aashe stars conference community hub bulletin
Login Create an Account Become a Member

AASHE Campus Sustainability Hub
Browse All

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.

View all Curriculum Submit a new resource

Featured Resources

Latest News from AASHE Bulletin

New Resources

8024 resources

Sustainable development goals: a framework for deploying indicators for higher education institutions

  • Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
  • University of Passo Fundo

This paper aims to analyse the extent to which the sustainable development goals (SDGs) are being considered at higher education institutions (HEIs) and propose and test the possible acceptance of …

Educating for the future: How higher education in environmental management affects pro-environmental behaviour

  • University of Zaragoza
  • Montpellier Business School (Montpellier)

This study analyses whether and how environmental education determines the adoption of pro-environmental behaviours. We conducted an experiment on 222 business administration students to examine this relationship from two theoretical …

Understanding How Stand-Alone Sustainability Courses Are Taught in Marketing: A Global Baseline Analysis

  • Utah State University (UT)

The growing societal and environmental challenges of the 21st century are ubiquitous. Thus, marketing educators are tasked with incorporating a sustainability approach into their curriculum, educating students on the synchronous …

A common framework for MOOC curricular development in climate change education - Findings and adaptations under the BECK project for higher education institutions in Europe and Asia

  • University of Huddersfield
  • Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH)
  • University of Barishal

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction has identified the climate change education as a key motivation for improving energy efficiency, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction by encouraging …

Incorporating sustainability in engineering curriculum: a study of the Australian universities

  • University of Western Australia
  • Central Queensland University
  • Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology

Literature limited in scope regarding the incorporation of sustainability into engineering curriculum encouraged authors to look at the current approaches of universities to the integration of sustainability into university curricula. …

Sustainability Governance at Higher Education Institutions: Equipped to Transform?

  • University of Vechta
  • Freie Universität Berlin

In this opinion paper, we reflect on selected literature as well as on specific research we have conducted into sustainability governance at German HEIs. We then provide answers to the …

Holistic integration of sustainability at universities: Evidences from Colombia

  • Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
  • Universidad EAFIT (Antioquia)
  • Universidad de Medellin

Education for sustainable development in universities provides the university’s community (i.e. students, administrative and academic staff) with the skills and capabilities needed to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. …

Mastering futures literacy in higher education: An evaluation of learning outcomes and instructional design of a faculty development program

  • Hanze University of Applied Sciences

Futures Literacy (FL) is a capability yet to take root within the context of Higher Education (HE). As HE is increasingly addressing complex societal issues, developing FL can be important …

Fostering sustainable businesses: understanding sustainability-driven entrepreneurial intention among university students in Pakistan

  • University of Turbat
  • Institute of Business Management

The purpose of this research paper is to predict sustainability-driven entrepreneurship intention among university students in the developing market (Pakistan).

Materials science community support for teaching sustainability

  • Universidad de la República Uruguay (Montevideo)
  • Mountain View Energy (MT)
  • Institute of Technology Carlow

Materials play a key role in enabling technological and economic development. With growing need to adopt a sustainable development approach across technical fields, it is useful to review the current …

Education for sustainable development in Japan and Malaysia: a comparative study among engineering undergraduates

  • King Abdulaziz University
  • Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Perak Darul Ridzuan)
  • Kanazawa Institute of Technology

This study aims to examine the impacts of education for sustainable development subject(s) offered at University A, Japan and University B, Malaysia on the attitude and perception toward environment, social …

Is the global reporting initiative suitable to account for university social responsibility? Evidence from European institutions

  • Loyola Universida Andalucía
  • University of the Basque Country

Recognising the importance of universities in the achievement of social and global objectives, this paper aims to study the relevance of the global reporting initiative (GRI) methodology for reporting University …

The factors impacting the incorporation of the Sustainable Development Goals into Raw Materials Engineering Curricula

  • National Technical University of Athens

It is widely recognised and acknowledged that the mining industry, if properly operating and managed, has the potential to positively contribute to “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. In this …

Sustainable development competencies and student-centered teaching strategies in higher education institutions: the role of professors as gatekeepers

  • Hochschule Pforzheim
  • Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen

This study aims to investigate the role of professors as gatekeepers for sustainable development competencies (SDC) in disciplinary study programs. It aims to understand which factors are crucial for professors …

Incorporating green building into architectural education: what can we learn from the value-belief-norm theory?

  • Griffith University (Queensland)
  • Shenzhen General Institute of Architectural Design and Research
  • Shenzhen University

Aiming to find out how to incorporate green building into the architectural curriculum, this study aims to explore the psychological path for cultivating architectural students’ awareness and motivation to learn …

The effect of social innovation education on sustainability learning outcomes: the roles of intrinsic learning motivation and prosocial motivation

  • Tianjin University

The purpose of this study is to reveal the influence mechanism of social innovation education (SIE) on sustainability learning outcomes and analyze the roles of intrinsic learning motivation and prosocial …

Drivers for Sustainability Awareness Development in Tourism Curricula: The Case of Spanish Universities

  • Universidad de Extremadura

Spain is one of the most popular tourism destinations in the world, and one of the top ten countries in terms of tourism contribution to its economy. As tourism is …

Using a Cooperative Educational Game to Promote Pro-Environmental Engagement in Future Teachers

  • Universidad de Granada

This paper explores the value of cooperative games in enhancing knowledge and generating pro-environmental engagement in students. For this, an educational board game related to global change was developed, validated, …

Driving Transformational Sustainability in a University Through Structural and Academic Innovation: A Case Study of A Public University in Spain

  • United Nations University
  • Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly engaged in the urgent and important work involved in the global transition towards sustainable development. They are potentially well suited to address key challenges, …

Contribution of PRME in education, research, and outreach in Brazilian higher education institutions

  • Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul
  • Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul (SP)

This paper aims to assess the contribution of the UN’s Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) in higher education, covering education, research and outreach in Brazilian higher education institutions (HEIs) …

The implementation of the Principles for Responsible Management Education within tourism higher education institutions: A comparative analysis of European Union countries

  • Auckland University of Technology
  • University of Winchester
  • Università degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria

Despite the growing body of literature on tourism higher education, there is a notable absence regarding the Principles for Responsible Management Education and the tourism higher education and sustainability nexus. …

Education for Sustainable Development in Spanish Engineering Degrees. Case study

  • Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
  • University of Cadiz
  • Universidad Pablo de Olavide

The purpose of this work is to present a methodology for analyzing the perception of engineering students about the sustainability learning they have achieved during their university studies. This study …

Boosting the sustainable development goals in a civil engineering bachelor degree program

  • Universitat Politècnica de València (Valencia)

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the potential for implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the civil engineering bachelor degree in the School of Civil Engineering at Universitat …

Education for sustainable development in Spanish higher education: an assessment of sustainability competencies in engineering and education degrees

  • Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
  • University of Cadiz
  • Universidad Pablo de Olavide

This paper aims to present a methodology for analysing the extent to which students of a university degree perceive that they have received a good education for sustainable development (ESD). …

Proposal for sustainability action archetypes for higher education institutions

  • University of Campinas

Higher education institutions (HEIs) should assume their role as leaders in the search for a sustainable future. Consequently, such institutions need to incorporate sustainability into their activities. However, this needs …

A Global MetaUniversity to Lead by Design to a Sustainable Well-Being Future

  • University of Denver (CO)
  • Australian National University
  • University of Melbourne (Victoria)

The COVID19 pandemic has revealed deep, ingrained problems with higher education, but also opportunities for positive transformation. In the post-COVID world, education at all levels has the chance to become: …

The Influence of Instructional Delivery Modality on Sustainability Literacy

  • University of Georgia (GA)
  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

As human environmental impacts have increased, so has the desirability of sustainable practices in multiple dimensions and at multiple scales. In this context, sustainability literacy has become a desirable outcome …

Perceptions of Environmental Science and Management Students on Synchronous Online Teaching of Environmental Policies: Learning Experience from Southeast Asian Cohort

  • University of Greifswald
  • Thai Nguyen University Of Agriculture and Forestry

Understanding global environmental policies addresses the aim of educating individuals to become environmentally literate on pertinent issues related to sustainable development. Online classes were established recently in most public universities …

Decolonization and Transformation of Higher Education for Sustainability

  • University of Maryland, College Park (MD)

This article argues that institutions of higher education (IHEs) require a fundamental paradigm shift toward an Indigenous Knowledge (IK) model inclusive of Indigenous Peoples, perspectives, and values. This model acknowledges …

Student learning about social responsibility in the global textile and apparel industry: the use of video as an instructional tool

  • North Carolina State University (NC)
  • University of North Carolina, Greensboro (NC)
  • Washington State University, Pullman (WA)

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a documentary video in enhancing student understanding of social responsibility (SR) concept in the context of the textile and …

Making sense of frustration and complexity when introducing sustainability in teacher education

  • University of Oslo

Teacher educators must question whether we are sufficiently preparing student teachers to educate children and young people who will have to cope with climate and environ­mental crises. This article reports …

The impact of peer learning on student performance in an architectural sustainability course

  • University of Texas at San Antonio (TX)
  • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (CA)
  • Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya

The importance of sustainability in architecture currently necessitates the integration of innovative teaching strategies on the subject into architecture programs. This study aims to introduce and examine peer learning pedagogy …

Identifying Assessment Opportunities in Postgraduate Learning for Sustainability

  • London South Bank University
  • University of the West Indies (Kingston 7)
  • University of Gloucestershire (Gloucestershire)

This paper offers a rationale for how ESD related learning at postgraduate level can beassessed. It proposes a framework for evaluating whether assessments in Masterís levelprogrammes align with the pedagogical …

Overcoming barriers to achieving sustainable development at universities in Vietnam

  • Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City

Numerous studies in the business context have identified variables that can promote sustainable development. By contrast, studies of universities have mostly clarified challenges of higher education, with little focus on …

Stimulating boundary crossing learning in a multi-stakeholder learning environment for sustainable development

  • Wageningen University

Sustainable development requires multiple stakeholders to work and learn across practices, in other words, it requires boundary crossing competence. To prepare students for their future sustainability professions, higher education should …

A Paradigm Shift in International Service-Learning: The Imperative for Reciprocal Learning

  • Appalachian State University (NC)

The US-based authors argue that the practice of what we currently call “international service-learning” does not generally achieve its most important goals in the context of the global South, especially …

The Impact of Service Learning in the Development of Student Teachers’ Socio-Educational Commitment

  • Comillas Universidad Pontificia (Madrid)

This research arises from the university’s need to contribute to the training of professionals, especially teachers, who, in turn are committed to contribute to a more sustainable and socially just …

Higher education and the sustainable tourism pedagogy: Are tourism students ready to lead change in the post pandemic era?

  • Universidad Complutense de Madrid

The present context of COVID19 pandemics has highlighted the vulnerability of tourism. Sustainable tourism needs to be thoroughly implemented to confront this and other crises; and sustainable tourism pedagogies must …

Nursing students' perception of climate change and sustainability actions – A mismatched discourse: A qualitative, descriptive exploratory study

  • Dalarna University

Climate change is described as the biggest global challenge for human health in the upcoming decade. Nurses play a central role in mitigating the effect of climate change on the …

Exploring opportunities to incorporate systems thinking into secondary and tertiary chemistry education through practitioner perspectives

  • Deakin University

Recently, the chemistry education community has focused considerable effort on incorporating systems thinking into chemistry education as a means to address global challenges such as sustainability. In this project, a …

Sustainability in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs: Authentic engagement through a community-based approach

  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (FL)
  • University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland

Higher education Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs currently offer the theoretical knowledge and industry-related competences that seek to prepare STEM graduates to be leaders to meet 21st century …

Transformative, interdisciplinary and intercultural learning for developing HEI students’ sustainability-oriented competences: a case study

  • Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • University of Jyvaskyla (PO Box 35)

The literature has produced relevant theoretical insights into pedagogical frameworks, tools and competences that would be best suited to teach sustainability at higher education (HE). This article contributes to such …

Developing a sustainability competences paradigm in Higher Education or a White Elephant?

  • Gävle University College

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have been at the forefront in creating and breaking paradigms, and educating the future decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and leaders. In the last decade, there have been many …

Student Teachers’ Willingness to Act in the Climate Change Context

  • University of Rijeka

In education for sustainable development, widely regarded as a framework that offers us the opportunity to improve the ways in which we cope with climate change issues, the need for …

The Challenge of Teacher Training in the 2030 Agenda Framework Using Geotechnologies

  • Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia – UNED
  • Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Social evolution, globalization, and advances in technology are making it increasingly necessary to offer complete and comprehensive teacher training. This training should produce citizens who are concerned about the planet …

Advancing SDG competencies in higher education: exploring an interdisciplinary pedagogical approach

  • Kristianstad University

This study aims to explore an interdisciplinary pedagogical approach for advancing knowledge and understanding of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) at higher education institutions (HEIs).

The patterns of curriculum change processes that embed sustainability in higher education institutions

  • Leuphana University of Lüneburg

Implementing education for sustainable development (ESD) in higher education institutions (HEIs) is critical to facilitating a transition toward sustainable development. However, little is known about the specific implementation processes that …

Sustainability in engineering education: A review of learning outcomes

  • Monash University (VIC)

Although UNESCO and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals have articulated the critical role of engineering in achieving sustainable forms of development, there remains the need to analyze the design, features, …

A scale for assessing student understandings of marine resource conservation and sustainability: psychometric verification and the latent mean difference between genders

  • Tzu Chi University
  • National Taiwan Ocean University

This study developed a scale for evaluating how well students understand marine-resource conservation and sustainability; it evaluated the scale’s psychometric properties and investigated the gender difference in the scale’s score. …

Diffusing corporate sustainability knowledge with online education: experiences from a massive open online course (MOOC) on sustainable fashion

  • Copenhagen Business School

This study aims to show how a massive open online course (MOOC) can be used as an educational tool to diffuse specialised corporate sustainability research globally to a broad range …

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.

Curriculum Partners

All Material Copyright © 2005–2023 Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
AASHE reserves the right to control the reproduction and use of all material posted on this website.
For questions about this site, please email resources@aashe.org — Privacy Policy

About
Finding Resources
Submission Guidelines