scholarly journals Higher education and Sustainable Development Goals during COVID-19: coping strategies of a university in Wuhan, China

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (s1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suyu Liu

Background It is widely perceived that COVID-19 has significant influence on higher education and also contribution to development including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However there is insufficient evidence about investigations on such influences, especially at micro level. Design and method A university located in Wuhan, China, was selected for the case study to explore how COVID-19 affects higher education and how universities’ coping strategies of COVID-19 can contribute to SDGs. The method is an analysis of 32 institutional documents published by the university. Results The university in the case study has taken a number of coping strategies of COVID-19, largely in four aspects including medical services, online education, logistic support, and graduate employment promotion. These coping strategies contribute to achieving SDGs, especially SDGs 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10. Conclusions The case study provides micro-level empirical evidence, which supports that appropriate university coping strategies of COVID-19 can contribute to SDGs, even it is widely perceived that the pandemic has brought strong negative impact on higher education and sustainable development. The selection of a university in Wuhan, China can generate more practical implications, as Wuhan is the first city that experienced the unprecedented lockdown, and China is the first country which reopened university campuses after the lockdown.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 4224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Zamora-Polo ◽  
Jesús Sánchez-Martín

Sustainability, as a key concept in the education field, has submitted a relevant change during the last years. Thus, there is a growing debate about its meaning. It has undergone a crucial merging of significances from many fields: Ecology, environmental awareness, but also from politics, ethics or even spiritual approaches. All these fields have been co-involved in the building of such subject concept. In this sense, this article addresses the different ways of understanding sustainability as a polyhedral concept and how sustainability can be understood under the umbrella of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, it is proposed a conceptual framework to teach this UN Program at Higher Education, contributing to the training of undergraduate and postgraduate students from both a professional and a personal point of view. This framework is applied in a case study—in particular, in a course of Primary Teacher Degree called Didactics of Matter and Energy. This article finishes with practical consideration to build a change-maker University.


Author(s):  
K.Yu. Burtcevа ◽  
K.Yu. Burtcevа ◽  
K.Yu. Burtcevа

В исследовании рассмотрены подходы зарубежных университетов к устойчивому развитию, включающие цели устойчивого развития для обучения, проведения исследований и вовлечения общества, в Австралии, США и Бразилии. Представлены инициативы Мельбурнского университета по реализации концепции устойчивого развития, инициативы США, включающие в себя работу Ассоциации по продвижению устойчивости в высшем образовании (AASHE), программу STARS, инициативу по мобилизации постшкольных учреждений для решения экологической проблемы изменения климата (ACUPCC). В статье обоснованно, что университеты как места, где происходит большая часть исследований и обучение устойчивому развитию, должны выполнять не только образовательную и научную функции, но и выступать в качестве типовых учреждений примеров с точки зрения их собственной деятельности. Автором определено, что процессы устойчивого развития организаций, стран и общества следует начинать с создания высококачественного образования, подготовки надлежащих материалов для учащихся, формирования современных подходов к образованию с точки зрения устойчивой перспективы, создания учебных планов, связанных с современными проблемами, установления связи между образовательными программами и реальной жизнью. Проведенный в статье анализ зарубежной практики позволил предложить направления продвижения устойчивости в отечественном высшем образовании: обеспечение соблюдение принципов устойчивости в высшем образовании содействие институциональным усилиям по интеграции устойчивости в преподавании, исследованиях, взаимодействии с обществом поддержание всех инфраструктурных функций кампусов в достижении целей устойчивого развития расширение сотрудничества со всеми группами стейкхолдеров.In the article the approaches of the foreign universities to sustainable development including sustainable development goals for education, researches and involvement of society in Australia, the USA and Brazil are considered. Initiatives of the University of Melbourne of implementation of the concept of sustainable development, initiatives of the USA including work of Association on advance of stability in the higher education (AASHE), the STARS program, an initiative of mobilization of post-school institutions for the solution of an environmental problem of climate change (ACUPCC) are presented. In article it is reasonable that the universities as places where there is a most part of researches and education in sustainable development, have to perform not only educational and scientific functions, but also act as standard institutions - examples in terms of their own activity. By the author it is defined that processes of sustainable development of the organizations, the countries and society it is necessary to begin with creation of high-quality education, preparation of appropriate materials for pupils, formation of modern approaches to education in terms of steady prospect, creation of the curricula connected with modern problems, establishments of communication between educational programs and real life. The analysis of foreign practice which is carried out in article allowed to offer the directions of advance of stability in domestic higher education: providing respect for the principles of stability in the higher education assistance to institutional efforts on integration of stability in teaching, researches, interaction with society maintenance of all infrastructure functions of campuses in achievement of the goals of sustainable development expansion of cooperation with all groups of stakeholders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 112 ◽  
pp. 00048
Author(s):  
Vasiliy Savvinov

The article reveals the experience of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Russian universities based on the case study of North-Eastern Federal University (NEFU). The article presents a comparative analysis of strategic programs to manage the development of universities in the North of Russia and the northern countries of Europe and America in the context of global changes and growing uncertainty of the environment. It shows NEFU’s groundwork for the implementation of the sustainable development model of the northern territories and justifies the key principles and the directions of change in the academic and innovative activities of the university related to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Kalinowska ◽  
Anna Batorczak

AbstractThe documents adopted by the international community during the UN Conference on the Environment and Development convened in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 make clear the leading role institutions in higher education are to play in transforming contemporary civilisation in the direction of sustainable development. It is beyond dispute that higher education has a critical role to play in developing tomorrow’s decision makers, professionals and citizens. Universities can help with the accomplishment of sustainable development goals if they transform education in this direction, extend their support to interdisciplinary scientific research and ensure the appropriate evolution of the means by which they themselves are managed. However, ensuring that a higher education establishment heads in the direction of sustainability in all academic areas of activity is a difficult process requiring much effort. The article thus presents current international initiatives of the UN in this regard, as well as Higher Education initiatives, alliances and treaties in support of the process, and the objectives and activities of the network of cooperative links between universities that is now taking shape. Also the status of education for sustainable development (ESD) in higher education and existing ESD professional development opportunities for university educators is discussed. In this context, examples of good practice characterising the activity of the University Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development will serve as a case study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Asha Mistry ◽  
Hannah Sellers ◽  
Jeremy Levesley ◽  
Sandra Lee

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework to achieve sustainable development and fulfilling these Goals will take an unprecedented effort by all sectors in society. Many universities and businesses are using the Goals within their strategies and sustainability reporting. However, this is difficult as there is currently no standard methodology to map the 17 goals, 169 targets and 232 indicators. Work at the University of Leicester has focused on developing a robust methodology to map a higher education institution’s (HEI’s) research contribution to the Goals. We have integrated this unique methodology into an automated software tool to measure a university’s academic contribution to the Goals using mathematical text mining techniques. Our ability to quickly and effectively map institutions’ research contributions has boosted our ambitions and efforts to develop software to map the full operations of an HEI or business.


Author(s):  
Ignacio Guillén-Guillamón ◽  
Héctor Moreno-Ramón ◽  
Marta Cabedo-Fabrés ◽  
Miguel Ferrando-Bataller ◽  
Salva Calvet-Sanz ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 664
Author(s):  
Nataliia Stukalo ◽  
Maryna Lytvyn

This study aims to identify the role of higher education quality assurance in achieving sustainable development goals. To support this aim, the following objectives were formulated: to discuss and summarize the best practices of QA agencies in promoting SDGs, to identify how Ukrainian universities consider SDGs in their policies, to develop recommendations for internal, and external quality assurance systems regarding SDG achievement. This qualitative study is based on a case study, observation, and questionnaire methods. Ukrainian higher education quality assurance systems are taken as a case study for this article. Primary data are collected through an online questionnaire and observation of Ukrainian universities’ publicly available information regarding sustainable development activities at their official websites. Additionally, some publicly available documents, reports, and materials on the experience of foreign quality assurance agencies are also reviewed, compared, and contrasted. The results of the research can be used at national levels where higher education standards should include competence in sustainable development goals, at institutional level to improve HEIs’ quality assurance system, and at the study program level to include SDG consideration as one of the requirements during internal quality assurance procedures.


2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-88
Author(s):  
Cristina Perales Franco ◽  
Tristan McCowan

AbstractIn the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, higher education has been given a key role in addressing societal challenges, reducing poverty, ensuring sustainable livelihoods and protecting the natural environment. Yet there has been a singular lack of imagination as regards the institutional forms that might help support this vision. This article reports on the findings of an exploratory qualitative case study of the Intercultural University of Veracruz, one of a number of institutions created in Mexico to ensure access for indigenous populations, to promote local development and to provide a space for intercultural dialogue. The findings show a number of ways in which this innovative institution provides opportunities for supporting the SDGs that go beyond conventional universities. The university addresses SDG4 by enabling access for marginalised populations, and through its engaged teaching, research and community engagement also contributes to environmental protection, health, livelihoods, gender equality and a range of other goals. However, it also presents challenges to the global framework, highlighting the lack of attention to culture, language, identity and knowledge traditions, and in critiquing the very basis of its conception of development. Implications are drawn out more broadly for the relationship between higher education and international development in the contemporary era.


Author(s):  
Wendy M. Purcell ◽  
Heather A. Henriksen ◽  
Jack D. Spengler

Universities can do more to deliver against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with faculty, staff and students as well as their wider stakeholder community and alumni body. They play a critical role in helping shape new ways for the world, educating global citizens and delivering knowledge and innovation into society – universities can be engines of societal transformation. Here, using a case study approach, different ways of strategizing sustainability in a university setting are explored with an example from the UK, Europe and USA. The first case is a public UK university that adopted enterprise and sustainability as its academic mission to secure differentiation in a disrupted and increasingly marketized global higher education sector which then became a source of inspiration for change in regional businesses and the local community. The second case study is a business sector-led sustainability-driven transformation working with a private university in Bulgaria to catalyze economic regeneration and social innovation. Finally, the case of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability engagement program is given to show how this approach connects faculty and students with institutional sustainability plans and external partners.  Each case is a living lab, positioning sustainability as an intentional strategy. Leadership at all levels, and by students, was key to success in acting with purpose. Partnerships within and with universities can help accelerate delivery of the SDGs, with higher education making a fuller contribution to sustaining the economic, cultural and intellectual well-being of our global communities. 


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