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
Building sustainable smart cities on the hopes of tech-savvy students
- University of Central Florida (FL)
- Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
Abstract This paper outlines a comprehensive idea to transform urban areas into smart learning cities, leveraging innovative technologies to enhance education, innovation, and lifelong learning for all. Our research, based …
- Posted Sept. 9, 2025
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New Insights on Student Attitudes towards Sustainability in College Life
- None
Veritrove surveyed 200 respondents, ages 16-24, from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and Maryland on sustainability, and college life. A key finding from the survey is that 30% of …
- Posted Sept. 8, 2025
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Beyond the Right Thing to Do: The Value of Sustainability in Higher Education (2nd Edition)
- AASHE (MA)
This document aims to help higher education sustainability practitioners more powerfully articulate the value of sustainability to higher education leaders as well as the general public. As different points will …
- Posted Aug. 26, 2025
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Actions and Hopes of the Sustainability-Focused Student
- College Pulse (CA)
A Student Voice survey of of 2,164 undergraduates from 114 colleges conducted by Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse in fall 2022 found that:
- Forty-five percent of respondents considered environmental …
- Posted Aug. 18, 2025
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Electricity saving behavior in student dorms: What message framing works?
- Prince of Songkla University (Songkhla)
Electricity consumption contributes largely to climate change. Inefficiently overused amounts of electricity can be reduced through low-cost feedback and nudges. We chose to frame different messages to alter the electricity …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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The Sustainability Literacy of Students: A Comparative Study between Turkey and the UK
- Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University
In recent years, the sustainability literacy has become crucial for building more sustainable future. In this regard, a shift toward sustainability requires literate society on sustainability issues at global scale. …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Students’ awareness, expectations, and perceptions about sustainability: A case study in an ordinary university in China
- Zhejiang University
- East China University of Political Science and Law
Students’ concern for sustainability is an important force in promoting green university initiatives. Although most of China’s college students attend ordinary universities, the extant literature regarding China’s green universities is …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Assessing University Students’ Beliefs and Attitudes towards Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review
- Universita degli Studi di Padova
(1) Background: contents and strategies related to sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are being introduced in academic curricula, and the organization of the university environment is evolving to adopt …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Green university initiatives and undergraduates’ reuse intention for environmental sustainability: The moderating role of environmental values
- City University of Bangladesh
Environmental sustainability is an important issue today. It is harmful to the environment to use single-use cups. Therefore, the research aims to investigate undergraduates' reuse intentions about using reusable drinkware …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Students of colour views on racial equity in environmental sustainability
- Dartmouth College (NH)
- DePaul University (IL)
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
Racial and ethnic diversity in environmental sustainability advances social equity and innovation, solving social-ecological crises. Yet, Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) remain underrepresented in sustainability fields despite high …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Green campus and student proactivity initiatives: the importance of a participatory approach
- Polytechnic Institute of Leiria
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa
Purpose: This study aims to examine the mediating role of students’ knowledge of sustainable development (SD) in the relationship between green campus initiatives by higher education institutions (HEIs) and student …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Using Social Media Data to Research the Impact of Campus Green Spaces on Students’ Emotions: A Case Study of Nanjing Campuses
- Nanjing Forestry University
Campus green space, as a component of urban green space and the main natural place for college students’ daily contact, has a subliminal effect on their mental health. This study …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Online, Experiential Sustainability Education Can Improve Students’ Self-Reported Environmental Attitudes, Behaviours and Wellbeing
- University of Tasmania (TAS)
Educating for sustainability is a critical step in moving towards a more sustainable future for humanity. As higher education moves into the online space, education for sustainability can reach larger …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Developing and validating a scale to measure tertiary students’ sustainability competence in extracurricular settings in Asia
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Hong Kong Baptist University
- The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
This study aims to develop and validate a comprehensive scale for assessing students’ sustainability competence in education for sustainable development (ESD). Existing ESD assessment tools have faced criticism for lacking …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Exploring influences shaping university students’ attitudes toward green buildings
- Louisiana State University (LA)
Purpose: This study aims to investigate university students’ awareness of green residences and the factors influencing their willingness to pay for living in such accommodations. Design/methodology/approach: This mixed-methods research involved …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Exploring the moderating role of university environmental performance in shaping students’ environmental awareness and behaviors
- Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi
- Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating role of university environmental performance in the relationship between students’ environmental awareness and behavior, with a particular focus on …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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College Pulse Sustainable Campuses Survey 2023
- College Pulse (CA)
This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted in English among a sample of 2164 undergraduate students who are currently enrolled in the U.S. The sample …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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The climate for change: How university sustainability is impacting student decision-making
- QS Quacquarelli Symonds
What matters to students continues to evolve as the world around them changes. Through QS data and analytics – including the International Student Survey which collates the perspectives and motivations …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Student Perspectives on Sustainability at Iowa State University
- Iowa State University (IA)
This research report employed focus groups and a student body survey to understand Iowa State University (ISU) students' perspectives on how well the curriculum and extracurricular activities are preparing them …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2025
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Co-Creating the UN's Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education: A Value Creation Inclusive Learning
- Woxsen University
Abstract The United Nations initiative to "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all" aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals by advocating for a transformative …
- Posted Sept. 10, 2024
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KAUST SDG Highlight Report 2023
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Makkah)
KAUST proudly presents its latest SDG Highlight Report, offering a snapshot of the institution's targeted efforts and successes over 2023 in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Posted May 6, 2024
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A Comparison of Single-Use and Reusable Drinkware A Life Cycle Assessment
- Michigan Technological University (MI)
Sponsored by Sussex Injection Molding from Sussex, WI, the OneTumbler Sustainability team in the Consumer Product Manufacturing Enterprise aims to encourage sustainability on Michigan Technological University’s campus through promoting a …
- Posted April 16, 2024
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Fostering Sustainability in Higher Education Leveraging Human Behavior in Organizations Home Book
- Macalester College (MN)
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (IL)
- University of St. Thomas (MN)
Sustainability is one of the most critical challenges facing humanity. Changing Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is crucial to overcoming that challenge because of their roles providing cutting edge knowledge and …
- Posted Feb. 28, 2024
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Greening the Bottom Line: Advancing Institutional Sustainability Goals With Green Revolving Funds
- Sustainable Endowments Institute (MA)
Greening the Bottom Line: Advancing Institutional Sustainability Goals with Green Revolving Funds tracks the latest trends and highlights best practices to enable more institutions and communities to learn about and …
- Posted Aug. 17, 2023
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Reducing students’ ecological footprints through self-developed interventions
- Nelson Mandela University (Eastern Cape)
- University of Pretoria
An increasing emphasis on taking personal responsibility for making changes to address climate change and support sustainable development is hindered by the limited tools and guidance available that enable the …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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At the moment of disposal: how messaging techniques at university public outdoor waste receptacles can improve the solid waste stream
- University of Florida (FL)
Purpose: This study aims to test how waste disposal behaviors can be changed such as higher recycling diversion and lower contamination rates using signage and messaging techniques at public outdoor …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Bottom-up approach: the participation of Fridays For Future in the climate emergency declaration in the University of Salamanca
- Universidad de Salamanca
Purpose: This study aims to describe the process leading the climate emergency declaration (CED) at the University of Salamanca. In contrast to similar initiatives, this was achieved with the participation …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Climate change education in China: a pioneering case of its implementation in tertiary education and its effects on students’ beliefs and attitudes
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Purpose: In view of a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of climate change education (CCE) in China, this study aims to evaluate if a CCE course newly designed based …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Relationships Between Institutional Agents and Student Activists
- Colorado State University (CO)
- The Ohio State University (OH)
- University of Utah (UT)
- University of West Georgia (GA)
Researchers studying college student activism have learned much about those students’ motivations, tactics, and educational outcomes. Less is known about the relationships between activists and key institutional agents. For student …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Using Strategies Elites Understand: Divestment as an Approach to Social Change
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
- University of Southern California (CA)
Over the past 50 years, student activists and community organizers on college campuses have advocated for divestment as a strategy to enact necessary change. These activists and organizers are often …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Bottled vs tap water perceptions, choices and recommendations in a US Midwest university community
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (IL)
- University of Southern Maine (ME)
Purpose:This study aims to determine preference and concerns regarding tap vs bottled water and recommendations to increase tap water use in a US Midwest university. The authors propose interventions to …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Environmental and Climate Impact Perceptions in University Students: Sustainability Motivations and Perceptions Correspond with Lower Red Meat Intake
- Merrimack College (MA)
- University of California, Davis (CA)
- University of Michigan (MI)
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (MD)
Background: Red meat production is a leading contributor to food-related greenhouse gas emissions. Decreasing red meat intake can mitigate climate change and lower risk of diet-related diseases. Objective: The goal …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Sustainability training at Spanish public faculties of education: a virtual ethnography
- Universidad de Oviedo (Asturias)
- University of Malaga (Malaga)
Various institutional statements and official documents refer to the Sustainable Development Goals and sustainability training. This should imply a university education in these values, considering that those who are going …
- 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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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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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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An analysis of students’ attitudes and behaviors toward on-campus sustainable dining initiatives
- University of North Carolina, Wilmington (NC)
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine students’ attitudes toward sustainable dining. It aims to identify the level of importance that students place on specific on-campus sustainable dining …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Assessing sustainability knowledge for undergraduate students in different academic programs and settings
- California Polytechnic State University (CA)
- University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (WI)
Purpose: As sustainability teaching and learning rises in importance, an increasing number of higher education institutions (HEIs) are assessing the effectiveness of their approach to sustainability education. However, most assessments …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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How to increase students' motivation to engage in university initiatives towards environmental sustainability
- Universitat de València
- Universidad Tecnica del Norte
Nowadays, it is of vital importance to make students aware of the problems that can be generated by the deterioration of the environment. The purpose of this study is to …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Sustainability infrastructure insights from a campus sustainability survey
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
The physical and social infrastructure of an environment influences the ability of that place to be sustainable. To evaluate the sustainability culture and literacy of a university environment, a campus …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Student perceptions and interests in sustainability: differences among student groups and impact on student sustainability program participation
- University of Georgia (GA)
Purpose: This study aims to examine factors that impact participation of diverse university students in an academic sustainability certificate and Office of Sustainability internships at the University of Georgia, recognizing …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Generating students’ loyalty towards the sustainable university during the later COVID-19 pandemic
- Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai
Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought tremendous changes in society. Universities were among the few organisations with some previous knowledge of online education, being able to rapidly adapt by transferring …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Is the grass always greener? Access to campus green spaces can boost students’ sense of belonging
- University of Leeds (West Yorkshire)
Purpose: An important facet of student’s sense of belonging is students’ relationships with, and time spent in, the university campus. The purpose of this paper is to explore the notion …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Students’ attitudes towards campus sustainability: a comparison among three universities in Sweden
- Jönköping University
- Diponegoro University
The role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in promoting and supporting sustainability has outstretched over the past decades as a result of various declarations and commitments related to the need …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Higher Education and Food Access: A Case Study of Food Access Initiatives and Their Community Impact
- Central Washington University (WA)
Food security issues are being prioritized across college campuses and among student communities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. While basic needs services are typically available on campuses, there …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Communicating Sustainability Through Websites of Higher Education Institutions of New Jersey
- Seton Hall University (NJ)
Sustainability is integrated into the higher education institutions as a new culture. Since the emergence of various declarations and policies, higher education institutions have integrated, implemented and practiced sustainability in …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Sustainable Living Edu
- California Polytechnic State University (CA)
For my senior project, I created a virtual sustainability training program called ‘Sustainable Living Edu’ for students and employees at Cal Poly SLO. There is a lack of environmental literacy …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Improving Energy Stewardship at Michigan Technological University's Athletic Complexes
- Michigan Technological University (MI)
Athletics departments are showcases for universities, serving as a public face and recruitment outlet that communicates university identity to the world. This applied research project examines the state of electrical …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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An Examination of University Employees' Green Workplace Behaviors
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)
As colleges and universities implement or enhance campus sustainability programs and administrators seek to understand the impact of such programs on their campuses, much effort has focused on understanding the …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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Towards Sustainable Dietary Change: An Exploration of Norwegian University Student's Attitudes toward Meat Reduction
- University of Agder
The current food system is associated with various environmental implications. The meat the industry has been recognized as a substantial contributor to these environmental implications and places enormous strain on …
- Posted June 15, 2023
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