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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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Cal Poly faculty learn about the student garden and food pantry on campus outside of the FLC sessions so they can provide students with information about equitable resources on campus.

CSU Faculty Learning Community in Teaching Climate Change and Resilience

  • California Polytechnic State University (CA)
  • California State University, Chico (CA)
  • California State University, Monterey Bay (CA)
  • California State University, San Marcos (CA)
  • California State University, Stanislaus (CA)
  • Cal Poly Humboldt (CA)
  • Strategic Energy Innovations (CA)

In the Spring of 2022, 62 faculty from six different California State University campuses representing over 30 disciplines participated in the CSU Faculty Learning Community in Teaching Climate Change and …

To shift a paradigm or not: worldviews at play in responsible management education literature

  • KU Leuven
  • University of Antwerp
  • TBS Education

This study analyzes which worldviews on the interrelatedness of the economic, environmental and social systems are adopted in the literature on responsible management education (RME) and explores how this affects …

Universities and CSR Teaching: New Challenges and Trends

  • Università degli Studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale

This paper aims to analyse how universities are currently improving CSR teaching, pointing out some new challenges and trends emerging from a context in which CSR issues have become increasingly …

Longitudinal analysis of the environmental literacy of undergraduate students in Eastern Taiwan

  • National Dong Hwa University

Although higher education is crucial for training future professionals to deal with environmental challenges, there have been few longitudinal studies exploring how university students’ academic major influences their environmental literacy. …

Education for sustainable development: a critical reflexive discourse on a transformative learning activity for business students

  • Università degli Studi di Torino

This paper presents in detail a critical reflexive discourse on a transformative learning activity that engaged 140 students of the “Risk Management and Green Business Strategy” module at the University …

Factors influencing tourism students’ intentions towards environmental sustainability

  • Prince of Songkla University (Songkhla)
  • Chengdu University

The study aims to examine undergraduate hospitality and tourism students’ intentions toward environmental sustainability and to compare factors (knowledge, attitudes, perceived behavioural control, and intentions) towards environmental sustainability among students …

How university students are taught about sustainability, and how they want to be taught: the importance of the hidden curriculum

  • University of Plymouth (Devon)
  • NITTE University

India is unique, having enshrined in law the teaching of sustainability education (SE) within all levels of formal education. This study aims to examine the integration and perceptions of SE …

The Literacy-Based Scale for Measuring Reflections on a University Social Responsibility Curriculum: Development and Validation

  • Chung Shan Medical University

University Social Responsibility (USR) enhances educational development and the impact of universities on society. As a stakeholder in USR, it is imperative to develop a comprehensive literacy scale that reflects …

A Mixed Methods Case Study: Effects of Instructors’ Beliefs on Incorporation of Sustainability Curriculum at a Midwestern University

  • University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)

The degree to which sustainability is taught is often varied and inconsistent across colleges, departments, and higher education institutions. However, educating students and future generations regarding the different pillars of …

Sustainability through a Phenomenon-based learning approach : A study of student reflections

  • University of Helsinki

The purpose of this thesis is to study on how a phenomenon-based approach might evoke critical reflection on sustainability. By using the phenomenon-based learning (PhBL) approach, the aim of the …

Learning from the Dirt: Initiating university food gardens as a cross-disciplinary tertiary teaching tool

  • Macquarie University (NSW)

Food gardens are an underdeveloped resource for teaching and research in Australian universities. While some campuses have food or botanical gardens, outside the biological or physical sciences food growing is …

The development and evaluation of interdisciplinary STEM, sustainability, and management curriculum

  • Montana State University - Billings (MT)
  • Murray State University (KY)
  • RAND Corporation (CA)

There is an increasing need in the workforce for STEM and sustainability literate graduates. In practice, however, it is difficult to enact interdisciplinary STEM and sustainability curriculum, particularly in business …

Rethinking of higher education institutions as complex adaptive systems for enabling sustainability governance

  • Banaras Hindu University (Uttar Pradesh)

Education in particular Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are considered pivotal in promoting and implementing the targets of the United Nations-Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs). However, frameworks, curriculums, pedagogies and governance policies …

Meaning-making in higher education for sustainable development: undergraduates’ long-term processes of experiencing and learning

  • Leuphana University of Lüneburg

Despite the increase in teaching approaches designed to integrate sustainability into higher education, the connection between students’ learning experiences and their learning outcomes remains incompletely understood. The present multi-case study …

Principles for responsible management education - PRME: Collaboration among researchers

  • Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul (SP)

This study characterizes as a systematically reviews literature on the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) through bibliometric research. The research maps and analyzes scientific research networks of PRME by …

Development of the biotic impacts of climate change core concepts (BIC4) framework

  • Lamar University (TX)
  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
  • University of Northern Colorado (CO)

The ability of living organisms to respond and adapt to a changing climate is an urgent concern. However, current educational efforts aimed at increasing US undergraduate student climate literacy primarily …

Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education Rankings: Challenges and Opportunities for Developing Internationally Comparable Indicators

  • University of Twente

As more higher education institutions strive to embed sustainable development principles in their teaching, it becomes increasingly important to identify indicators that can measure institutional contribution in a meaningful and …

Education on the Sustainable Development Goals for nursing students: Is Freire the answer?

  • Curtin University
  • University of Wollongong (New South Wales)

Significant global events in recent years have had a substantial impact on the nursing profession. The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and systemic racism are a few of the many complex …

The Planetary Health Report Card: a student-led initiative to inspire planetary health in medical schools

  • University of California, San Francisco (CA)
  • University of Hawaii Honolulu Community College (HI)
  • University of Oxford

The warming of our planet and destruction of our ecosystems have created grave new threats to human health, such as food insecurity, physical and mental trauma from extreme weather events, …

Higher Education for Sustainability: A Bibliometric Approach—What, Where and Who Is Doing Research in This Subject?

  • University of Aveiro
  • University of Minho

Contextualization: From a very early age, assuming more prominence over the last decades, issues related to sustainability have been taking on a particular interest in the field of research. Although …

Education for Sustainable Development in Foreign Language Learning

  • George Washington University (DC)

This books uses the UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development framework to help educators integrate sustainability education in foreign language learning at the college level. The chapters are all written by …

Art and higher education for environmental sustainability: a matter of emergence?

  • Aalborg Universitet

This study aims to contribute to the exploration of inter-disciplinary approaches in higher education for sustainability. It is a reflection on a case study linking students in the arts and …

Defining a Pedagogical Framework for Integrating Buildings and Landscapes in Conjunction with Social Sustainability Discourse in the Architecture Graduate Design Studio

  • Girne American University
  • Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design

The primary objective of this research is to define a pedagogy framework for architecture Graduate Design Studio. The proposed pedagogy framework pursues the following three principal objectives: The first objective …

Developing Ethical Future Managers Embracing Sustainability: Case Study of Budapest Business School

  • Budapest Business University

The paper describes and evaluates how a higher education institution (Budapest Business School - BBS), aspiring for AACSB accreditation, co-created innovative tools, based on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and …

Do European quality assurance frameworks support integration of transformative learning for sustainable development in higher education?

  • University of Bern
  • Universitat de Girona (Girona)
  • Kaunas University of Technology (Kaunas sav.)
  • Universiteit Hasselt

A transition toward sustainable development requires engagement of university students in transformative learning. Therefore, quality frameworks and processes should support deep approaches to sustainable development in higher education. Research and …

The Development of Sustainability Education at ASU - A Case Study

  • Arizona State University (AZ)

This video highlights the development of the School of Sustainability and the future of sustainability at Arizona State University. Dr. Boone describes the program's objectives, competencies, and initiatives including how …

  • Posted May 20, 2022
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Sustainability in Real and Imagined Spaces: Honors Courses in Sustainability and the Environment

  • University of Kentucky (KY)
  • AASHE (MA)

Honors classes emphasize interdisciplinarity, student agency, and real-world engagement—an optimal curriculum space to develop innovative courses in sustainability and the environment. This session will explore opportunities for sustainability education presented …

  • Posted May 19, 2022
  • Videos & Webinars
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Students’ knowledge and expectations about sustainable food systems in higher education

  • University of Kassel
  • Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
  • University of Copenhagen
  • Szkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego (Warsaw)
  • ISARA Agro School for Life
  • Eesti Maaülikool, EMÜ
  • FH Münster
  • University of Gastronomic Sciences (Piedmont)

To clarify needs and requests of the young generation to the contemporary and future education on food systems, this paper aims to examine the following issues: students’ background knowledge, students’ …

Handling climate change education at universities: an overview

  • Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Romanian Academy
  • Hiroshima University
  • UNSW Sydney (NSW)
  • University of the Sunshine Coast
  • University of Passo Fundo
  • University of Malta (Northern Harbor District)
  • Kwara State University
  • University of Belgrade
  • University of Campinas
  • Universidad Católica del Norte
  • Universidade Federal Fluminense
  • University of Education, Winneba
  • Universidade Fernando Pessoa
  • University of Latvia
  • KTH Royal Institute of Technology
  • University of Fort Hare
  • Nottingham Trent University
  • Indian Institute of Management (Jharkhand)
  • University of Colombo

This paper reports on a study which aimed at identifying the extent to which matters related to climate change are addressed within the teaching and research practices at universities, with …

COVID-19: the impact of a global crisis on sustainable development teaching

  • College of Charleston (SC)
  • University of Malta (Northern Harbor District)
  • Bournemouth University (Dorset)
  • Universidade Aberta
  • Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
  • University of Passo Fundo
  • University of Aveiro
  • Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Universidade federal de Santa Maria
  • Universidade NOVA de Lisboa
  • University of Chester
  • North-West University (North West)
  • University of Milano-Bicocca
  • Universidade Federal da Paraíba

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global crisis, one which also influences the ways sustainability is being taught at universities. This paper undertakes an analysis of the extent to which …

Adopting sustainability competence-based education in academic disciplines: Insights from 13 higher education institutions

  • Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Madrid)
  • Griffith University (Queensland)
  • University of Helsinki
  • Universidade Aberta
  • Gävle University College
  • University of Zaragoza
  • University of Belgrade
  • Warsaw University of Technology
  • University of A Coruña (a Coruña)
  • Central University of Technology
  • Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales
  • European University of Lefke
  • University of Nyíregyháza
  • Universidad de las Américas Puebla
  • Università degli Studi di Parma

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been incorporating sustainability into education and curricula, where recent research has focussed on sustainability competences, pedagogical approaches, and how to connect them, generally on a …

Training wicked scientists for a world of wicked problems

  • Dickinson College (PA)
  • The Ohio State University (OH)

Humanity faces a number of wicked problems, from global climate change and the coronavirus pandemic to systemic racism and widening economic inequality. Since such complex and dynamic problems are plagued …

Sustainability practices at higher education institutions in Asia

  • University of Waterloo (ON)
  • Universiti Putra Malaysia
  • Universiti Sains Malaysia
  • Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Santa Catarina)
  • University of Passo Fundo
  • Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) (Perak Darul Ridzuan)
  • Beaconhouse National University
  • Hiroshima University
  • Universidade Fernando Pessoa
  • Khulna University of Engineering & Technology
  • Universiti Utara Malaysia

It is still unclear how Asian universities incorporate the theory or practice of sustainable development (SD) in their research and education programmes. To address this gap, the purpose of this …

Walking the Walk: Democratizing Change in Teacher Education

  • University of Tasmania (TAS)

In this essay, as a group of teacher educators, we discuss our experience of “walking the walk” of teacher education transformation at a time of urgent change. We reflect upon …

Greening of the syllabus in faculties of education sciences through sustainable development goals: the case of public Andalusian universities (Spain)

  • University of Cadiz
  • Universidad de Granada
  • Universidad de Sevilla
  • University of Malaga (Malaga)
  • Universidad Complutense de Madrid

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the presence of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) proposed by the UN (2015) in university degrees within the fields of education, humanities …

Mapping sustainability initiatives in higher education institutions in Latin America

  • Universidad de Sonora (Sonora)
  • Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
  • University of Passo Fundo
  • Universidade federal de Santa Maria
  • Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná
  • Universidad EAFIT (Antioquia)
  • Universidade Federal da Paraíba
  • Universidad Galileo

Many higher education institutions (HEIs) around the world are involved in a variety of sustainability initiatives. These are acknowledged to be important elements in fostering the cause of sustainability in …

Ecologized Collaborative Online International Learning: Tackling Wicked Sustainability Problems Through Education for Sustainable Development

  • Martin-Luther-Universitat Halle-Wittenberg
  • Robert Gordon University
  • Keele University
  • Università degli Studi di Torino
  • Coventry University

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is increasingly embedded in higher education(HE) due to the current emphasis on tackling the environmental crisis. Similarly, CivicSociety Organisations are expanding their mobilization and practical …

Which are the best practices for MSc programmes in sustainable agriculture?

  • Universidade do Porto
  • Universidade de Évora
  • Agricultural University of Athens
  • Università degli Studi della Basilicata

Programmes of education for sustainable development are important to reformulate and revise educational programmes in Sustainable Agriculture. Higher education institutes emerge as learning places to integrate sustainable development into the …

Potential for urban agriculture to support accessible and impactful undergraduate biology education

  • Rollins College (FL)
  • Salish Kootenai College (MT)
  • Tulane University (LA)
  • University of St. Thomas (MN)
  • University of San Diego (CA)

Active learning in STEM education is essential for engaging the diverse pool of scholars needed to address pressing environmental and social challenges. However, active learning formats are difficult to scale …

Green Campus Initiatives as sustainable development dissemination at higher education institutions: Students’ perceptions

  • Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Santa Catarina)
  • Université de l'État de Santa Catarina
  • Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul
  • Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina
  • University of Vale do Itajaí
  • Unoesc Joaçaba

Students are future leaders who will be expected to make decisions aimed at achieving sustainability as they take up key roles in education in the area of sustainable development. In …

Preparing engineering students for the challenges of the SDGs: what competences are required?

  • Technological University Dublin (Dublin)
  • Aalborg Universitet
  • Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
  • ENSTA Bretagne

Despite the emerging discussions about the growing role of engineers in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is a lack of agreement on which competences should be prioritised to …

Sustainability as an Emerging Paradigm in Universities

  • University of Valladolid
  • Fundación Universitaria Konrad Lorenz
  • Universitat Carlemany
  • Fundación Universitaria Los Libertadores
  • Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado
  • Universidad Nacional Experimental Politécnica Antonio José de Sucre

This article aims to review the perspective of sustainability adoption in universities through two dimensions: firstly, from the educational and research process, and second, from their global positioning in terms …

Supporting the role of universities in leading individual and societal transformation through education for sustainable development

  • University of Bristol
  • Quality Assurance Agency For Higher Education (--None--)
  • University of St Andrews (Scotland)
  • University of the West of England, Bristol
  • Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Cardiff Metropolitan University
  • Advance HE

There is growing recognition of the value of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) for all learners, and of the unique role that universities play in the transformation of individuals, institutions …

Teaching and learning for change: analysis of a post-graduate One Health program

  • Universite Libre de Bruxelles (Brussels Region)
  • Université Dan Dicko Dankoulodo de Maradi
  • Université de Namur
  • Université de Liège
  • Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire
  • Université de Montpellier

As problematized through the One Health concept, global health issues are defeating conventional disciplinary approaches since they unfold across various scientific domains and across all levels of society. Calling for …

Differentiated Impact of Politics- and Science-Oriented Education on Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Case Study of Chinese University Students

  • China University of Geosciences

The purpose of this study is to understand the differentiated impact of politics- and science-oriented education on pro-environmental behavior among university students. A questionnaire was designed and sent to more …

Measuring professional action competence in education for sustainable development (PACesd)

  • KU Leuven
  • University of Antwerp

Based on the concept of action competence, the current study introduces an integrated framework of Professional Action Competence in Education for Sustainable Development (PACesd) described by three defining features: willingness, …

Reflections on developing a collaborative multi-disciplinary approach to embedding education for sustainable development into higher education curricula

  • University of Strathclyde
  • Robert Gordon University

As higher education institutions (HEIs) have increasingly turned to consider sustainability over the last decade, education for sustainable development (ESD) has emerged as a way of imbuing students with the …

Pandemic shift: Meeting the challenges of moving post-secondary environmental education online

  • Florida Atlantic University (FL)
  • Pennsylvania State University (PA)
  • University of Montevallo (AL)
  • University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
  • University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (WI)

As the COVID-19 pandemic surged and resurged across the world, members of a higher education professional group associated with the North American Association of Environmental Education met regularly online to …

Online learning and teaching for the SDGs – exploring emerging university strategies

  • RMIT University

The purpose of this paper is to explore emerging synergies and tensions between the twin moves to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and online learning and teaching …

Teaching What Society Needs: “Hacking” an Introductory Marketing Course With Sustainability and Macromarketing

  • Pennsylvania State University (PA)
  • Simon Fraser University (BC)
  • Ollscoil na Gaillimhe - University of Galway (Co. Galway)
  • University of London
  • Middle East Technical University
  • IE Business School

Marketing classes are often focused on the micro level, failing to account for wider societal issues. In this article, we argue for the inclusion of a wider macro-sustainability focus, one …

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

AC 2: Learning Outcomes

AC 3: Undergraduate Program

AC 4: Graduate Program

AC 5: Immersive Experience

AC 6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment

AC 7: Incentives for Developing Courses

AC 8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

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

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