainability and engaged in supporting sustainable development. The adoption of the sustainability development goals has forced HEIs to assess how ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Using a Multi-Criteria Ranking Method to Assess Factors Influencing the Implementation of Sustainable Development at Higher Educational Institutions

  • Wrocław University of Science and Technology

Over the last years, there has been a significant increase in interest in sustainable development in higher education institutions, and many have begun to implement sustainable development into their system ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Governance in the implementation of the UN sustainable development goals in higher education: global trends

  • Winona State University (MN)
  • Universidade Federal de Vicosa
  • University of Malta (Northern Harbor District)
  • Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
  • Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (Eastern)
  • Universidade Fernando Pessoa

Governance is a key component for implementing sustainable development (SD) initiatives in university teaching, research, and projects. This line of thinking also applies to implementing the United Nations (UN) sustainable ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Campus Sustainability and COVID-19: Perspectives of Challenges and Opportunities from Sustainability Leaders

  • The Ohio State University (OH)

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted much of society and universities are no exception. One area of concern is the disruption to campus sustainability. Previously, campus sustainability already faced a variety ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Searching for Shared Meaning: Defining and Measuring Sustainability as Institutional Work and Organizational Change

  • University of Saskatchewan (SK)

About me In my schooling, worklife, and even childhood interests, the natural sciences played a big role. Although I certainly derived inherent satisfaction from many aspects of natural science, I ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Improving Energy Stewardship at Michigan Technological University's Athletic Complexes

  • Michigan Technological University (MI)

Athletics departments are showcases for universities, serving as a public face and recruitment outlet that communicates university identity to the world. This applied research project examines the state of electrical ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Universities and the Doughnut Strategy: Comparative analysis of university strategies and the integration of planetary and social boundaries and the general concept of sustainable development

  • Linkoping University

The 21st-century climate crisis and human development are placing a burden on the planet and society and require strategic integration as well as education about sustainable development. Universities are educational ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Sustainability certificates in higher education

  • JAMK University of Applied Sciences

The thesis researched the usage of sustainability certificates in higher education, in Finland and in Europe. The objective was to suggest which certificates were suitable for Jamk University of Applied ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Green Stormwater Infrastructure Planning in Midwestern Higher Education Institutions

  • The Ohio State University (OH)

Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) is an innovative approach to stormwater management that has the potential to provide a variety of operational, environmental, and human benefits beyond those offered by more ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Using Modified Delphi Study to Develop Instrument for ESG Implementation: A Case Study at an Indonesian Higher Education Institution

  • Chung Yuan Christian University
  • Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya (South Jakarta)

Most research states that implementing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) has positive impacts. However, fewer studies have discussed ESG implementation in higher education. This study aimed to develop instruments to ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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EffSET: a Self-Evaluation Tool to Assess the Effectiveness of Education for Sustainable Development

  • University of Bari Aldo Moro

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) plays a prominent part in the process of building the ethical, responsible, and sustainable consciousness of future generations and in addressing the sustainability challenge that ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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On sustainability and higher education: Towards an affirmative ethics

  • North-West University (North West)
  • University of KwaZulu-Natal

Sustainable development has been the dominant focus in sustainability discourses over the past three decades. In 2015, the United Nations Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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How to Assess the Carbon Footprint of a Large University? The Case Study of University of Bologna’s Multicampus Organization

  • Università di Bologna

University campuses represent a heterogeneous ecosystem as to social, economic, energetic, and personal travel planning with a huge impact on hosting cities and territories. Sustainable policies are thus fundamental to ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Internationalisation of Higher Education and Climate Change: A Cognitive Dissonance Perspective

  • San Diego State University (CA)
  • Ghent University
  • Eastern Institute of Technology

This article applies cognitive dissonance theory to the internationalisation of higher education sector to comment on tensions experienced by practitioners associated with their work's climate impact. The existing literature ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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The American University of Sharjah Sustainability Team

  • American University of Sharjah (Ash Shariqah)

left to right Julia Carlow- Acting Head of AUS Sustainability Sahar Ibrahim- Sustainability Coordinator Nathalie Curabba- Sustainability Coordinator Rose Armour- Head of AUS Sustainability- Seconded to the Climate Envoy


Hopkins Office of Sustainability Retreating Into Nature

  • Johns Hopkins University (MD)

The Johns Hopkins Office of Sustainability staff held their staff retreat at a local arboretum reflecting on the past year, setting team and individual goals for the next 5 years ...


Endicott College Sustainability Office 2022-2023

  • Endicott College (MA)

Endicott College full-time Director and Coordinator (far right, far left respectively) with 2022-2023 student staff.


Ohio State's Composting Expansion

  • The Ohio State University (OH)

Ohio State’s Compost Program Expansion led by Facilities, Operations, and Development (FOD), in collaboration with Student Life, Athletics, Wexner Medical Center, the Sustainability Institute, and many student groups, enabled ...


Boston University Center for Computing & Data Sciences

  • Boston University (MA)

Boston University’s Center for Computing & Data Sciences is the University’s largest [academic building] addition to the Charles River Campus in 50 years and its most sustainable building ...


Duke University Climate Commitment

  • Duke University (NC)

As Duke University enters its second century, President Vincent Price has directed the University to marshal its collective resources and capabilities to address the climate crisis. Stemming from President Price ...


Brandeis University’s Year of Climate Action

  • Brandeis University (MA)

In 2019, a task force set out to write a new climate action plan for the university. Among its recommendations was to dedicate an entire year to catalyzing and deepening ...


Equity and Justice Working Group- Tufts Eco Reps

  • Tufts University (MA)

I implemented an Equity and Justice Working Group (EJWG) within the Tufts Eco Rep program Fall 2022 with the goal to integrate DEIJ principles into the core of the Eco ...


WSU Office of Campus Sustainability

  • Wayne State University (MI)

The Office of Campus Sustainability holds around 25 engagement events throughout the year and reaches around 350 students and countless community members. Each of the student leaders within the Office ...


Student-Led Organic Pilot Project at Emory University

  • Emory University (GA)
  • Re:wild Your Campus (TX)

Emory University, in partnership with Re:wild Your Campus, launched an organic pilot program to transition the campus away from synthetic weed-killers and towards organic land management. The Emory student ...


Ameresco leads partnership in establishing Colorado’s largest of its kind battery energy storage system complex at Colorado Mountain College

  • Colorado Mountain College (CO)
  • Ameresco, Inc. (MA)

As the largest installation of its kind in Colorado, completed in September 2022, the combined solar and battery work furthers HCE’s goal of increasing the clean energy sources it ...


Campus Zero Waste Program: Toward a Better Understanding of Zero Waste Program Success

  • University of Florida (FL)

This research is a part of my dissertation and I have used AASHE Data to look into Zero Waste programs in HEIs


UBC’s Sustainability Open Data: Research, Learning and Operations

  • University of British Columbia (BC)
  • AASHE (PA)

The Sustainability Hub – a central unit at UBC focused on collaboration – have created a new open data platform to share sustainability performance metrics, increase transparency, support teaching, learning, operations on ...

  • Posted May 25, 2023
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Differential Vulnerability to Extreme Heat Events Among the UC Campuses: A quantitative analysis of social vulnerability to extreme heat in communities surrounding UC Campuses

  • University of California, Office of the President (CA)
  • University of California, Davis (CA)

Extreme heat events are becoming more frequent, intense, and longer as a result of global climate change. Individual characteristics and conditions amplify exposure and impact of extreme heat events. I ...


KAUST SDG Highlight Report 2021/2022

  • King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Makkah)

The KAUST SDG Highlight Report 2021 & 2022 features major projects, programs, and initiatives that have been set up or have been continuously running at KAUST across three broad categories ...


A 6 step strategy to run measurable zero waste campaigns

  • Zabble (CA)

Instead of conducting one-time or infrequent waste audits, we will share an alternative paradigm to reach concrete milestones towards your institution's zero waste journey. We will share best practices ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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State of the Association

  • AASHE (PA)

This is AASHE's annual member meeting where you can hear from AASHE leadership on highlights of the year, plans for the future, and ask questions of the board and ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Organizing for a Sustainable Athletics Rating System

  • Texas A&M University (TX)
  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
  • University of Southern California (CA)
  • Honeycomb Strategies (CO)

In recent years, collegiate athletic programs have implemented a wide variety of sustainability initiatives. These initiatives include zero waste and carbon neutral games, fan outreach and education, LEED-certified stadiums and ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Regional Decarbonization Framework (RDF) - Integrated Long-Term Planning from San Diego County

  • San Diego County (CA)

The global scientific consensus is unequivocal: the world is in the midst of a climate crisis and our window to meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions is closing. In order to ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Divestment and its Effects on Enrollment: A Win-Win?

  • University of the Incarnate Word (TX)

In the burgeoning field of research on university divestment campaigns, much has been written about the motivations, validity, and outcomes of divestment movements at campuses in North America and the ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Hemispheric University Consortium Campus Sustainability Initiative​

  • University of Miami (FL)
  • Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Pichincha)

We will present data gathered from the working groups experience in applying STARS in their respective campus. Real life pictures and short testimonials will give a taste to the audience ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Sustainability Reporting in HEIs in Latin America: Lessons Learned From the Equator

  • Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Pichincha)

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have become actively engaged in assessing, addressing and implementing practices to drive sustainability solutions within the academic and research communities and with external stakeholders. Sustainability research ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Making the Case: Raise Funds, Cultivate Donors, & Position Sustainability as a Strategic Priority

  • Stanford University (CA)
  • Swarthmore College (PA)

Want to raise money for sustainability?! Come learn how to partner effectively with advancement officers to “make the case” to raise funds for sustainability at colleges and universities. Learn about ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Creating Institutional Change for Social and Environmental Justice

  • Saint Joseph's College - ME (ME)
  • University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
  • University of the Fraser Valley (BC)

Academics and observers have for decades called for holistic conceptions of higher education for sustainable development, environmental education, and related ideas, that go beyond relatively narrow projects of “greening their ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Supporting Roles for STARS: Regional Campus Libraries in Sustainability Initiatives

  • Indiana University South Bend (IN)
  • Indiana University Southeast (IN)
  • EcoChallenge.org (OR)

Academic libraries are rich storehouses of expertise and initiatives that directly contribute to sustainability initiatives impacting both your campus and local service communities. These initiatives also contribute to ongoing reporting ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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STARS Town Hall

  • California State University, Chancellor's Office (CA)
  • AASHE (PA)

The STARS Town Hall provides an opportunity to learn about the development of the next version of STARS (v3.0) and provide feedback on the program.

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Sustainability as an Office of One

  • California State University, Channel Islands (CA)
  • University of Louisville (KY)

Drawing on participant discussions from the past two years of live GCSHE Networking & Discussion Sessions, the presenters will provide an overview of best practices to overcome common challenges faced ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Institutional Change Through Guiding Principles and Honors College Vision

  • Virginia Wesleyan University (VA)

Over the last ten years, the environment and sustainability have become major focal areas of Virginia Wesleyan University's curriculum, operations, and identity. In the last 3 years, Virginia Wesleyan ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Shooting for the STARS in Australasia and Helping Improve Global Application

  • University of Queensland (QLD)
  • University of Tasmania (TAS)

Three Australasian universities recently submitted their first STARS report, each achieving a Silver rating after many lessons learned as new participants in the self-reporting framework. Each university is now working ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Does University Sustainability Affect Performance in Private Universities in Medellín?

  • Universidad de Medellin
  • Universidad EIA

The current context presents sustainability as a generalized concern of society, specifically the business sector, governments, and academia. For the specific case of universities, sustainability has been approached from different ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Inclusive and Transparent Virtual Engagement for Climate Action Planning

  • Swarthmore College (PA)
  • University of Florida (FL)
  • Trust (MA)

The University of Florida Office of Sustainability, with the assistance of Dallase Scott of Trust, implemented a robust engagement process to update our Climate Action Plan. In updating its CAP ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Centering Sustainability and Well-Being in University Strategic Planning

  • Colorado State University (CO)

When it was time to develop a new strategic plan, Colorado State University made a bold decision to put a thriving planet and a flourishing humanity at the center of ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Sustainability Change Agent Campfire Stories: Navigating Inherent Tensions

  • Georgetown University (DC)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
  • Stanford University (CA)
  • University of California, Office of the President (CA)

Sustainability work in higher education requires a straddling of multiple dualities such as academic/operational, incremental/transformational, deliberative pace/sense of urgency, and risk averse/risk taking. This session will ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Lightning Talks: Governance & Administration

  • Austin College (TX)
  • Ball State University (IN)
  • Southern New Hampshire University (NH)

This session consists of 3 15-minute Lightning Talk sessions related to governance and administration. The Lightning Talks are: Harvesting Carbon Capital: Using the Carbon Credit Purchasing Program (C2P2) - This session ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Measuring Emissions From Student Travel

  • Stanford University (CA)

While organizations, institutions, and companies routinely report emissions from Business Travel and Employee commuting, emissions from student travel are another source of air travel emissions that higher education institutions may ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Breakup With Your Spreadsheet: The case for a code-based ghg inventory

  • Brown University (RI)
  • Johns Hopkins University (MD)

To combat climate change, organizations and individuals must dramatically decrease greenhouse gas emissions and fast. Many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have risen to the challenge by setting ambitious carbon reduction ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.

All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.

PA 1: Sustainability Coordination

PA 2: Sustainability Coordination

PA 3: Sustainability Coordination

PA 4: Reporting Assurance

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

Coordination & Planning Partners