Happy Sustainability: A Future Quest for More Sustainable Universities

For decades, sustainability researchers have tenaciously insisted on transforming higher education institutions into more sustainable and inclusive campuses. Yet, as the 2030 agenda seems unlikely to be achieved, universities are struggling to meet the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) before the 2030 deadline. In addition, the post-COVID-19 era demands quality and inclusive education that entails care for students experiencing high stress levels. So far, most of the significant achievements are within the environmental or economic dimensions of sustainable development, but strengthening the social dimension is still one pending task. The importance of happiness to sustainability initiatives on campus, and beyond, deserves further research. To this end, this article offers insights into incorporating the sustainability–happiness nexus into sustainable universities to enhance the social dimension of sustainability. COVID-19 reminds sustainability academics and stakeholders that teaching technical and scientific knowledge is necessary to become more sustainable. Still, it is not sufficient to achieve the goals in the 2030 agenda. Providing inclusive and sustainable quality education will be reached when more sustainable universities consider happiness the ultimate goal of human development.

Dealing with the Intangible: Using the Analytical Lens of Hidden Curricula for a Transformative Paradigm of Sustainable Higher Education

There is a broad consensus that universities have the potential to act as drivers of education for sustainable development (ESD) and constitute fundamental vehicles to explore, test, develop and communicate conditions for necessary socio-ecological transformations. This goes hand in hand with stronger acknowledgment of the societal role of universities and the related need for a new transformative paradigm of sustainable higher education. Before such a paradigm can be established, before higher education can be transformative, universities themselves must be transformed. Despite various pioneer projects and frontrunners of sustainable universities, real transformations are still rare though.

A Comparative Analysis of the Use of the Concept of Sustainability in the Romanian Top Universities’ Strategic Plans

As the effects of climate change on today’s society make the headlines across the globe, urging all stakeholders to join forces to act and to create a sustainable world, universities have started engaging in the process of building a sustainable future for the generations to come. The sustainable university has thus emerged, a pro-active and collaborative university that performs in several domains. Since the university’s strategic plan is an instance of official and public communication on the future institutional development, its investigation reveals the university’s position towards sustainability. This study highlights the explicit use of the concept of sustainability in the strategic plans for 2020–2024 of the twelve Romanian top universities and points to the sustainable domains associated with it. Moreover, to determine the direction towards which the Romanian top universities are heading, in terms of sustainability, the article draws a comparison with previous research conducted on the strategic plans for 2016–2020. The main conclusion reached is that although there is an increasing tendency to use the concept in the latest strategic plans, building sustainable universities in Romania is still a goal to be achieved in the future.

Ozyegin University Example: Responsible Consumption & Responsible Stakeholders

Sustainability has been one of the core principles at Ozyegin University (OzU) since its establishment in 2008 and is deeply embedded in its education, research and governance strategy. For OzU, being a green university means building an organic community constantly improving itself on every aspect of sustainability in collaboration with all its stakeholders. OzU accomplished these by establishing the first Health & Safety and Environment (HSE) Department within a university in Turkey. Besides, OzU is also the first university in Turkey to have been concurrently awarded both ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and OHSAS 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System Certifications. With these accomplishments OzU has pioneered the path for sustainable universities in Turkey resulting in various rewards and highest places in multitude rankings including GreenMetric. This paper discusses OzU’s strategy and the subsequent steps taken to attain these achievements including the roles of HSE Department and HSE Board

Individual-level characteristics of environmental sustainability among students in a higher education institution: the role of happiness and academic performance

Purpose Students play an unequivocal role in sustainable universities as they are theorized to embody the mission of a sustainable university through a sustainable lifestyle and spread sustainability practices during their professional careers. Despite this, it is not well known how or why students come to embody a sustainable lifestyle. This study aims to better understand the relationship between happiness, academic achievement and sustainability behaviors among the student population in a Mexican higher education institution. Design/methodology/approach In a questionnaire study, engineering and psychology university students at a large public university in northwestern Mexico answered questions regarding their environmental sustainability behaviors, happiness and academic performance. A stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain the sample population that best represents the entire population. After chi-square tests, it was confirmed that the three variables were independent of one another. Therefore, a series of correspondence analyses were conducted to examine clusters or patterns that could indicate relationships among the three variables. Findings The main finding from this work was that the happiest and most academically astute participants were only slightly environmentally sustainable or not sustainable at all. The lack of environmental sustainability in students from one of the most top-rank sustainable universities in Mexico does not align with previous sustainability reports. External factors to the university, such as cultural values and extreme weather conditions, may have influenced students’ sustainability behaviors. Research limitations/implications As with any other questionnaire study, the provided data is subject to interpretation, judgment and bias. In addition, the environmental and happiness index used in this study are not free of criticizing, and some author had disputed its efficacy. Finally, this study’s findings did not determine any causality or directionality between any of the latent variables. However, causality and directionally between environmental sustainability-happiness and happiness-academic performance have to be found in both directions. Practical implications Despite the unsustainability of students in this study, this study has several contributions. First, it provides an evaluation of a sustainable university from the perspectives and behaviors of students. The views of students as they relate to the complexities and visions of a sustainable university have remained relatively underexamined. Second, these analyses point to specific sustainability-oriented challenges and inadvertent barriers (e.g. extreme weather patterns) toward the embodiment of a sustainable lifestyle. These challenges and barriers suggest that sustainable universities need to address the dynamic changes inherent in sustainable development. Finally, this study indicates that the link between happiness, academic performance and sustainability may be more complicated and driven by cultural and structural barriers. The issue of barriers, as they relate to sustainability behaviors, is highly relevant and presents important opportunities and questions for future research. Originality/value This study provides an evaluation of a sustainable university from the perspectives and behaviors of students. Students’ views as they relate to the complexities and visions of a sustainable university have remained relatively underexamined. Second, these analyses point to specific sustainability-oriented challenges and barriers as they relate to the embodiment of a sustainable lifestyle. These challenges and barriers suggest that sustainable universities need to address the dynamic changes inherent in sustainable development. Finally, this study indicates that the link between happiness, academic performance and sustainability may be more complicated and driven by cultural and structural barriers.

Sustainable Universities _The GreenMetric Tool As a Strategic Driver in HEIs Considering Different Realities

In this work the considered concept of sustainability explores the relationships between economic development, environmental quality as well as social. Delineated by the UN in 1972, since then the subject has taken on great proportions, mainly due to its imminent urgency. In 2015 the theme was part of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, making up the Agenda 2030. Recently, Higher Education Institutions have been compelled to offer their contributions, given their role in human formation. Considering GreenMetric's relevance since the beginning of its activities, its dimensions and indicators have offered relevant directions on the path of Sustainable Higher Education Institutions. Thus, the present work demonstrated, through the case study, how the dimensions and indicators proposed by GreenMetric could form part as an important strategic driver in the path of a Brazilian Higher Education Institution - Academic Center, located in the countryside of São Paulo State. Its registration at GreenMetric in 2019 allowed the same formulations of short, medium and long term strategies.

SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITIES ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Показана ключевая роль качественного образования взрослых в достижении целей устойчивого развития государства. Указывается, что университеты являются основой для подготовки квалифицированных кадров и разработки инноваций для устойчивого развития.

The Confluence of Sustainability and Governance at the Universidade da Coruña (Spain)

Universities are experiencing a transition to sustainable universities, as addressing environmental concerns has become a cornerstone for the governance of higher education institutions. As responsible for the formation of decision-makers and because of its duty with the society, these institutions must be in line with the current society. This chapter deals with the implementation of sustainable procedures and initiatives in a concrete university: the Universidade da Coruña in Spain. Great efforts have been done regarding raising awareness on environmental issues and the implementation of sustainable procedures, even with limited economic resources. As a result, this university is very well positioned in international rankings and has great potential in the field of sustainable development.

The importance of environmental and sustainability education in tourism based on the opinion of students at Budapest Business School

In this study, the relationship between sustainable universities and environmental edu-cation is analysed from the aspect of tourism as seen by students. The research showed why green universities are important and what green applications were implemented at Budapest Business School. 1050 people participated in thesurvey examining the con-nections between green universities and environmentally conscious modes of living. All respondents were students of Budapest Business School and data was collected from the 18-22 years age group.We started out with the assumption that the students at Budapest Business School are aiming at becoming responsible citizens of tertiary education and as they will be senior and junior level managers they could exert great influence on the green develop-ment of the economy in the future.The authors consider it a success, that a green university will lead the ranking of universities which will become the winners of the 4th industrial revolution. Mastering sustainable subjects improve comprehensive and cohesive thinking. Energy and cost reduction is not the only goal in higher education; integrating sustainable subjects into courses and putting them into practice are also important. The courses in sustainable tourism significantly re-evaluate students’ commitment to sustainable development. The research emphasizes the importance of the sustainabilitys issue with regards to educational institutions and green universities, and it inspires us to take some action at the same time.