Publications

Introduction

AASHE’s publications library is the leading repository of reports, journal articles, books, and student research on sustainability in higher education. Certain publication types are entered in the annual AASHE Awards Program.

At a Glance

4200
Total Resources
2016
Organizations
101
Countries
58
U.S. States & Territories
12
Canadian Provinces

Bars in graphs can be clicked to view resources that align with a particular category. Because a resource may be listed under multiple topics and disciplines, graph data may include higher total counts than what is indicated in total resources above.

4200 resources

Greening on-campus housing: blending commercial and higher education contexts

  • Virginia Tech (VA)

With the United States higher education sector representing over five billion square feet and expending over six billion dollars annually on energy costs, the higher education institution has an opportunity …


A framework for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in university programmes

  • University of Malta (Northern Harbor District)
  • University of Coimbra
  • Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
  • University of Passo Fundo
  • University of Aveiro
  • Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Universidade federal de Santa Maria
  • University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz
  • University of Belgrade
  • University of Milano-Bicocca
  • University of Wroclaw/Uniwersytet Wrocławski (Wrocław)
  • Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador
  • Universidade Positivo

There is a perceived need to develop approaches, methods and tools that may help higher education institutions to systematically introduce the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into research and teaching as …


Carbon footprint in Higher Education Institutions: a literature review and prospects for future research

  • Universitat Jaume I (Castelló)

Higher Education Institutions (HEI) or universities, as organisations engaged in education, research and community services, play an important role in promoting sustainable development. Therefore, they are increasingly linked to the …


University gardens for sustainable citizenship: assessing the impacts of garden-based learning on environmental and food education at Spanish higher education

  • Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador
  • University of Valladolid

Gardens are being used at all educational stages, because they provide with a real-world context for active and experiential learning. In Spain, there exists a movement in favor of their …


Black and Indigenous Theoretical Considerations for Higher Education Sustainability

  • Arizona State University (AZ)

In this conceptual paper, the authors make the case for why and how researchers can incorporate Black and Indigenous standpoints in higher education scholarship. We begin by drawing parallels between …


Sustainable Development Goals and Education: A Bibliometric Mapping Analysis

  • Universidad Pablo de Olavide
  • UNICEF (NY)

The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda sets out 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at improving life in all its dimensions, covering all sectors, with a particular emphasis on education. The …


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 …


“We Can’t Wait Anymore”: Young Professionals Engaging in Education for Sustainability

  • University of Memphis (TN)

Sustainability-minded young professionals are needed to facilitate movement toward a sustainable planet. Their development has largely been left to Higher Education Institutions charged with equipping future generations of professionals to …


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 …


Higher Education and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)—Potential Contribution of the Undergraduate Courses of the School of Social Sciences of the University of Évora

  • University of Évora

In this work we analyzed the mapping of Sustainable Development Goals in the curricular units of the undergraduate courses of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Évora. …


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, …


Preparedness of higher education institutions for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4: the case of Nepalese universities

  • Tribhuvan University of Nepal

The purpose of this paper is to assess the quality of education, research, and governance of Nepalese higher education institutions (HEIs) as a supplement to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 …


Innovation for environmental sustainability: longitudinal effects of an education for sustainable development intervention on university students’ pro-environmentalism

  • University of Zaragoza

Although education for sustainable development (ESD) is a key tool in the transition to a more sustainable society, its integration in higher education remains scarce. One reason for this is …


Evaluating and improving the contributions of university research to social innovation

  • Royal Roads University (BC)

The purpose of this study is to assess the contributions of graduate research to social innovation and change for learning and improved transdisciplinary practice. Universities, as centers of teaching and …


Understanding students' intention and actual eco-friendly behavior: A qualitative research in University

  • National Penghu University of Science and Technology

Universities can be considered a community because of their large population, large size and participation in many activities on campus. The behavior of these individuals has a direct or indirect …


Exploring the utilisation of theoretical basis in existing campus sustainability appraisal tools

  • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

A theoretical perspective is a key in the categorisation, structuring, interpretation of methodological research findings, and explanation of campus sustainability studies. A comprehensive review of existing campus sustainability appraisal tools …


Environmental Attitudes Among Undergraduate Students at a South African University

  • North-West University (North West)

Understanding environmental attitudes (EAs) has been viewed as prerequisite to changing environmental behaviour and is a particularly salient topic in the context of higher educational institutions which play an important …


Growing action research on environmental learning in schools: a school-university partnership

  • University of Toronto (ON)

A team of teacher-researchers in a large urban school board is working in partnership with researchers from a leading Canadian university to use action research to broaden and deepen environmental …


A Positive Impact Rating for Business Schools: Case Study

  • University of St. Gallen
  • The Institute for Business Sustainability
  • LUISS Guido Carli

Business school rankings have been criticized, to blindly “follow the money” with their strong focus on salaries and economic performance, thereby reflecting the values and expectations of the times the …


Major shift or business as usual? An investigation on the impacts of responsible management education

  • University of Shanghai for Science and Technology

Various curricula and educational materials for responsible management education (RME) have been developed by business schools from different parts of the world for sustainable development. There is, however, limited research …


Do University Students’ Security Perceptions Influence Their Walking Preferences and Their Walking Activity? A Case Study of Granada (Spain)

  • Universidad de Granada

A sustainable city must be a safe place for its inhabitants when walking, with the absence of fear of crime being one of its main attributes. Although perceived insecurity is …


University students involved in a sustainable world: assessing sustainable consumption in Spain

  • Universidad de Salamanca

To achieve sustainable development to protect the environment and society, an increasing number of scholars have conducted in-depth research on sustainable and responsible consumption behaviors. The outputs demonstrate that consumers …


Can student managed investment funds (SMIFs) narrow the environmental, social and governance (ESG) skills gap?

  • Queen's University
  • Memorial University of Newfoundland (NL)

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it endeavors to document the current state of environmental, social and governance (ESG) pedagogy within undergraduate finance courses of business schools, and …


Reducing the environmental impact of food service in universities using life cycle assessment

  • Eckerd College (FL)

This study aims to use life cycle assessment to determine the environmental impact of food purchases at a small, liberal arts college. The authors also use the results to develop …


Addressing plate waste and consumption practice at university canteens: realizing green university through citizen-consumers

  • Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University

This study aims to explore ways to minimize plate waste at university canteens by studying plate waste and consumers at three main canteens of a university, Thailand.


The usual discourse of sustainable development and its impact on students of economics: a case from Czech higher education context

  • University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice

In recent decades, the concepts of sustainable development (SD) and sustainability have become a part of the everyday information flow. Is there real impact on students who have potential to …


Exploring sustainable student travel behaviour in The Netherlands: balancing online and on-campus learning

  • Avans University of Applied Sciences
  • Technische Universiteit Delft
  • Wageningen University

Daily commuting trips of higher education (HE) students account for a large proportion of the carbon footprint of a HE institution. Considerations of students underlying their choice of travel mode …


Transforming science and society? Methodological lessons from and for transformation research

  • Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg
  • Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • Ecologic Institute
  • Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER)

Transformation research has in the past years emerged as a shared lens to study and support radical societal change towards sustainability. Given the nascent and exploratory—yet highly normative and ambitious—character …


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 …


Integrating Sustainable Development Goals in educational institutions

  • Universitat Jaume I (Castelló)

This research contributes to the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Education, a growing area of research, by means of a systematic review of the literature on …


Social Media for Engaging and Educating: From Universities’ Sustainability Reporting to Dialogic Communication

  • Università degli Studi ""Gabriele d'Annunzio""

Traditionally, universities are committed to the missions of conducting research and teaching. Recently, they were also called to contribute to supporting sustainable development in society. Many universities worldwide have experienced …


A literature review on the strategies implemented by higher education institutions from 2010 to 2020 to foster pro-environmental behavior of students

  • Università degli Studi di Udine

Changing the present behavior of individuals toward a more sustainable lifestyle is a complex task requiring a well-established strategy and institutional commitment. The purpose of this paper is to understand …


Promoting Sustainability Through Multimodal Storytelling

  • Åbo Akademi University (Varsinais-Suomi)
  • University of Helsinki

In recent years, sustainability has been increasingly recognized within the early childhoodeducation and care (ECEC) context. Early childhood educatorsí capacities to designmeaningful learning opportunities for young children have been underlined. …


Assessment of the Ecological Footprint of Eskisehir Technical University–Iki Eylul Campus

  • Eskişehir Technical University
  • Kastamonu Universitesi

Sustainable development is a concept that has started gaining importance in recent years. It helps reduce the environmental impacts of cities with dense human populations. On a smaller scale, social …


An Integrated Methodology of Subjective Investigation for a Sustainable Indoor Built Environment. The Case Study of a University Campus in Italy

  • University of Salerno
  • Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II

Indoor built environments’ design and management require a holistic approach inspired by ergonomic principles and sustainability criteria. This is especially in case of renovation of existing buildings where any kind …


A data driven approach to curriculum development for responsible management education

  • Delhi Technological University

Education evolves with the changes in technological innovations. This paper aims to explore a model for curriculum development at higher education level. A curriculum which evolves dynamically taking inputs from …


Lean practices toward a balanced sustainability in higher education institutions: A Brazilian experience

  • Universidade federal de Santa Maria
  • Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
  • Centro Universitário UniFBV

As few studies have explored the causal relationship between both the triple bottom line (TBL) of sustainability and the lean practices in higher education institutions (HEIs), the purpose of this …


Cooling supply costs of a university campus

  • Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
  • EIFER - European Institute for Energy Research

Global climate change and growing research activities lead to increasing cooling demands and related supply costs at universities, while at the same time ambitious goals towards carbon neutral campuses are …


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 …


Fostering Sustainability through Mobility Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes

  • Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Madrid)

International mobility programmes embed higher education (HE) students in a learning process in which they gain key knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs), some of them crucial in pursuing the Sustainable …


Cultivating a Collaborative Culture for Ensuring Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education: An Integrative Case Study

  • Sustainability Task Force (IA)
  • Wingate University (NC)

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are not insulated from the challenges facing the planet and have been tasked as key stakeholders in sustainable development (SD). The preliminary data presented in this …


Pedagogy for sustainable tourism: reflections on the curriculum space of a master programme in Sweden

  • Dalarna University

Tourism education has matured from vocational to more liberal education while current trends underline the importance of critical studies and the shift of curricula to more action-oriented forms of education …


Action research for education for sustainable development: the case of the university in-service course ‘education for sustainable development – innovations in school and teacher education (BINE)’

  • University of Klagenfurt
  • University of Education Upper Austria

The goal of the university professional development course BINE is to encourage participants to address education for sustainable development (ESD) in a reflective way. The main aims are for the …


A study of the Web visibility of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda on university websites

  • University of Barcelona
  • Pompeu Fabra University

Universities play an important role in the promotion and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This study aims to examine the visibility of information about the Sustainable Development …


UCLA Sustainability Plan

  • University of California, Los Angeles (CA)

A comprehensive sustainability plan for the campus that bridges academics, operations, and community engagement. The plan highlights the intersections of planetary and human health, and begins the work to ensure …


Exploring the nature and culture of science as an academic discipline: implications for the integration of education for sustainable development

  • University of Limerick

Purpose Goal 4.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) explicitly frames education as an enabler of change and a means to achieve all SDGs. This study aims to explore the …

  • Posted April 29, 2022
  • Publications
  • View more

Exploring Factors Promoting Recycling Behavior in Student Housing

  • Lund University
  • KTH Royal Institute of Technology

As climate-related issues are important and concern all aspects of the built environment, there is a need to better understand the motives underlying household recycling behavior. The purpose of the …

  • Posted April 29, 2022
  • Publications
  • View more

Transforming Barriers into Opportunities: Teaching Environment and Sustainability Service-Learning Courses During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic

  • Central Connecticut State University (CT)
  • University of Maine at Farmington (ME)

In response to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions of higher learning locked down their campuses and altered their ways of teaching. This article discusses changes made to …

  • Posted April 29, 2022
  • Publications
  • View more

Decarbonising Universities: Case Study of the University of Exeter’s Green Strategy Plans Based on Analysing Its Energy Demand in 2012–2020

  • University of Exeter (Devon)

This study investigates the carbon footprint of the University of Exeter by analysing its energy consumption between 2012 and 2020 to assess its current standing in the process of achieving …

  • Posted April 29, 2022
  • Publications
  • View more

Global warming in the minds of Mexican higher education students: an exploratory study

  • Purchase College - State University of New York (NY)
  • Universidad de Sonora (Sonora)

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 is at the core of many sustainability initiatives on Mexican higher education institutions (HEIs). Yet, progress to SDG 13 and the entire 2030 Agenda …

  • Posted April 29, 2022
  • Publications
  • View more