scholarly journals Higher Education for Sustainability in the Developing World: A Case Study of Rafik Hariri University1 in Lebanon

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamil Hammoud ◽  
Mohamed Tarabay
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Sustainable Society

Responding to heightened global interest in and concern for the sustainability of the planet and our ways of life on it, The United Nations’ Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015) came out as a very ambitious and historic global agreement. The agenda identified what have become known as the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), along with their detailed targets to mobilize and guide global efforts toward ending poverty, fostering peace, safeguarding human rights and protecting the planet. Education for Sustainable Development forms part of Target 4.7 of Sustainable Development Goal 4, which seeks to “ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles…”Departing from the Brundtland Commission’s (1987) definition of sustainable development as a paradigm of resource use that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” universities have progressively been incorporating sustainability values, practices and initiatives into their activities, throughout the realm of what they do in teaching, research, administration and operational systems.  Indeed, Commitment to sustainability at universities worldwide dates back to the 1980’s, with a number of landmarks and declarations such as the Magna Charta of European Universities (1988), and the Talloires Declaration of University Presidents for a Sustainable Future (1990).However, the debate so far has centered mostly on the rationale and reasoning for broad adoption, rather than the various actions to be undertaken by higher education institutions (HEIs). Moreover, Efforts and initiatives to integrate sustainability into higher education in the developing world have been ad-hoc, modest and small (Mohamedbhai 2012).  We could only find a few research studies covering such efforts and initiatives anyways (Awuzie & Emuze, 2017; Bhat et al., 2017; Khalaf-Kairouz, 2012).This paper aims to describe sustainable practices of higher education institutions in the developing world, via a case study of Rafik Hariri University in Lebanon.  The authors utilize the 12 Features of Sustainable Society, developed by the Forum for the Future (2003) as an analytical framework, based on the Five Capitals Model.  The research instrument was a questionnaire derived from the 12 Features of a Sustainable Society and designed to identify the strategies, policies, values and practices pursued by the university to contribute to sustainable development.The outcome is a detailed level analysis into the ways in which a small institution of higher education in a developing country contributes to the betterment of the world via engagement in sustainability. Keywords Sustainability; Sustainable Development; Higher Education; Developing World; Higher Education for Sustainable Development; Rafik Hariri University; Lebanon; ESD; SDG; HESD

scholarly journals Promoting Education for Sustainable Development: Challenges and Issues for Higher Education Institutions in Pakistan

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 159
Author(s):  
Shahid Hussain Mughal ◽  
Nasim Qaisrani ◽  
Ghulam Mohuyuddin Solangi ◽  
Sumaira Faiz
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Life Styles ◽  
The United Nations

Abstract Education is critical agent of transformation in terms of changing life styles, attitude and behavior.  The role of education in pursuit of Sustainable Development is indispensable. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1987) used the term Sustainable Development. According to UN Commission (known as Brundtland Commission) Sustainable Development is “development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generation.” Sustainable Development talks about environmental problems and its solution in a broader perspective. It takes into account social, political, cultural and economic aspects. The United Nations has declared 2005-2014 as the decade for Education for Sustainable Development. Since the 1993 Kyoto Declaration on Sustainable Development, the role of higher education has become vital. The recent trend in the depletion of natural resources, energy, water and food crises, has increased and challenged the role of higher education institutions in Pakistan. The question arises “To what extent our higher education & research institutions are playing their role in order to ameliorate the situation?  The other questions that come to mind are “how higher education institutions can respond to prevailing intricate situation? And what role can these institutions play for promoting education for sustainability? This research study intends to critically examine the role of higher education institutions for the promotion of education for sustainability and to explore the opportunities for the integration of education for sustainability considerations in the existing courses being offered in the universities of Pakistan. This study intends to analyze the National Conservation strategy (NCS) of Pakistan with reference to the promotion of education for sustainability.   Key Words: Education for sustainability, Higher Education, National Conservation Strategy, Integration

scholarly journals Strategic Shift from Transmissive to Transformative Higher Education for Sustainable Development

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Jama Madar ◽  
Mustafa Din Bin Subari ◽  
Shadiya Mohamed Saleh Baqutayan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
National Development ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformative Education ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Important Approach ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Investment Portfolios

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a global initiative towards transforming education for sustainability. The integration of SD into the education portfolio is considered to be an important approach that ensures strategic alignment of higher education with SDGs. A document review was used to identify and discuss the difference between transmissive and transformative education in relation to SDGs and in the context of Somali education. In this trajectory, it is expected that the concept of ‘‘transformative education is likely to become more common to meet the emerging social, economic and environmental issues, yet practical challenges remain in Somaliland HE sector. The roadmap towards addressing transformative education for sustainability is not included in the Somaliland national portfolios; particularly ESD has not been presented. In this regard, this paper proposed a generic framework that spotlights the integration of HEIs and the national development goals (NDGs) in Somaliland. Meanwhile, developed and developing countries are prioritizing structural transformation in their HEIs that are tailored to national and regional development programs. Consistent with the Rio + 20 outcomes, the authors analyzed the concept of the ‘‘sustainable university’’ and identified the fact that it is practically divided into three interrelated and complementary categories, namely social-, environmental-, and economic-oriented university in pursuit of actualizing SD. The paper recommends major reforms in the education sector including availing investment portfolios for R&D, renovation of education goals and transforming universities for sustainability

scholarly journals Sustainable Development and Higher Education: Acting with a Purpose

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 3831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Finnveden ◽  
Newman ◽  
Verhoef
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Sustainable Society ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
The Future

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have a unique role and responsibility for the future and for driving the development of a sustainable society [...]

scholarly journals A Study of Quality Assessment in Higher Education within the Context of Sustainable Development: A Case Study from Czech Republic

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4769 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Vykydal ◽  
Martin Folta ◽  
Jaroslav Nenadál
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Management System ◽  
Quality Management System ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Success Factor

Quality has become an increasingly important and critical success factor at higher education institutions, particularly universities. Numerous discussions have been held about education quality in the context of sustainable development. However, the quality of that education strongly depends on the overall quality of the management system which operates at schools. The principal aim of this article is to present the approaches to the quality management systems’ development and their assessment at universities, and share some lessons learned from this area of research. Some possibilities of the ISO 9001 standard’s implementation, as well as the application of excellence models as a response to community demands, will be discussed, especially in the context of the recently-introduced Act No. 111/1998 Coll on Higher Education Institutions, which requires quality assurance and quality evaluation. A case study from The VSB-Technical University of Ostrava shows approaches, results and effects of the quality management system implementation.

Education for sustainable development in Pakistani higher education institutions: an exploratory study of students’ and teachers’ perceptions

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1249-1267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zulkaif Ahmed Saqib ◽  
Qingyu Zhang ◽  
Jin Ou ◽  
Khubaib Ahmad Saqib ◽  
Salman Majeed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Private Universities ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

Purpose This study aims to determine the current state of implementation and effectiveness of education for sustainable development (ESD) in Pakistani higher education institutions (HEIs) using students’ and teachers’ perceptions of sustainability. Design/methodology/approach A survey on teachers and students was conducted in public and private universities in Punjab, Pakistan. Data from 1,915 students and 120 teachers were collected through semi-structured questionnaires implemented during face-to-face interviews. Students were asked to rank social, environmental and economic indicators of sustainability consciousness (SC) on a five-point Likert scale. Structural equation model and regression model are used to analyze the data. The perceptions of students and teachers were assessed from their knowledge of sustainability. Findings The occurrence of ESD in Pakistani HEIs is low and teachers have inadequate knowledge of sustainability. The holistic approach to ESD has a more pronounced effect on students’ SC as compared to the pluralistic approach to ESD. Also, there is a correlation between the students’ grades/class and the effectiveness of ESD. There is a need to pay more attention to implement ESD for undergraduate students in Pakistani HEIs. Originality/value The study stands out for using cross-sectional data from public and private universities of Pakistan. Furthermore, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study in Pakistan which attempts to investigate the effectiveness of ESD in terms of students’ SC.

scholarly journals EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: A CRITIQUE

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 268-270
Author(s):  
Paul Pace
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Global Citizenship ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Stewardship ◽  
Personal Life ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Sustainable Futures

Since the inception of the concept of education for sustainable development (ESD) (UNCED, 1992, Chapter 36, par.3), higher education institutions (HEIs) have been considered key actors in its promotion. HEIs were expected to achieve this by leading students to contextualise their learning within the realities of their own specialisation, profession and personal life by encouraging them to develop: (a) the notion of global citizenship; (b) a commitment towards environmental stewardship; (c) a reflection about the interaction between issues of social justice, ethics, wellbeing and ecological and economic factors; and (d) a commitment towards actively ensuring sustainable futures (Longhurst, 2014, p.5).

Transforming University Curricula Towards Sustainability

2017 ◽  
pp. 805-827
Author(s):  
Vassilios Makrakis
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Middle East ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainability In Higher Education ◽  
University Curricula ◽  
The University

The UNESCO Chair ICT in Education for Sustainable Development in cooperation with the RCE Crete (Regional Centre of Expertise) on Education for Sustainable Development responding to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD 2005-2014) took the initiative to establish a North-South Network for embedding sustainability in higher education institutions. A Consortium with 12 universities (six from Europe and six from Middle East) led by the UNESCO Chair and the RCE Crete at the University of Crete prepared a proposal submitted to the Tempus- European Commission programme for funding. The RUCAS (Reorient University Curricula to address Sustainability) project, studied in this chapter, has initiated various activities in the partner countries' institutions, which seem to exert significant curricular changes. The changes include the revision of courses, building the appropriate infrastructure, the development of an online community of practice and the RUCAS Toolkit that are being used as drivers for reorienting university curricula to address sustainability. As a result, a growing number of academics in the partner institutions are concerned with the current sustainability crisis and claim for a transformative shift in what they teach and how teaching is practiced.

Promoting language education for sustainable development: a program effects case study in Japanese higher education

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 779-798
Author(s):  
Joshua John Jodoin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Japanese Higher Education ◽  
Program Effects

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of education for sustainable development (ESD) approaches in English as a foreign language (EFL) in Japanese higher education. Design/methodology/approach A content and language integrated learning (CLIL) University-level course was run over two separate semesters: the first as a lecture-based course and the second was a similar course that integrated ESD best-practice. A program effects case study was used to see if any significant changes could be measured between the separate semesters. A mixed-methods approach to data collection was used and student marks, survey results using values, beliefs and norms (VBN) model and reflection tasks were collected across the two courses. Findings A meaningful change in the ascription of responsibility and personal norms was present in the ESD best-practice course. This shows that ESD best-practice integration into language teaching has a positive impact on student environmental VBN and more research is necessary for this area. Practical implications ESD integrated into language teaching correlates positively with environmental behavior change according to the VBN-model. A new field of study is proposed, language education for sustainable development, to better integrate the disciplines of EFL and ESD. Originality/value This study is looking at the integration of ESD in language teaching and CLIL based courses in Higher Education and, at present, there are no other studies of this kind.

scholarly journals Transfer for Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions—Untapped Potential for Education for Sustainable Development and for Societal Transformation

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2925 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Nölting ◽  
Heike Molitor ◽  
Julian Reimann ◽  
Jan-Hendrik Skroblin ◽  
Nadine Dembski
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
University Partnerships ◽  
Working Definition ◽  
Research And Teaching ◽  
Societal Needs ◽  
Definition Of

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly confronted with societal needs beyond research and teaching. These include sustainable development and technology transfer as well as the practical application of knowledge and ideas. Several HEIs already put sustainable development and transfer into practice. These practitioner–university partnerships comprise a broad range of actors, disciplines, topics, and formats. However, transfer activities that contribute to sustainable development in society still make up only a very small part of HEIs’ activities. In response to calls from society as a whole, HEIs could combine transfer and sustainable development more systematically. In this article, we suggest a concept of transfer for sustainable development. The focus is on sustainability transfer in teaching. We used mixed methods for this conceptual work: exploratory workshops, expert interviews, and a case study of transfer in teaching. One of the results presented in this article is a working definition of sustainability transfer at HEIs. In addition, six characteristics for describing sustainability transfer in its various forms are formulated. This conceptualization makes it possible to analyze the diversity of HEIs’ sustainability transfer activities, it helps to identify and encourage potential transfer actors at HEIs as well as practitioners, and, thus, tap the full potential of sustainability transfer.

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