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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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Towards climate justice education: views from activists and educators in Scotland

  • University of Edinburgh

In the context of a resurgence of civic activism to address climate change, we present findings from an exploratory research project on climate justice education (CJE). We conducted deliberative focus …

  • Posted Feb. 10, 2021
  • Publications
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Collegiate athletics environmental sustainability efforts within STARS reporting

  • Texas A&M University (TX)
  • University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)

The purpose of this paper is to examine higher education institutions’ participation in association for the advancement of sustainability in higher education’s (AASHE’s) Green Athletics category in the sustainability tracking, …

Universities and Multistakeholder Engagement for Sustainable Development: A Research and Technology Perspective

  • Università degli Studi di Torino
  • Politecnico di Torino

If we have any hope of achieving sustainability, we, as researchers, need to develop a new perspective on universities and multistakeholder engagement. Stakeholder theory teaches us that engaging stakeholders in …

Competence Literate but Context Lacking? Investigating the Potential of Study Abroad Programs to Promote Sustainability Competence Acquisition in Students

  • Blekinge Institute of Technology

The examination of pedagogies that promote effective sustainability learning has led to vigorous academic discussion, as has research regarding the role of competence-based learning for sustainability. This paper investigates the …

Building bridges: overview of an international sustainable tourism education model

  • Colorado State University, Pueblo (CO)

The purpose of this paper is to present and explore a sustainable tourism education model that employed Fair-Trade learning principles and experiential learning philosophies. In collaboration with universities in Mexico …

Determinants of Carbon Emission Disclosures and UN Sustainable Development Goals: The Case of UK Higher Education Institutions

  • Tallinn University
  • Newcastle University
  • Durham University

In recent years, organisational sustainability has become a topical issue in many institutional fields and a number of calls have been made to improve the disclosure of carbon information as …

Effectiveness of digital games in producing environmentally friendly attitudes and behaviors: A mixed methods study

  • Purdue University (IN)

Awareness of environmental sustainability issues alone is not enough. Environmental Sustainability Education (ESE) should produce changes in attitude and encourage lifelong behaviors. However, behavioral changes are curtailed by constraints and …

Campus greening from social sciences: emerging formulas on social responsibility and teaching innovation

  • University of A Coruña (a Coruña)

Purpose This paper aims to show how the Green Campus Program has been implemented at the Faculty of Sociology of the University of A Coruña (Spain). It describes the criteria …

Integrating the circular economy into engineering programs in India: A study of students’ familiarity with the concept

  • XLRI-Xavier School of Management (Jharkhand State)

Human production and consumption activities are depleting the earth’s resources faster than they are being replenished. The Global Footprint network estimates “Earth Overshoot Day 2020” (the day the use of …

Impact of personality traits and university green entrepreneurial support on students' green entrepreneurial intentions: the moderating role of environmental values

  • Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology
  • Mohammad Ali Jinnah University
  • Iqra University

Purpose The earth needs to go green as it clarifies that humans should adopt a sustainable lifestyle that will be friendly to the environment and society. The emerging stream of …

SDGs Report 2019

  • National University of Sciences and Technology (Federal)

Realizing the importance of United Nations 17 SDGs, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) , Pakistan has adopted UN SDGs framework to monitor and improve the impact of contribution …

Engendering sustainable development competencies in higher education: The case of Egypt

  • Zayed University
  • Cairo University

Higher Education Institutions are a crucial player in achieving the international 2030 sustainable development agenda on the national levels. This study examines the role that Cairo University plays in promoting …

When relational capabilities walk in education for sustainability scenario

  • Universidade Federal do Paraná (PR)

Since higher education institutions are considered relevant catalysts in the formation of future business leaders, the concern for sustainability issues can take place in such institutions through the so-called Education …

The promotion of sustainable development in higher education institutions: top-down bottom-up or neither?

  • Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the sustainability approach within higher education institutions. Universities, as institutions of knowledge, play an important and strategic role in maximizing social and economic benefits …

Exploring emerging learning needs: a UK-wide consultation on environmental sustainability learning objectives for medical education

  • University of Bristol
  • University College London (London)
  • University of Hull
  • Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (Oxford)

Objectives: This study aimed to engage wide-ranging stakeholders and develop consensus learning objectives for undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.

Methods: A UK-wide consultation garnered opinions of healthcare students, healthcare educators …

Truth before reconciliation: the difficulties of transforming higher education in settler colonial contexts

  • University of British Columbia (BC)

In response to the contemporary context of reconciliation in Canada, colleges and universities have made efforts to ‘Indigenise’ their campuses, extending earlier, Indigenous-led efforts to create more space for Indigenous …

Indigenous perspectives on education for sustainable healthcare

  • University of North Dakota (ND)
  • University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
  • University of Auckland
  • Bond University (Queensland)
  • El Fondo para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas de América Latina y El Caribe (FILAC)
  • Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation (NT)

A range of global environmental changes are contributing to an increasing global burden of disease. Since human health and well-being are intimately associated with the health of our planet, healthcare …

Building an environmentally accountable medical curriculum through international collaboration

  • Georgetown University (DC)
  • University of British Columbia (BC)
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Melbourne (Victoria)
  • University of Cape Town
  • Aarhus University
  • University of East Anglia
  • University of Tasmania (TAS)
  • University of Hull

Background: Global environmental change is associated with significant health threats. The medical profession can address this challenge through advocacy, health system adaptation and workforce preparedness. Stewardship of health systems with …

Decarbonising academia: confronting our climate hypocrisy

  • University of Otago (Otago)
  • University of Surrey

Academia is generally carbon intensive. Many academics are highly aeromobile to an extent that is now being framed as a form of ‘climate hypocrisy’. Technological advances are not enough to …

Carbon Footprint of Academic Air Travel: A Case Study in Switzerland

  • École Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Relatively low travel costs and abundant opportunities for research funding in Switzerland and other developed countries allow researchers large amounts of international travel and collaborations, leading to a substantial carbon …

Community capacity-building for sustainable development: Effectively striving towards achieving local community sustainability targets

  • UNSW Sydney (NSW)
  • United Nations University

Purpose Although the value of community capacity building is widely accepted within scholarly literature, these initiatives thus far appear to have achieved very little impact in the achievement of community …

Governing the university in the perspective of the United Nations 2030 Agenda: The case of the University of Bologna

  • Università di Bologna

Purpose Starting from the experience of the University of Bologna, this paper provides an innovative framework to analyse how universities are rethinking courses and curricula, teaching, research programmes, campus operation …

Changing roles of universities in the era of SDGs: rising up to the global challenge through institutionalising partnerships with governments and communities

  • American University of Beirut

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers a wide range of interrelated goals, including poverty eradication and economic growth, social inclusion, environmental sustainability and peace for all people by 2030. …

The use of the theory of planned behaviour to assess graduate attributes for sustainability

  • RMIT University

Higher Education plays an influential role in societal transformation towards sustainability. An understanding of the application of sustainability learning from degree programs in a graduate’s professional practice can serve as …

Funding community sustainable development using zero energy buildings

  • Millersville University (PA)

This paper aims at bridging the gap between theoretical frameworks for community sustainable development and descriptive-only case studies by using a case study to demonstrate a conceptual model or framework …

  • Posted Jan. 12, 2021
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Higher Education Institutions: Partners in Social & Economic Community Resilience

  • Central Community College (NE)
  • University at Buffalo (NY)
  • Second Nature (MA)
  • AASHE (MA)
  • Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC) (PA)

This webinar is is brought to you by the Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC) with support from Second Nature and the American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP).

There is …

  • Posted Oct. 29, 2020
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Two of the students that did all the amazing work in the class (Erin Ganzke and Christopher Dwyer: not pictured Hannah Burby, Spencer Charczuk, Megan Weller, and Kate Markiewicz).

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - Alliance for Water Stewardship Partnership

  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (WI)

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has partnered with the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) to develop the first curricular program in the nation dedicated to training students in professional water stewardship planning …

Urban and Metropolitan Universities: The Transformative Power of Anchor Institutions

  • Democracy Collaborative (DC)

'Urban and Metropolitan Universities: The Transformative Power of Anchor Institutions' focuses on the role of urban and metropolitan universities as anchor institutions in their community to address long standing inequities. …

  • Posted Oct. 23, 2020
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Book Cover

Toward Sustainable Communities: Solutions for Citizens and Their Governments, 4th edition

  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • Simon Fraser University (BC)

The need to make our communities sustainable is more urgent than ever before. Toward Sustainable Communities remains the single most useful resource for creating vibrant, healthy, equitable, economically viable places. …

  • Posted Oct. 23, 2020
  • Publications
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UCLA Students wearing licensed products 3 of 3

UCLA Licensed Products images for Sustainable Campus Index

  • University of California, Los Angeles (CA)

Students on UCLA's campus wearing officially licensed products

Humber College Kenya Education for Employment Program

Humber College - Kenya Education for Employment Program (KEFEP)

  • Humber College (ON)

Humber is the lead of the Kenya Education for Employment Program (KEFEP)-02 consortium working to harness the capacity of three Kenyan National Polytechnics to develop industry-responsive skills training programs and …

Humber College Forest Nature Program - Watching for painted turtles

Humber College - Forest Nature Program

  • Humber College (ON)

The Forest and Nature Program (FNP) is a unique play and learning experience that offers children the opportunity to succeed and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in …

Clean Energy Corps student presents findings

UMass Amherst Clean Energy Corps

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)

Clean Energy Extension students review and photograph architectural plans for an elementary school they are assessing, as well as present their findings.

An IUPUI employee uses a compost bin

IUPUI and Butler Collaborate to Launch Commercial Food Compost Program in Indianapolis

  • Indiana University Indianapolis (IN)

IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) has an ongoing partnership with Butler University to employ a large waste hauler for food waste compost collection. Both universities leveraged their respective networks to …

An IUPUI student volunteers during the IUPUI Day of Caring

IUPUI Day of Caring

  • Indiana University Indianapolis (IN)

IUPUI partners with the United Way to host a Day of Caring to support local social organizations across Indianapolis. This year, the IUPUI community volunteered with Growing Places Indy, a …

Bike to Work Day May, 10, 2018. For SCI 2020 Submission.

Santa Clara University Bike to Work Day

  • Santa Clara University (CA)

SCU faculty and staff have participated in Silicon Valley's Bike to Work Day since 2015! In partnership with Human Resources, and Parking & Transportation, the Center for Sustainability hosts these …

Glean Team in front of Swig Hall. For SCI 2020 Submission.

Santa Clara University - Gathering Fruit with the Glean Team

  • Santa Clara University (CA)

SCU's Glean Team is a volunteer-based group that gathers fruit from the hundreds of fruit-bearing trees on campus and surrounding area. Harvested fruit is donated to on-campus food pantries and …

UAB Solar House and Sustainable Neighborhood

University of Alabama at Birmingham Solar Community and Microgrid

  • University of Alabama at Birmingham (AL)

In 2019, the University of Alabama at Birmingham opened its Solar House and Sustainable Neighborhood, featuring the Urban Multisource Microgrid and the the UAB Surviv(AL) house, built for the 2017 …

Humber College Interactive Art installation assemblage led by Toronto-based environmental artist Anya Mielniczek

Humber College - Anthropocene Art Installation

  • Humber College (ON)

Sustainability and art collide at Humber's North Campus

Humberthropocene (a play on the term "Anthropocene") is a mural assemblage led by Toronto-based environmental artist Anya Mielniczek and co-created by Humber …

Cornell University in Ithaca, NY is a public land-grant institution taking bold leadership action to ensure a climate-resilient and sustainable future for our campus, New York State, and the world.

Cornell University Campus

  • Cornell University (NY)

Cornell University in Ithaca, NY is a public land-grant institution taking bold leadership action to ensure a climate-resilient and sustainable future for our campus, New York State, and the world. …

The Impact Clinic - Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University - The Impact Clinic

  • Appalachian State University (NC)

The Impact Clinic - The Impact Clinic at Appalachian State University is an applied learning initiative that partners teams of faculty and students with local business representatives to evaluate the …

Equity, Justice, & Sustainability

  • Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)

This tool helps students understand how social context can influence the success or failure of projects; as a result, students will learn to design their own projects, both local and …

When Kids Fight for Environmental Justice, Words Have Power

  • Antioch University, New England (NH)
  • Association for Environmental Studies and Sciences (MD)

“Why aren’t all kids taught civics in schools?” Jaysa Hunter-Mellers asks. There has never been a more critical time in our history for young people, especially those from marginalized communities, …

  • Posted Oct. 8, 2020
  • Videos & Webinars
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Just Sustainability - Julian Agyeman Keynote from AASHE 2010 Conference

  • AASHE (MA)

Julian Agyeman Keynote from AASHE 2010 Conference.

  • Posted Oct. 8, 2020
  • Videos & Webinars
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Polytechnique Montreal - PolyCarbone climate activist group

  • Polytechnique Montréal (QC)

The PolyCarbone program was founded by a group of Engineering graduate students at Polytechnique Montreal. Since 2017, PolyCarbone has helped the Polytechnique Montreal community fight climate change by organizing a …

  • Posted Sept. 29, 2020
  • Photographs
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University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Cooperatives

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)

The University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives seeks to increase understanding and encourage critical thinking about cooperatives by fostering scholarship and mutual learning among academics, the cooperative community, policy makers …

  • Posted Sept. 22, 2020
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives

  • University of Saskatchewan (SK)
  • University of Regina (SK)

The Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (CCSC) is an interdisciplinary research and teaching centre located on the University of Saskatchewan campus. Established in 1984, the CCSC is supported …

  • Posted Sept. 22, 2020
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives

  • North Dakota State University (ND)

The idea of an NDSU center to benefit members of North Dakota cooperatives originated within the cooperatives themselves, and in October 1988, the Joint Cooperative Education Committee endorsed the concept. …

  • Posted Sept. 22, 2020
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Centre for Co-operative Studies

  • University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork (Co. Cork)

The mission of the Centre for Co-operative Studies is to promote, through its research, consultancy and educational activities, the continued growth of the co-operative movement, as an effective, locally-owned and …

  • Posted Sept. 22, 2020
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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Arthur Capper Cooperative Center

  • Kansas State University (KS)

The Arthur Capper Cooperative Center (ACCC) in the K-State Department of Agricultural Economics was established on June 11, 1984 by an agreement between Kansas State University and the Kansas Cooperative …

  • Posted Sept. 22, 2020
  • Research Centers & Institutes
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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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