Abstract
In response to growing social concern about environmental degradation and intensifying calls for a transition to a more sustainable society, universities have begun to change their educational missions and practices to include and address sustainability. In recent years, the role of universities in the context of the social transition towards sustainability has started to be an important issue of scientific interest. Universities play a key role in addressing global environmental issues, as their education, research, and community engagement can produce long-lasting environmental impacts and societal change. Universities have significant impact on society and their stakeholders by demonstrating best practices in their operations, research, and teaching. For universities to comprehensively address sustainability, a 'learning for sustainability' approach needs to be synergistically embedded in every aspect of institutional operations. The aim of this study is to present a comparative evaluation by considering the importance of sustainability activities in universities.
TopSustainable Campus And Its Importance
The role of universities, which are among the stakeholders that contribute to achieving sustainability goals, in addressing environmental, social, and economic problems is of utmost importance. This includes improving waste management on campus, reducing energy consumption and emissions, saving water, ensuring the cooperation of different units inside and outside the campus, and adopting sustainable methods in technology production (Spellerberg et al., 2004). Priority should be given to implementing management systems that promote a circular campus economy and a high quality of life by encouraging conscious consumption of natural resources and environmental protection (Kamal and Asmuss, 2013). Sustainability principles should be established in academic programs, research, and campus life, particularly in waste management and minimization, recycling, water conservation measures, and energy efficiency (Marques et al., 2019).
The relationship between education and sustainability was emphasized at the United Nations (UN) conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, leading to the creation of Agenda 21, which includes various research and education plans aimed at creating sustainable universities. The IAU Kyoto and Swansea Declarations of 1993, led by the International Association of Universities and the Association of Commonwealth Universities, were established in response to the Rio Conference. The Swansea Declaration emphasized that universities should contribute more to the process (Cottafava et al., 2019). In 2001, UNESCO drafted the Lüneburg Declaration as a draft agreement. At the Rio+10 meeting in Johannesburg, it was emphasized that universities should become decision centers, and the creation of sustainable programs in universities was identified as a priority issue. The UN declared the period between 2005-2014 as the “Decade of Education for Sustainable Development” (Adams et al., 2018).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Environmental Awareness: Environmental awareness is having an understanding of the environment, the impacts of human behaviors on it, and the importance of its protection.
Sustainable Universities: A sustainable university is an educational institution that educates global citizens for sustainable development, offers relevant insights on urgent societal challenges, and reduces the environmental and social footprints of its campus operations, empowers students and staff to act, and makes sustainability a central priority.
Sustainable Campus: A Sustainable Campus is defined as an environmentally oriented campus that integrates environmental science into its policies, management, and scholarly activities.