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
Total Resources
Organizations
Countries
U.S. States & Territories
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.
New Resources
Community relationships and sustainable university food procurement
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
Many universities are working toward more sustainable campus dining food systems. Third-party standards that offer definitions of sustainable food and outline procurement goals are one tool universities can use to …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Incorporating collaborative learning in teacher education to foster self-efficacy to implement environmental citizenship: an action research
- Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and the Arts (Tel Aviv District)
Purpose: Engaging students in environmental citizenship to promote education for sustainability (EfS) as an explicit goal of academic courses is not common, notwithstanding wide consensus on its importance. Collaborative learning …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Understanding urban sustainability from Mode 2 Science and transdisciplinary education: how Master Thesis Ateliers of the Ghent Stadsacademie tackle wicked issues
- Ghent University
The wicked sustainability problems that we are increasingly facing not only require new ways of knowledge production, but also challenge our traditional educational system. More and more importance is attached …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Examining undergraduate students’ systems thinking competency through a problem scenario in the context of climate change education
- National Sun Yat-sen University
Higher education plays an important role in preparing future citizens and leaders with the capacity to address systemic issues behind complex problems such as climate change. There have however been …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Learning regenerative cultures: Indigenous nations in higher education renewal in Australia
- Edith Cowan University
- Deakin University
- The University of Notre Dame Australia (WA)
What is regenerative learning in Australian higher education? This paper addresses the intersecting crises of climate, species loss and injustice; often called a conceptual emergency. We tackle the problem of …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Backcasting for sustainability – An approach to education for sustainable development in management
- HEC Montréal (QC)
“Utopia dynamizes action,” said Mathieu Régnier, curator of the MTL + exhibition at the Biosphere, Environment Museum in Montreal, to students of a sustainable development and management graduate course. The …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Understanding sustainability as a cyclical process: insights from social innovation and the adaptive cycle
- University of Portland (OR)
Purpose: This paper aims to understand why higher education institutions (HEIs) struggle to become sustainable institutions themselves despite providing relevant teaching and research on sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: Using 17 open-ended, semistructured …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Life purposes: Comparing higher education students in four institutions in the Netherlands and Finland
- Tampere University of Applied Sciences
- Hanze University of Applied Sciences
- Universiteit voor Humanistiek
Universities worldwide are beginning to counter the prevailing neo-liberal ideology by paying renewed attention to the moral development of students and fostering their life purposes. This mixed methods study investigates …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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A Cross-Cultural Genre Analysis of Leadership Statements in Italian and American University Sustainability Reports
- Beijing Foreign Studies University
Background: Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important issue in higher education (HE). Leadership statements in university sustainability reports (LSUSR) represent a unique genre for university leaders to communicate sustainability. This …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Using normative case studies to examine ethical dilemmas for educators in an ecological crisis
- The University of Newcastle (NSW)
Environmental and sustainability initiatives seek to respond to the challenges of ecological crises and ongoing environmental degradation by supporting students to develop knowledge and dispositions to respond to the challenges …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Social sustainability reporting in European business schools
- Universitat Ramon Llull
Purpose: This study aims to explore the social sustainability reporting (SR) of top European business schools to illustrate and discuss their practices and the associated challenges. Design/methodology/approach: For the top …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Gamification to Improve Participation in an Environmental Science Course: An Educator’s Reflection
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Reticence prevalent among East Asian students has prompted educators to attempt different methods to engage them. Gamification of courses has gained popularity as an avenue to encourage students’ participation, and …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Education for Sustainability: Understanding Processes of Change across Individual, Collective, and System Levels
- Lund University
- Karolinska Institutet
Researchers and practitioners increasingly emphasise the need to complement dominant external, technological approaches with an internal focus to support transformation toward sustainability. However, knowledge on how this internal human dimension …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Critical Analysis of the GreenMetric World University Ranking System: The Issue of Comparability
- University of Trento (Trentino)
- Università degli Studi dell'Insubria
The Universitas Indonesia GreenMetric World Ranking is the most widely adopted system nowadays to rank worldwide universities’ sustainability. The number of participating universities has consistently increased throughout the last decade. …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Where is Nature? Where is Nature in Nature and Outdoor Learning in Higher Education? An Analysis of Nature-Based Learning in Higher Education Using Multispecies Ethnography
- Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
The multiple crises of the 21st century once again highlight the significant role of sustain-able education in all educational institutions. Particularly in higher education, the inclu-sion of nature and animals …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Which “sustainable university” are we actually talking about? A topic modelling-assisted discourse analysis of academic literature
- Uppsala University
The remarkably growing body of academic literature on the university in relation to sustainability pivots around the idea that the university has an important role to play regarding this issue. …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Teaching, learning and assessment methods for sustainability education on the land–sea interface
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
The Land–Sea Interface (LSI) is where land and sea meet, not only in physical terms, but also with regards to a large variety of ecological and societal aspects. The United …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Teaching action-oriented knowledge on sustainability issues
- Uppsala University
- Ghent University
Knowledge about sustainability problems as it is typically taught does not per se lead to action for tackling these problems. Environmental and sustainability education researchers have argued for teaching more …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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The evolving engineer; professional accreditation sustainability criteria and societal imperatives and norms
- University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork (Co. Cork)
Professional accreditation criteria around sustainability are an important consideration in the delivery of accredited (chemical) engineering programmes. This paper looks at the sustainability related criteria required by a number of …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Unmasking the Action-Oriented ESD Approach to Acting Environmentally Friendly
- Monash University (VIC)
- Huaibei Normal University
Since the United Nations’ declaration on education for sustainable development (ESD), countries and universities across the globe aim to enhance sustainability consciousness, knowingness, attitude, and behavior among learners. However, there …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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What's to Eat and Drink on Campus? Public and Planetary Health, Public Higher Education, and the Public Good.
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
Public higher education institutions (PHEIs) have a unique and important role in responding to the public and planetary health crisis—they are centers of research on public and planetary health and …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Justice in climate change education: a systematic review
- Colorado State University (CO)
- University of Cincinnati (OH)
Growing recognition of the multi-faceted injustices of climate change has resulted in shifting public and policy discourse around how to understand and address climate change, yet justice considerations are rarely …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Valuation of student-led agricultural activities at university: comparison of willingness to pay with inferred values
- Ritsumeikan University
Agricultural fields in university campuses can improve urban nutrition security, increase greenery, and provide opportunities for students to grow crops and enhance self-management skills. We conducted student surveys among freshmen …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Climate justice in higher education: a proposed paradigm shift towards a transformative role for colleges and universities
- Northeastern University (MA)
Moving beyond technocratic approaches to climate action, climate justice articulates a paradigm shift in how organizations think about their response to the climate crisis. This paper makes a conceptual contribution …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Intrapersonal capacities for sustainability: a change agent perspective on the ‘inner dimension’ of sustainability work
- Blekinge Institute of Technology
An ongoing discussion in education for sustainable development (ESD) research has focused on defining a list of agreed upon sustainability competencies required for the work of sustainability change agents. This …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Freire’s hope in radically changing times: a dialogue for curriculum integration from science education to face the climate crisis
- Universidad de Chile (Region Metropolitana)
- Escuela Básica Playas Negras in Coronel
This article advances a dialogue for understanding curriculum integration as a form of radical pedagogy, starting from science education in times of climate crisis. The paper weaves Paulo Freire’s work …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Student Development in Higher Education in the Era of the Agenda 2030 and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: Towards SDGs 2.0
- Université du Luxembourg (Luxembourg)
- Universities South Africa
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Higher Education Conference in Barcelona was an occasion for the authors of this article to reflect on the UN Sustainable Development …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Active methodologies and curricular sustainability in teacher training
- University of Jaén
- Universidad de Granada
Purpose: Changes in society, the economy and health require a response from higher education regarding the training of professionals, specifically, future teachers. In this sense, active methodologies constitute, in line …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Low carbon futures: assessing the status of decarbonisation efforts at universities within a 2050 perspective
- Nottingham Trent University
- University of Coimbra
- Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
- Open University of the Netherlands
- Universidade Fernando Pessoa
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba
Background: The implementation of sustainability at universities means that they can also play a key role in the transition to a low carbon economy, and in assisting global efforts towards …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Is IoT monitoring key to improve building energy efficiency? Case study of a smart campus in Spain
- University of Zaragoza
This work validates and demonstrates the potential of a methodology based on a continuous monitoring system with real time measurements, as a key support to make decisions on buildings energy …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Decolonising the design curriculum: making “sustainability” accessible, understandable and practicable to second-year undergraduate architecture students
- University of Queensland (QLD)
Purpose: This paper describes the curriculum design of an architectural studio course aimed at making concepts of sustainability accessible, understandable and practicable to second-year undergraduate students. Architectural education and design …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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The sustainable development goals in a Bachelor of Design course; current integration and benefits, constraints and opportunities for deeper integration
- University of Melbourne (Victoria)
Purpose: Universities’ unique position within society means they have an important role to contribute to sustainability and to help achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs), which are one of the …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Reducing air travel emissions in academia: an exploration of universities’ manoeuvring room
- University of Graz
Purpose: This paper aims to explore the manoeuvring room of higher education institutions to take action to reduce emissions from academic flying. In particular, this study investigates how university staff …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Campus sustainability plans: past, present and future
- Texas State University, San Marcos (TX)
Purpose: This study aims to describe the different elements included in campus sustainability plans (CSPs) in colleges and universities across the USA.
Design/methodology/approach: It examines the contents and specific areas …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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An assessment of attitudes and perceptions of international university students on climate change
- University of Malta (Northern Harbor District)
- Bournemouth University (Dorset)
- Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
- University of Beira Interior
- Liverpool John Moores University
- Addis Ababa University
Universities have an unrivaled potential to educate students on climate change issues and to actively engage them in climate affairs, both as citizens and influencers of future professions. Despite this …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Ensuring sustainability in internationalisation efforts at higher education institutions
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS
- University of Nottingham
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- National University of Sciences and Technology (Federal)
- Università di Bologna
- Universidade Fernando Pessoa
Purpose: Higher education institutions (HEIs) around the world are engaged in internationalisation efforts. Yet internationalisation per se is associated with significant pressures on the environment and environmental resources, which need …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Addressing the Challenges of Preparing Teachers to Teach about the Climate Crisis
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Teachers often lack adequate teacher preparation in knowledge and practices for engaging their students to address the climate crisis, suggesting the need for an increased focus on climate change in …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Universities confronting climate change: beyond sustainable development and solutionism
- University of British Columbia (BC)
This article reflects on recent calls for universities to deepen their commitments to sustainability in the face of climate change. It suggests that because climate change is a “wicked problem” …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Changing the world one engineer at a time – unmaking the traditional engineering education when introducing sustainability subjects
- Linkoping University
Purpose: The information technology (IT) sector has been seen as central to society's transformation to a more just and sustainable society, which underlines teachers’ responsibility to foster engineers who can …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Preliminary Investigation of Sustainability Awareness and Activities among Academic Libraries in the United States
- University of Southern California (CA)
This paper explores sustainability, sustainability awareness, and how it is measured in academic libraries in the United States, and considers how assessment tools or key performance indicators (KPIs) could enhance …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Systems thinking for systems leadership: promoting competency development for graduate students in sustainability studies
- Virginia Tech (VA)
Purpose: This paper aims to offer a case study for teaching specific systems thinking competencies that promote leadership for systems change. It uses leadership as a novel way to identify …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Analyzing Green Behavior and the Rational Use of Water in Portuguese Higher Education Campuses
- Universidade NOVA de Lisboa
- Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro
- Instituto Politécnico de Tomar
- Politécnico de Lisboa
- Instituto Politécnico de Beja
In the forthcoming years Portugal expects to be an increasingly hot and dry country dealing with the risk of water scarcity. According to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Undisciplining Environmental Communication Pedagogy: Toward Environmental and Epistemic Justice in the Interdisciplinary Sustainability Classroom
- Allegheny College (PA)
This article moves beyond an understanding of environmental communication as merely the “translation” of scientific knowledge for the general public and advocates for environmental science and sustainability (ESS) educators to …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Creating Cultures of Health in the Academy: Bringing Together Top-Down and Ground-Up Approaches
- University of California, Riverside (CA)
- University of Southern California (CA)
This article reports on a 3-year longitudinal study focused on the impact of cross-sector, collective impact approaches to creating cultures of campus health. The study sought to understand the integration …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Six critical questions for teaching justice-based environmental sustainability (JBES) in higher education
- Beijing Normal University
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe
In this short article, we pose six key questions that we argue as essential to critically problem-pose in achieving teaching for justice-based environmental sustainability (JBES) in higher education (HE). We …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Eco-critical language awareness for English language teaching (ELT): Promoting justice, wellbeing, and sustainability in the classroom
- University of Alabama (AL)
Critical Language Awareness (CLA) seeks to promote social justice by explicitly calling attention to power issues in the context of literacy development and language instruction. In this article, we assert …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Higher education in turbulent times: navigating the transition from un-sustainability in a world dominated by technology
- Atlantic Technological University (Co. Galway)
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the implications for higher education of a rapidly changing global context, where technologies play a role in the propagation of …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Integrating sustainability themes for enhancing interdisciplinarity: a case study of a comprehensive research university in Japan
- Tohoku University
Interdisciplinary education and education for sustainable development provide a complementary approach to enhancing learners’ interdisciplinary and sustainability competencies. An interdisciplinary approach is considered a crucial method for enhancing university students’ …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Light Green – A Case Study of Sustainability Decoupling in Hospitality Education
- Kennesaw State University (GA)
Despite an increased commitment to sustainability, some argue that the hospitality industry and its supporting academic field remain “light green” as actual sustainability initiatives are shallow and decoupled from stated …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Research on sustainability leadership in higher education: a scoping review
- Mahidol University (Bangkok)
Purpose: Despite the centrality of leadership to the successful transformation of universities toward sustainability, the literature on the role and practices of sustainability leadership in higher education remains poorly developed. …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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