Curriculum
Introduction
One of the primary functions of colleges and universities is to educate students. By training and educating future leaders, scholars, workers, and professionals; higher education institutions are uniquely positioned to understand and address sustainability challenges. Institutions that offer courses covering sustainability issues help equip their students to lead society to a sustainable future.
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Student-led sustainability transformations: employing realist evaluation to open the black box of learning in a Challenge Lab curriculum
- Chalmers University of Technology
While sustainability-oriented education is increasingly placing importance on engaging students in inter- and transdisciplinary learning processes with societal actors and authentic challenges in the centre, little research attends to how …
- Posted April 21, 2021
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Educators’ experiences and strategies for responding to ecological distress
- University of Cambridge
- University of Sydney (NSW)
Research is increasingly identifying the issues of ecological distress, eco-anxiety and climate grief. These painful experiences arise from heightened ecological knowledge and concern, which are commonly considered to be de …
- Posted April 21, 2021
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Students, sustainability and education: Results from a survey of students in higher education around the world
- Students Organising For Sustainability (SOS-UK)
Between April and October 2020, SOS International invited higher education institutions and student-facing organisations to send out a survey designed to gather insight into student experiences of sustainability and education. …
- Posted April 21, 2021
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The wicked problem of teaching about wicked problems: Design thinking and emerging technologies in sustainability education
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
- Montpellier Business School (Montpellier)
In this paper, we explore the system-level challenges found in sustainability-focused education and consider how the intersections of design thinking and emerging technologies in augmented and virtual reality (AVR) can …
- Posted April 21, 2021
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Students as change agents for campus sustainability in Malaysian universities
- University of Malaya
The notion of students as change agents have widely been used in the campus sustainability literature, but very little has been done to unpack what it really means in practice. …
- Posted April 21, 2021
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Sustainable economic development in higher education institutions: A global analysis within the SDGs framework
- Universidad de Almería (Almeria)
Universities must focus their efforts on being economically competitive without harming the chances of being sustainable. The study of sustainable economic development (SED) of higher education institutions (HEIs) has experienced …
- Posted April 21, 2021
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How An Arboretum Outreach Activity Changed Students’ Attitudes Towards Sustainable Development
- Penn State Brandywine (PA)
In Fall 2017, Penn State Brandywine kicked off an initiative titled Sustainovation, emphasizing programming and community collaborations through sustainability and innovation. The campus identified Tyler Arboretum as a community partner …
- Posted April 21, 2021
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Geographers declare (a climate emergency)?
- University of Wollongong (New South Wales)
Over the last two decades ‘climate emergency’ has grown from a little-known term to a mainstream public issue. In Australia, the term gained traction during the 2019-2020 ‘Black Summer’ bushfires. …
- Posted April 21, 2021
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The paradox model: towards a conceptual framework for engaging with sustainability in higher education
- Canterbury Christ Church University
The growing awareness of climate change, biodiversity loss and the wider global environmental emergency has led to calls for decisive and immediate action from all sections of society. This paper …
- Posted April 21, 2021
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UCCS Food Next Door | Farm Subscription Program
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs (CO)
The Food Next Door Farm Subscription Program strives to help fight hunger, promote food access, boost food literacy, and support regional farmers and ranchers in our community.
- Posted April 21, 2021
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Field-Based Experiential Education in Geography: Discovering and Rethinking Urban Environmental Challenges and Possibilities
- Boise State University (ID)
- York University
Drawing on our experience teaching a 2-week field-based geography course on urban environmental issues, we reinforce the value of field-based experiential education (EE) especially as it faces growing threats. We …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Perceptions of salient stakeholders on the integration of sustainability education into the accounting curriculum: a Jordanian study
- University of Waikato
This paper aims to examine the perceptions of salient stakeholders in Jordan concerning the importance of integrating sustainability education (SE) into the accounting curriculum.
- Posted April 8, 2021
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A New Face of Mining Engineer—International Curricula to Sustainable Development and Green Deal (A Case Study of the Wrocław University of Science and Technology)
- Wrocław University of Science and Technology
The mining industry in the world has undergone a major metamorphosis in recent years. These changes have forced higher education to modify the curricula in a thorough way to meet …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Teaching about sustainable consumption with sustainable tools
- Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
This paper focuses on the topic of sustainable consumption in order to support teacher trainers and future primary teachers in planning and integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) competencies within …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Academic Research on the 2030 Agenda: Challenges of a Transdisciplinary Field of Study
- Loyola Universida Andalucía
In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly formally adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with the scope to shift the world on to a resilient path focused on promoting …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Locating a Course on Environmental Justice in Theories of Environmental Education and Global Citizenship
- University College London (London)
Environmental education is an increasingly important concern for policymakers and universities, as it is critical to the success of the broader agenda represented by the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals. Achieving …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Learning and Teaching Interdisciplinary Skills in Sustainable Urban Development—The Case of Tampere University, Finland
- Tampere University of Applied Sciences
Developing the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of urban environments is challenging due to the complex and interconnected nature of the context and objectives. In order to be successful in …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Earth Science Education as a Key Component of Education for Sustainability
- Universidade do Porto
- Weizmann Institute of Science
Environmental insight has emerged as a new scientific concept which incorporates the understanding that the Earth is made up of interworking subsystems and the acceptance that humans must act in …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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A generic model for integrating ESD in a university course – complementing a textbook with contemporary material
- Umeå University
A large number of stakeholders are demanding more education for sustainable development (ESD) at Swedish universities, among them students who are expecting to find ESD in their courses. The aim …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Education for Advancing the Implementation of the Bioeconomy Goals: An Analysis of Master Study Programmes in Bioeconomy
- Technical University of Crete
- Riga Technical University
Bioeconomy in Europe has become one of the leading courses for sustainable and resource-efficient development. Main aspects of bioeconomy: development of new technologies and processes, development of markets and competitiveness …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Dealing with global environmental change: the design and validation of the GEC attitude scale
- Monash University (VIC)
- University of Vigo
- University of A Coruña (a Coruña)
Global Environmental Change (GEC) refers to alterations in the structure and functioning of Earth Systems arising from the detrimental effects of human activities in the biophysical and socioeconomic spheres. This …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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The Challenge of Global Environmental Change: Attitudinal Trends in Teachers-In-Training
- University of Vigo
- University of A Coruña (a Coruña)
The aim of our research was to study attitudinal trends in Spanish trainee teachers regarding Global Environmental Change (GEC), in order to identify elements that should be enhanced in their …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Implementing social projects with undergraduate students: an analysis of essential characteristics
- Université de Sherbrooke (QC)
- University of Campinas
- Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
- University of Passo Fundo
- Universidade Federal Fluminense
This study aims to analyse the essential characteristics for the success of social projects developed with undergraduate students of higher education institutions (HEIs).
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Students’ attitude toward sustainability and humanitarian engineering education using project-based and international field learning pedagogies
- University of San Diego (CA)
Environmental sustainability and social contexts are becoming increasingly important concepts. The infusion of sustainability and humanitarian engineering (HE) into the academic core curriculum is often challenging. This study aims to …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Mathematics Applied to the Economy and Sustainable Development Goals: A Necessary Relationship of Dependence
- Universidad de Murcia (Murcia)
Higher education must include training in sustainability to make all actors aware of the serious problems our planet is facing. Mathematics plays an important role in the achievement of the …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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A Holistic Approach to Integrate and Evaluate Sustainable Development in Higher Education. The Case Study of the University of the Basque Country
- University of the Basque Country
Since the United Nations (UN) approved the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in 2015, higher education institutions have increasingly demonstrated their commitment by supporting several initiatives. Although a great deal …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Infusing the UN Sustainable Development Goals into a global learning initiative
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- University of North Texas (TX)
- University of South Florida (FL)
The Global Citizens Project (GCP) is a university-wide global learning initiative at the University of South Florida, aimed at enhancing undergraduate students’ global competencies through curricular and co-curricular experiences. The …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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The incoherence of sustainability literacy assessed with the Sulitest
- Elon University (NC)
- Northern Illinois University (IL)
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
Improving sustainability knowledge has long been central to international efforts to achieve sustainable development. In response to these efforts, which are formalized in Target 4.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals, …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Guilty by Association: Addressing Sustainability in Architecture Education
- Universidad ORT Uruguay
Despite the growing interest in sustainability, negative associations of this term with naïve discourses, green-washing, or low-quality design are still common within some areas in the discipline of architecture. Through …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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‘Challenge to the South’ Revisited: A Case Study Worldwide of Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
- Yorkville University (NB)
Three decades ago Julius Nyerere (1990) wrote Challenge to the South. In response to the legacy of colonialism, Nyerere challenged the nations of the Global South to advance their development …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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A matter of connection: The 4 Cs of learning in pre-service teacher education for sustainability
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Teacher education for sustainability (TEfS) aims to prepare future educators for their role as societal change agents by developing in them specific sustainability competencies. Whereas previous literature has dealt extensively …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Addressing the Relationship between Economics and Climate Change: A Discussion of Principles
- Northeastern University (MA)
The majority of US colleges and universities have a degree requirement related to the principles of economics. As a result, nearly all college students have some exposure to economics during …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Teaching Sustainability Practice through Service Learning: A Case Study of Reducing Food Waste
- University of Southern Maine (ME)
- University of Wyoming (WY)
This case report details the collaboration and integration of three distinct courses using a service-learning approach for a grant-based environmental project at the University of Southern Maine (USM). The focus …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Enhancing sustainability education through experiential learning of sustainability reporting
- University of Arkansas (AR)
- Babson College (MA)
- EQS International
- Szkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego (Warsaw)
While progress has been made in the realm of teaching about sustainability to business students, integrating sustainability into experiential learning with a systemic mindset has been identified by leading scholars …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Transformative education: towards a relational, justice-oriented approach to sustainability
- Leuphana University of Lüneburg
- Lund University
- One Project (CA)
- Courage of Care Coalition (CA)
This paper aims to increase related knowledge across personal, social and ecological dimensions of sustainability and how it can be applied to support transformative learning.
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Evaluation and Lessons Learned from a Campus as a Living Lab Program to Promote Sustainable Practices
- University of British Columbia (BC)
- University of Victoria (BC)
- Yaşar University
Any group that creates challenging goals also requires a strategy to achieve them and a process to review and improve this strategy over time. The University of British Columbia (UBC) …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Education to transform the world: limits and possibilities in and against the SDGs and ESD
- Oslo Metropolitan University
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a significant marker in global efforts to universalise a conception of ecologically sustainable human development. SDG 4’s expanded vision of quality education …
- Posted April 8, 2021
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Secrets for a Strong Course Affiliation Program
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
- AASHE (MA)
This event is part of the AASHE Award Winner Webinar Series, featuring a presentation of the Campus Sustainability Achievement Award winning project.
What are the secrets to a strong course …
- Posted March 31, 2021
- Videos & Webinars
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Environmental Studies Undergraduate Major
- New York University (NY)
The Department of Environmental Studies aims to provide students with the breadth of understanding and skills necessary for resolving environmental questions and creating a sustainable future on scales ranging from …
- Posted March 18, 2021
- Academic Programs
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Environmental Studies Undergraduate Minor
- New York University (NY)
The Department of Environmental Studies aims to provide students with the breadth of understanding and skills necessary for resolving environmental questions and creating a sustainable future on scales ranging from …
- Posted March 18, 2021
- Academic Programs
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Campuses as living labs for integrated sustainability research, education, and practice
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
Campuses as living labs for integrated sustainability research, education, and practice
Ximing Cai, Morgan White#, Evan Delucia, Madhu Khanna Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Institute for Sustainability, …
- Posted March 15, 2021
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Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development (VIP4SD)
- AASHE (MA)
- University of Strathclyde
As we enter the Decade of Action on these global goals, the VIP4SD program provides a platform for HEIs to leverage the unique access they have to the enthusiasm, idealism …
- Posted March 3, 2021
- Videos & Webinars
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Impact of higher education imparted by Indian universities on the pro-sustainability orientation of students
- Symbiosis International University (Maharashtra)
The purpose of this study is to test a model on pro-sustainability orientation (PSO) among the students and comparison of the levels of PSO among the first-year and the second-year …
- Posted Feb. 19, 2021
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Future Directions—Engaged Scholarship and the Climate Crisis
- University of California, Davis (CA)
Climate change has the potential to disrupt ecosystem services and further exacerbate the effects of human activities on natural resources. This has significant implications for educational institutions and the populations …
- Posted Feb. 19, 2021
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An exploratory study of students’ perceptions of environmental issues as social work practice and their understanding of environmental justice
- Boise State University (ID)
- Indiana University
As environmental crises continue to rise, the profession of social work in the US is being called to incorporate environmental justice content in the training and education of social workers …
- Posted Feb. 19, 2021
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Learning processes for interpersonal competence development in project-based sustainability courses – insights from a comparative international study
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Leuphana University of Lüneburg
For professional sustainability work, graduates need to be able to work in teams and collaborate with stakeholders; in other words, they need to have developed interpersonal competence. There is growing …
- Posted Feb. 19, 2021
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A futuring approach to teaching wicked problems
- Utrecht University
This paper investigates how the teaching and learning about “wicked” environmental problems may be fostered through an educational approach premised on futuring – the active imagination of the future. The …
- Posted Feb. 19, 2021
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Decoupling responsible management education: Do business schools walk their talk?
- Berry College (GA)
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
- Kennesaw State University (GA)
- Seattle University (WA)
- University of Mississippi (MS)
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Corporate scandals in recent decades have prompted business schools to advance programs to better develop the next generation of responsible business leaders. Despite these efforts, some scholars have raised concerns …
- Posted Feb. 19, 2021
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Higher education for times of climate crisis – critical awareness, purpose and community
- The University of Newcastle (NSW)
Climate change impacts cascade across scales and sectors, and present specific threats to education institutions and systems, including reduced educational access, participation and attainment by students. In this paper, we …
- Posted Feb. 19, 2021
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Education for Sustainable Development Goals (ESDG): What Is Wrong with ESDGs, and What Can We Do Better?
- The Hague University of Applied Science
This article will discuss social, environmental, and ecological justice in education for sustainable development (ESD) and Education for Sustainable Development Goals (ESDG). The concept of sustainable development and, by extension, …
- Posted Feb. 17, 2021
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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.
AC 1: Academic Courses
- Percentage of courses that are sustainability course offerings
- Percentage of academic departments with sustainability course offerings
- Inventory of sustainability course offerings (upload)
- Website URL - Sustainability course offerings
AC 2: Learning Outcomes
- Description of institution level sustainability learning outcomes
- List of degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability
- Percentage of students who graduate from programs that require an understanding of sustainability
- Website URL - Sustainability learning outcomes
AC 3: Undergraduate Program
- First sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program
- Second sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program
- Third sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program
- First sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration
- Second sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration
- Third sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration
AC 4: Graduate Program
- First sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- Second sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- Third sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- First sustainability-focused graduate-level minor or concentration
- Second sustainability-focused graduate-level minor or concentration
- Third sustainability-focused graduate-level minor or concentration
AC 5: Immersive Experience
- Description of the sustainability-focused immersive program(s)
- Second sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- Third sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
AC 6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
- Copy of the sustainability literacy assessment (upload)
- Copy of the sustainability literacy assessment (description)
- Website URL - Assessment of sustainability literacy
AC 7: Incentives for Developing Courses
- Description of the course development incentives
- Website URL - Incentives for developing sustainability courses
AC 8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.