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Public Engagement

Introduction

Engagement in community problem-solving is fundamental to sustainability. By engaging with community members and organizations in the governmental, non-profit and for-profit sectors, institutions can help solve sustainability challenges. Community engagement can help students develop leadership skills while deepening their understandings of practical, real-world problems and the process of creating solutions.

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A 30 x 168 ft. Gothic-style hoophouse was being erected at Grand Valley State University’s Sustainable Agriculture Project on November 17, 2020. Employees from Nifty Hoops, New City Neighbors and volunteers from the Grand Valley community were on hand to help with the project.

GVSU Sustainable Agriculture Project and New City Neighbors Partnership

  • Grand Valley State University (MI)

A 30 x 168 ft. Gothic-style hoophouse was being erected at Grand Valley State University’s Sustainable Agriculture Project on November 17, 2020. Employees from Nifty Hoops, New City Neighbors and …

Mentorship Kick-Off

  • Portland State University (OR)

Sustainability Mentorship Program - The Sustainability Mentorship Program at Portland State University provides students an opportunity to connect with career professionals in a variety of sustainability-related fields for two academic …

SWELL student packing bags

UCCS Food Next Door | Farm Subscription Program

  • University of Colorado Colorado Springs (CO)

The Food Next Door Farm Subscription Program at University of Colorado Colorado Springs was created to support community food security and literacy. Through the program, a participant buys a subscription …

Archiving the Campus as Living Laboratory : Preserving a long memory for transformative change

  • University of Utah (UT)

This is part of the Campus as Lab webinar series. To see the full series visit our YouTube Channel.

Sustainable change on campus is often driven by student-led projects, project-oriented …

  • Posted July 26, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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Campus as Lab Webinar Series - 2021-5-14 - Archiving Campus Sustainability Efforts

  • University of Utah (UT)

This Campus as Lab webinar focuses on the University of Utah's efforts to create a campus wide hyper-local archive for sustainability knowledge that is available to all campus and community …

  • Posted July 14, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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Working with Vulnerable Communities on Climate Action through Nonformal Higher Education and Peacebuilding

  • Salisbury University (MD)
  • University of Cambridge
  • M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence (NY)

Nonformal higher education provides an avenue to bypass the rigidity of hierarchical structures and prescribed norms within formal education, which offers opportunities to assist marginalized communities with climate action through …

  • Posted July 7, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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2020 Sustainable Career Panel Series: Corporate Sustainability

  • Villanova University (PA)

This panel series highlights the amazing work Villanova alumni are doing to create a sustainable future for all of us. The Corporate Sustainability panel will feature: Alex Floyd the Senior …

  • Posted June 10, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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Villanova University 2020 Sustainable Career Panel Series: Under 30

  • Villanova University (PA)

This panel series highlights the amazing work Villanova alumni are doing to create a sustainable future for all of us. The Under 30 panel features: Kevin Corbusier a Sustainability Project …

  • Posted June 10, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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2020 Sustainable Career Panel Series: Public Service

  • Villanova University (PA)

This panel series highlights the amazing work Villanova alumni are doing to create a sustainable future for all of us. The Public Service panel features: Mike Garland, Director of Environmental …

  • Posted June 10, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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Closing Keynote Speaker George Bandy: AASHE 2013

  • Interface, Inc (GA)

George Bandy, VIce President for Sustainability at Interface provides closing remarks at the AASHE 2013 Conference in Nashville, TN.

  • Posted June 4, 2021
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Increasing University Competitiveness through Assessment of Green Content in Curriculum and Eco-Labeling in Higher Education

  • University of Novi Sad
  • Educons University

Growing environmental problems and increasing requirements of green jobs force universities around the world not only to transform their curricula but also to enrich existing ones with contents related to …

Sustainable development goals and higher education: leaving many behind

  • Nelson Mandela University (Eastern Cape)
  • International Education Association of South Africa

This paper critically interrogates the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in relation to higher education in low-income countries. While the SDG Goal 4, Target 4.3, calls for ensuring ‘equal access for …

Strengthening city–university partnerships to advance sustainability solutions: a study of research collaborations between the University of British Columbia and City of Vancouver

  • The University of British Columbia (BC)
  • Sustainability Solutions Group (QC)
  • City of Vancouver (BC)

This paper aims to investigate sustainability research collaborations between the City of Vancouver and the University of British Columbia (UBC), as a case study to better understand how to use …

Motivators of Attendance at Eco-Friendly Events

  • Iowa State University (IA)

This study identifies the factors that attract U.S. residents to eco-friendly events. To achieve our research objective, we obtained data (N = 1,115) from a cross-national, web-based survey distributed to …

CGHE 2020 Annual Conference webinar panel: Higher education and sustainability

  • University of Bristol
  • University College London (London)
  • International Association of Universities

Higher education institutions both impact and are impacted by global climate change and the environment. In this conference hosted by the Centre for Global Higher Education, a panel of professors …

  • Posted May 26, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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Climate Action at Lehigh: An Interview with Dave Pryor

  • Lehigh University (PA)

The Office of Sustainability of Office of Communications and Public Affairs come together to discuss how to bring more students and staff into the conversation of sustainability and spread awareness …

  • Posted May 26, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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Earthfest 2020: Getting Involved with Sustainability on Campus

  • University of Michigan (MI)

The Student Sustainability Coalition (SSC), a student organization from the University of Michigan, created a fun guide for students on how to get involved in sustainability on campus. Take a …

  • Posted May 26, 2021
  • Videos & Webinars
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Managing Organizational Change For Transformational, Deep Decarbonization Initiatives On Campus

  • Second Nature (MA)

From website: "This webinar examined the importance of managing cultural and process change to support the implementation of deep decarbonization initiatives on campus - focusing on the critical roles of …

  • Posted May 26, 2021
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Sneed Prairie Restoration Project

  • Austin College (TX)

From website: "In 2001, Austin College initiated an ecosystem restoration project at a former family farm. The Clinton and Edith Sneed Environmental Research Area and Prairie Restoration site, named after …

  • Posted May 26, 2021
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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SCECon Graphic

SCECon 21: Our World, Our Time, Our Voices

  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)

SCECon 2021: Our World, Our Time, Our Voices aims to recenter the environmental narrative around environmental justice by giving intentional space for students to learn about unique and intersectional environmental …

SDG Undergraduate Research Group

  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)

Launched Fall 2020, SURG (SDG Undergraduate Research Group) is an undergraduate research group affiliated with the UC Berkeley Office of Sustainability and guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We …

Inclusive Sustainability: Collaborative Approaches through UC Santa Cruz’s People of Color Sustainability Collective

  • University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)

The People of Color Sustainability Collective (PoCSC) works to make the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) a leader in sustainability and environmental justice, in recognition of our changing demographics …

Minnesota Student Sustainability Leadership Network

  • St. Catherine University (MN)
  • University of St. Thomas (MN)

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, students created theMinnesota Student Sustainability Leadership Network to bring together student leaders involved in sustainability from colleges and universities across the state of …

California State University System-wide Climate Justice and Intersectional Sustainability Speaker Series

  • California Polytechnic State University (CA)
  • California State University, Channel Islands (CA)
  • California State University, East Bay (CA)
  • California State University, Chancellor's Office (CA)
  • California State University, Chico (CA)
  • California State University, Fullerton (CA)
  • California State University, Long Beach (CA)
  • California State University, Los Angeles (CA)
  • California State University, Northridge (CA)
  • California State University, Sacramento (CA)
  • California State University, San Marcos (CA)
  • California State University, Stanislaus (CA)
  • Cal Poly Humboldt (CA)
  • San Diego State University (CA)

During the 2020-21 academic year, Sustainability Officers from across the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system, the largest public university system in the U.S., joined forces to coordinate a series …

WMGIC Presentation

Global Innovation Challenge (WMGIC)

  • College of William & Mary (VA)

WMGIC is the premier intercollegiate hack-a-thon style international and sustainable development case competition aimed at encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration to create innovative solutions to current global issues.

President's Sustainability Research Fellowship Cohort

International Climate Engagement

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

Project Name: International Climate Engagement Name: Alfi Muhamad Project Mentor: Carr Everbach Faculty Advisor: Carol Nackenoff Project board members: Joy Charlton, Melissa Tier, Kyle Richmond-Crosset, Elizabeth Drake, Clare Hyre, …

Summer 2019 Student Researchers

New Ways to Love Trees

  • Hope College (MI)

As urbanization rapidly replaces natural forest cover, urban forests are becoming increasingly important because of the ecosystem services they provide. Through the development of the TreeSap app and corresponding educational …

MaryPIRG Student Climate Action Coalition (MSCAC)

  • University of Maryland, College Park (MD)

The FUTURE Act is a piece of legislation which aims to commit all of Maryland’s Public Universities to carbon neutrality by 2035 or sooner. The legislation was introduced by Del …

President's Sustainability Research Fellowship 20-21: ChesterSemesters

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

The 2020-2021 President's Sustainability Research Fellowship ChesterSemester project was conducted by Ananya Bhattacharya '21 over the 2020-2021 Academic Year. The purpose of the project was to support the the recently …

EDJI Logo

Equity, Diversity, Justice, Inclusion Task Force, Catawba College

  • Catawba College (NC)

The Equity, Diversity, Justice, and Inclusion (EDJI) Task Force at Catawba College aims to build a campus community where all members thrive by working to cultivate critical conversations and practices …

Painting the shed

The People’s Fridge- A Community Fridge to Reduce Food Insecurity and Food Waste

  • University of California, Merced (CA)

The People’s Fridge is a community fridge in Merced, California at a local community garden which also holds a free food distribution every Saturday called the Pop-Up People’s Pantry. The …

President's Sustainability Research Fellowship Cohort

Indigenous Interconnections

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

Project Name: Indigenous Interconnections Student Name: Daniel Torres Balauro Project Mentors: Aurora Winslade and Carr Everbach Project Board Members: Aurora Winslade, Director of Sustainability, Office of Sustainability Carr Everbach, Professor …

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Project Reach, Reclaim, Revive

  • Seneca Polytechnic (ON)

Guided by academic advisors and business experts, student leaders of Enactus Canada create and implement community empowerment projects and business ventures in their communities. This experiential learning platform helps students …

University Students Harvesting the Benefits of a Garden Laboratory

  • Mount Saint Vincent University (NS)

Community gardens (CG) are areas of land where individuals or groups grow food in single or shared plots, typically in an urban setting, providing fresh produce, urban greening, and opportunities …

Educating for transitions: ecovillages as transdisciplinary sustainability “classrooms”

  • University of Brasilia

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the pedagogical tools that can enhance transdisciplinarity in higher education and stimulate sustainability transitions, based on the case study of a partnership …

Effective Community-Academic Partnerships on Climate Change Adaption and Mitigation: Results of a European Delphi Study

  • University of Vechta

The effects of anthropogenic climate change have become increasingly prevalent. There is thus a need both to prevent climate change or soften its effects (mitigation) and to address and deal …

Creating Transdisciplinary Teaching Spaces. Cooperation of Universities and Non-University Partners to Design Higher Education for Regional Sustainable Transition

  • United Nations University
  • Universität Duisburg-Essen
  • Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen

Teaching formats involving non-university partners are increasingly gaining importance to deliver key competencies needed in higher education for sustainable development. Such teaching formats may also create new transdisciplinary spaces that …

The research-policy relationship in environmental and sustainability education

  • University of Saskatchewan (SK)
  • Monash University (VIC)

Within the field of environmental and sustainability education (ESE), the interaction between ESE research and ESE policy has received limited attention. Beyond ESE, however, the research-policy relationship has become an …

Who Is Community Engagement For?: The Endless Loop of Democratic Transparency

  • Lafayette College (PA)

This article approaches college and university community engagement as a publicity practice responding to complex pressures in the U.S. higher education field. Democracy initiatives in American academia encompass a range …

City-University Partnerships in Implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals at a Local Level

  • The University of British Columbia (BC)

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is regarded as a triumph of multilateralism. The Agenda lays out 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to provide a shared blueprint for …

Can public universities play a role in fostering seed sovereignty?

  • The University of British Columbia (BC)
  • University of Toronto (ON)

Across Canada and the United States, public universities were founded with a mission to contribute to broad societal well-being. Yet, the capacity of public research institutions to develop and disseminate …

Conference spaces as emotional sites for becoming campus sustainability leaders

  • University of Vermont (VT)

This paper applies a feminist political ecology approach to ask: How do sustainability in higher education (SHE) conference events co-produce the subjectivities and expertise of campus sustainability professionals (CSPs) emotionally? …

Mobilizing Youth for the SDGs: Tools for creating a Sustainable Development Goals Alliance on your campus

  • The University of British Columbia (BC)
  • University of Calgary (AB)
  • University of Waterloo (ON)
  • Université Laval (QC)

Mobilizing Youth for the Sustainable Development Goals is a toolkit created by youth, for youth, and is intended to support post-secondary students who are interested in creating campus spaces for …

Ecological Restoration of Parking Lot O looking south.

Ecological Restoration on BCIT Burnaby Campus

  • British Columbia Institute of Technology (BC)

The ecological restoration of Parking Lot O on the BCIT Burnaby campus is well under way. What was a gravel parking lot is being transformed into a landscaped natural area …

  • Posted April 30, 2021
  • Photographs
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Buea University CVE100 Students celebrating World Earth Day 2021

CVE 100 students, University of Buea: Cerebration of World Earth Day 2021

  • University of Buea

CVE100 Students University of Buea, Cameroon. Campus clean up campaign activities for celebrating World Earth Day - 22nd April 2021 Supervision and coordination, Dr. Frida Besong, University of Buea.

  • Posted April 30, 2021
  • Photographs
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JMU Sustainable Development Goals Dialogues

JMU Sustainable Development Goals Dialogues

  • James Madison University (VA)

As a first step toward JMU's commitment to the University Global Coalition, on March 29, 2021, for 90 minutes, 29 faculty members, 16 students, and 3 community partners participated in …

  • Posted April 29, 2021
  • Photographs
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Climate change advocacy: exploring links between student empowerment and civic engagement

  • Illinois State University (IL)
  • Northern State University (SD)

This study identified the attitudes and behaviors of college students regarding their advocacy for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Specifically, perceptions of climate change were assessed and advocacy activities were …

  • Posted April 23, 2021
  • Publications
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Climate & Sustainability Ambassador with saplings.

Saplings for Earth Day

  • Ohio University (OH)

For the second consecutive year Ohio University's Office of Sustainability has partnered with the local Arbor Day Foundation chapter to collect and test acorns in the fall from a red …

  • Posted April 23, 2021
  • Photographs
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A group photo of DIU Rover Scout Group worked Earth Day initiative

DIU, Bangladesh observed Earth Day 2021 with an initiative of Tree Plantation

  • Daffodil International University (Dhaka)

Air Rover Scout Group of Daffodil International University (DIU), Bangladesh observed Earth Day 2021 with an initiative of tree plantation on campus as well as the nearby community. The motto …

  • Posted April 23, 2021
  • Photographs
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Universities’ Reporting on SDGs: Using THE Impact Rankings to Model and Measure Their Contribution to Sustainability

  • Universitat Politècnica de València (Valencia)
  • Polytechnic University of Milan
  • Universitat de València

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have voiced growing concerns about sustainability issues since Agenda 2030 was approved, but this is not enough for societal stakeholders seeking and delivering innovation and excellence. …

  • Posted April 23, 2021
  • Publications
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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.

EN 10: Community Partnerships

EN 11: Inter-campus Collaboration

EN 12: Continuing Education

EN 13: Community Service

EN 14: Participation in Public Policy

EN 15: Trademark Licensing

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

Public Engagement Partners

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