Creating a sustainable future for higher education

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Alison Johns
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Future

scholarly journals Achieving Sustainability and Carbon Neutrality in Higher Education Institutions: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 222
Author(s):  
Gaurangi Sen ◽  
Hing-Wah Chau ◽  
Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq ◽  
Nitin Muttil ◽  
Anne W. M. Ng
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Sustainable Future ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
Combat Climate Change ◽  
The Way

Universities and higher education institutions play an important role in achieving a sustainable future through their teaching and by undertaking cutting edge research to combat climate change. There have been several efforts towards a sustainable future and achieving carbon neutrality at higher education institutions in Australia and around the world. This study has reviewed the sustainability strategies of numerous universities in Australia and has identified as study cases six universities that are committed to and leading the implementation of initiatives to achieve carbon neutrality. The initiatives implemented at the selected universities were classified into eight “sustainability categories”, namely, built environment, energy, food and gardens, GHG emissions, natural environment, resource and waste management, transport, and water. Among the selected leading universities in sustainability, Charles Sturt University and the University of Tasmania (UTAS) are the only universities in Australia certified as carbon neutral. An interesting aspect of this review is the way in which universities are implementing sustainability initiatives in line with their mission and strategies. Despite striving towards the same end goal of achieving carbon neutrality, different institutions offer individually unique approaches towards sustainability. For example, UTAS values the creation, expansion and dissemination of knowledge and the promotion of continual learning, which is clearly demonstrated through its initiatives and policies. The findings in this review are critical in identifying those institutions of higher education which are role models in their strong commitment to achieving carbon neutrality. Such role model universities can pave the way for similar climate action at other universities.

scholarly journals Introduction to the thematic collection

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Ola Leifler ◽  
Cecilia Enberg
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Societal Challenges ◽  
Sustainable Future

In the current thematic collection of Högre Utbildning, we present eight contributions on how to change higher education in ways which will enable students to contribute to a sustainable future, including three invited papers on the systematic transformation of higher education necessary to address our existential societal challenges.

Integrating Sustainability within Higher Education

2014 ◽  
pp. 369-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angus W. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Sustainable Future ◽  
Discipline Area ◽  
The Impact

Many universities teach programs in sustainable energy, but should they be incorporating theories and practice of sustainability across many disciplines? This chapter proposes the argument that institutes of higher education should be primary vehicles of change in our transition towards a sustainable future. It discusses that this can occur at the institutional and curriculum level. Two case studies are presented; integrating concepts of sustainability within a biomedical discipline area and assessing the impact of a College waste recycling program.

scholarly journals A legacy for chemistry education

2016 ◽  
pp. 7-11
Author(s):  
Jo Tunney
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Science Education ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Chemical Science ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
University Transition ◽  
Sustainable Future ◽  
Degree Level

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has a longstanding reputation for providing innovative and up to date support for chemical science education – from primary, through to higher education and beyond. The RSC is continually developing easily accessible resources and events to help meet the needs of changing curricula and the skills required by employers.At A-level and degree level the focus is on increasing the numbers of students studying chemistry and the chemical sciences in order to educate the next generation of science-based professionals. The Chemistry for our Future (CFOF) programme was established with the aim of ensuring a strong and sustainable future for chemical sciences in higher education by increasing the aspirations of students, promoting the chemical sciences at all levels and improving the school to university transition.

scholarly journals STE(A)M+: Transforming Higher Education through Collaborative Play

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Ilse Vranken ◽  
Dominique Troost ◽  
Raad Sharar ◽  
Pieter Hanssens ◽  
Simon Van Espen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Board Game ◽  
Board Games ◽  
Reflec Tions ◽  
Sustainable Future ◽  
Learning Path ◽  
Missing Element

Our world is facing various wicked problems, such as climate change and extinction. These complex problems require an in-depth understanding. STEM disciplines in higher education play a crucial role in preparing students to solve such problems in their career. Yet it can be questioned whether STEM in higher education offers all the elements required to prepare students for a sustainable future. Additionally, a sole focus on STEM fields may not contribute to finding solutions to these problems. With STE(A)M in higher education, we explore what the missing element in higher education is and how higher education can be improved. We addressed this question within the Honours Programme Transdisciplinary Insights of the Institute for the Future at KU Leuven. Within this programme, a team of students, PhD researchers and coaches from various disciplines examined the educational system and explored how students can be better prepared to co-create a more sustainable future. This learning path was supported by reading books about systems thinking, watching documentaries, following co-creative workshops, and engaging in team discussions. In this process, we found that the following four key elements could be given a greater emphasis in education: transdisciplinarity, systems thinking, co-creation, and critical thinking. To promote this, we created a board game that aims to make learning about the importance of these elements engaging. While playing this game, we learned that we can bring students from different dis ciplines together and foster critical thinking and reflec tions. These insights illustrate how creative tools (e.g. board games) can be used in higher education to foster important skills that can prepare students for a sustainable future. Since this game, developed by students for students, is entirely learner-driven, it departs from the current educational system in which knowledge is mainly transferred by professors. An important advantage of such initiatives is that they foster co-creation and learning between students. Our findings have been summarised in a small video.

Developing innovation pedagogy

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 74-84
Author(s):  
Taru Konst ◽  
Liisa Kairisto-Mertanen
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Educational Goals ◽  
Education Development ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sustainable Future ◽  
University Of Applied Sciences ◽  
Education Innovation ◽  
Keywords Education

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of a pedagogical strategy called innovation pedagogy and study how it has been and will be developed. The paper provides a discussion of the changes in innovation pedagogy and, more generally, in higher education, including the changes in educational goals and involving a sustainable future as the priority in all education. The research methodology is based on action research and participatory observation as well as on the experiences of the authors of the development process, which has taken place in a Finnish university of applied sciences during the past 12 years. The study helps to understand how education development takes place gradually and how it can simultaneously respond to the demands of a sustainable future. This paper strengthens the understanding of innovation pedagogy by providing a set of concrete steps to advise how to put innovation pedagogy in practice. Keywords: Education development, higher education, innovation pedagogy, sustainable future

scholarly journals Changes in Thoughts and Actions as Requirements for a Sustainable Future: A Review of Recent Research on the Finnish Educational System and Sustainable Development

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Hofman-Bergholm
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Sustainable Future ◽  
Global Action ◽  
Action Programme ◽  
Published Research

Abstract In numerous UN policy documents, a sustainable future through education is set in a key position; the UNESCO Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development (UNESCO, 2018) is no exception. Therefore, it is of great importance to examine and report how different UN member countries work towards the implementation of sustainability at all levels of education. This article is a review of recently published research in Finland, with a focus on sustainability in the educational system. Specifically, the article deals with teacher education, combined with theoretical research around sustainability and systems thinking, to find a pathway forward. The main finding is that higher education in Finland cannot guarantee that student teachers are prepared enough to teach about sustainability. This issue is discussed and addressed in the last part of the article.

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