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- The portuguese sustainable campus network: a knowledge collaboration for sustainability transformation in higher education institutionsPublication . Barros, F. M.; Caeiro, Sandra; Disterheft, Antje; Madeira, Ana; Manteigas, Vítor; Martins, António Gomes; Teixeira, Margarida Ribau; Soares, AldinaNetworks are an important mechanism for systemic change towards sustainability in higher education institutions. In Portugal there is no formal law or regulation at governmental level pressuring for this change. Also, there was a need for action and a lack of collaboration between the Portuguese higher education community to allow an advanced sustainability implementation in higher education institutions. This chapter presents the activities that the Portuguese Network Sustainable Campus—Rede Campus Sustentável (RCS) has been undertaking. The history and organisation of the network are presented as well as a summary of its main initiatives, namely the results of the first survey report on the Implementation of Sustainability in Higher Education in Portugal, where the actual practices in the main dimensions are listed. This work aims to contribute to the studies about sustainability-oriented networks in higher education, addressing its current and future challenges.
- The INDICARE-model: measuring and caring about participation in higher education's sustainability assessmentPublication . Disterheft, Antje; Caeiro, Sandra; Leal Filho, Walter; Azeiteiro, UlissesThe implementation of sustainability in higher education has been advanced over at least the last twodecades and brought sustainability assessment on the research agenda of Education for Sustainable Devel-opment (ESD) and sustainability science. Participatory approaches have gained increasing attention inthese endeavours, but remain often vague and less addressed in sustainability assessment procedures.To fill in this gap, an indicator-based model, INDICARE, was developed that can assist in assessing par-ticipatory processes within higher education’s sustainability initiatives. The objective of this paper is tointroduce and discuss the model’s theoretical background, its structure, applicability, and how it canbroaden the perspectives on participation and sustainability assessment in the university context.Embedded in a cross-sectional qualitative research design, the model was developed in iterative stagesand was presented and adjusted along six feedback loops, having been presented to 98 persons duringconferences, workshops and university meetings. Inspired by biophilic ideas, transformative learning the-ories and participatory evaluation, INDICARE follows an ecocentric and integrative perspective that placesthe earth and its community at the centre of attention. A preliminary set of thirty indicators and prac-tices, grouped in three categories of context, process, and transformation, is proposed. The assessmentprocess itself is considered as a thought-provoking exercise rather than as a control tool and empha-sizes the interplay of personal reflection and action-oriented outreach. INDICARE intends to invigoratethe sustainability debate in higher education, in particular by proposing a more holistic approach toassessment that underlines experiencing the interconnectedness of human–nature relationships, com-bined with reflective exercises that can respond better to the call for transformation on individual andinstitutional level.
- Sustainability science and education for sustainable development in universities : a way for transitionPublication . Disterheft, Antje; Caeiro, Sandra; Azeiteiro, Ulisses; Leal Filho, WalterThe debate about sustainable development (SD) in higher education institutions has expanded over the past decades. It has been recognized that universities play a pivotal role in promoting sustainability principles, contributing to the paradigm shift toward a more sustainable present and future. Campus sustainability—commonly understood in a broad sense that includes the physical, educational (teaching, curricula, research), and institutional dimensions—is an evolving study field, as indicated by the growing number of articles in academic journals, conferences, awards, and books (like the present one) dedicated to the subject. From the academic point of view, the emergent fields of sustainability science and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) have advanced the efforts of mainstreaming sustainability and implementing concrete practices in universities. But despite some progress and good examples, only a few institutions follow a SD implementation process holistically. A one-sided trend of ‘‘going green,’’ driven by market requirements, marketing advantages, and economic benefits, increases the risks of greenwashing. Reductionist models and misconceptions may cause sustainability initiatives to be wrongly reduced to single aspects of SD like environmental initiatives, losing meaning and credibility. This chapter addresses the question of what role the emerging fields of sustainability science and ESD can play within the transition to more sustainable universities. It aims to contribute to a more holistic perception of SD and examines some of the trends being observed in the higher education sector. Universities are challenged to reflect about educational objectives and strategic goals in their sustainability implementation processes, if they aim to educate the academic community beyond eco-efficiency and recycling. ESD and sustainability science are normative academic fields, action-oriented and close to society. Along with universities as democratic institutions, these fields constitute essential vehicles to investigate, test, and develop conditions for truly transformative change.
- Sustainability at the campus : environmental management systems (EMS) implementation processes and practices at European Higher Education Institutions : top-down versus participatory approachesPublication . Disterheft, Antje; Azeiteiro, Ulisses; Caeiro, SandraDados os complexos desafios com os quais o nosso mundo de hoje está confrontado, as universidades são solicitadas a responder à necessidade de criar um futuro sustentável, que ambiciona uma vida digna para as gerações actuais sem comprometer a das gerações futuras. Este trabalho está inserido no debate sobre o desenvolvimento sustentável e sobre o papel das universidades em contribuírem para a construção de sociedades sustentáveis. Incide sobre as oportunidades que sistemas de gestão ambiental (SGA) oferecem para melhorar a sustentabilidade do campus, para envolver a comunidade institucional e para aumentar a sensibilização para práticas sustentáveis na vida académica, profissional e pessoal. O trabalho está baseado numa combinação de métodos qualitativos e quantitativos, utilizando-se uma extensiva revisão de literatura, um questionário online com um desenho de tipo transversal e uma análise de estatística descritiva e bivariada. Os processos de implementação top-down foram comparados com abordagens participativas, e as últimas têm sido utilizadas para desenvolver um grau de desempenho participativo. Fornece-se uma visão geral de 47 instituições de ensino superior na Europa com um SGA no campus, e apresenta-se, com base nos resultados do questionário respondido por 35 universidades, uma análise detalhada dos processos de implementação do SGA nos campi europeus. Entre vários reconhecimentos e aspectos práticos para o envolvimento dos estudantes e colaboradores, os resultados mostram que um SGA pode ser um instrumento fundamental no processo global do reforço da sustentabilidade no campus. Relativamente à abordagem da implementação de um SGA, consideramos como mais eficaz uma abordagem participativa ou uma que combine elementos top-down e participativos, para realizar a dupla missão de uma universidade: (1) Reduzir o impacto ambiental da instituição (2) Executar investigação e ensino, que oferecem oportunidades para aumentar a sensibilização para coerências complexas e desenvolver competências que conduzam a práticas mais sustentáveis.Os resultados podem contribuir para o debate em curso sobre a sustentabilidade do campus e ser de utilidade para as universidades que têm implementado um SGA, ou que desejam obter inspirações das actividades de outras instituições nesta área. Oferece-se sugestões para a prática profissional. In the light of the complex challenges our world of today is confronted with, universities are requested to respond to the need of creating a sustainable future that envisions a dignified life for the current generations without compromising those of next generations. This research is embedded within the debate about sustainable development and about the role universities play in contributing to build sustainable societies. It focuses on the opportunities environmental management systems (EMS) can offer to enhance campus sustainability, student and staff engagement and awareness raising for sustainable practices in the academic, professional and personal life. The research is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, using an extensive literature review, an internet-mediated questionnaire of a cross-sectional survey design and a descriptive statistical data analysis, including in some cases a bivariate analysis. Top-down implementation processes were compared to participatory approaches and the latter have been used to develop a degree of participatory performance. We provide an overview about 47 higher education institutions in Europe with an EMS at the campus and present, based on the results of the survey answered by 35 universities, a detailed analysis of EMS implementation processes and practices in European campuses. Among a number of insights and practical aspects for student and staff involvement, the results show that an EMS can be a key tool in the overall process to enhance campus sustainability. With respect to the implementation approach of an EMS, we regard a participatory approach or a mix of top-down and participatory elements as most effective to accomplish the twofold mission of a university: (1) To reduce the institutional environmental impact and (2) to carry out research and teaching, offering opportunities to increase awareness for complex coherences and to develop competencies that lead to more sustainable practices. The results shall contribute to the ongoing discussion about campus sustainability and be of use for universities that have implemented an EMS or that wish to get inspirations from other institutions‘ activities in this field. Implications for the professional practice are provided.
- Can MOOCs empower people to critically think about climate change?: a learning outcome based comparison of two MOOCsPublication . Otto, Daniel; Caeiro, Sandra; Nicolau, Paula Bacelar; Disterheft, Antje; Teixeira, António; Becker, Sara; Bollmann, Alexander; Sander, KirstenClimate change can be regarded as one of the key topics of sustainable development where public awareness and education are crucial. In the field of education, Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) have raised remarkable attention throughout the last decade as their initial objective is to provide massive open online education for everyone. This article aims to explore the impact of MOOCs on learning about climate change. This is necessary in order to evaluate whether MOOCs can make a substantial contribution to lifelong learning about sustainable development for a wider audience. We therefore present findings from self-assessment questionnaires of participants from two climate change MOOCs provided by two-distance learning universities in Germany and Portugal. Both MOOCs aimed at imparting to the participants the competencies to better understand the topic of climate change. The objective of the survey was a competency-based evaluation to review which learning outcomes have been achieved. The results indicate that taking part in either of the MOOCs increased the participants’ competencies to critically engage in the climate change debate. MOOCs are able to convey certain learning outcomes to the students and thus can contribute to climate change literacy. For further research, we recommend a more differentiated view on MOOCs and the learning opportunities for participants. Options for potential improvement are to think of better ways of how to integrate MOOCs into climate change education or to consider possibilities to increase the attractiveness of MOOCs for instance by using innovative formats to overcome the barriers between formal and informal learning
- Primeiro diagnóstico sobre implementação da Sustentabilidade nas Instituições de Ensino Superior: análise dos resultados de um inquéritoPublication . Madeira, Ana Carla; Disterheft, Antje; Teixeira, Margarida Ribau; Caeiro, Sandra
- Environmental Management Systems (EMS) implementation processes and practices in european higher education institutions: top-down versus participatory approachesPublication . Disterheft, Antje; Caeiro, Sandra; Ramos, Maria do Rosário; Azeiteiro, UlissesEnvironmental Management Systems (EMS) have been implemented on a large scale to improve companies’ environmental performance and to certify their achievements. More recently, universities are following this trend, which has been brought forward by the debate about campus sustainability. This empirical international research investigates EMS development and implementation processes in universities around Europe, providing an overview about European higher education institutions with EMS implemented at their campuses, and focuses on a comparison of top-down versus participatory implementation approaches. In addition to regional differences, this article discusses in which aspects an EMS at the campus can be seen as a tool that goes beyond operational aspects to tackle campus sustainability. Furthermore, it provides implications for the professional practice.
- Sustainable universities: a study of critical success factors for participatory approachesPublication . Disterheft, Antje; Caeiro, Sandra; Azeiteiro, Ulisses; Filho, Walter LealParticipatory approaches can be seen as a requirement, but also as a benefit to the overall paradigm change towards sustainable development and contribute towards the integration of sustainability concept into the university culture. So far, there have been comparatively few research studies on participation within sustainability implementation at university level, and a more differentiated understanding of these processes is still missing, both in the practice of conducting a participatory process and in the sustainability assessment. This paper addresses some of the failures and successes experienced within participatory approaches in campus sustainability initiatives, and deduces a set of critical success factors and emergent clusters that can help to integrate the dimensions of participation more inclusively into sustainability assessment. Following a qualitative approach and inspired by the Delphimethod, semi-structured expert interviews (N ¼ 15) and four focus group discussions (N ¼ 36), with participants coming from twenty different countries in total, were conducted and compared according to qualitative content analysis. Findings give empirical evidence to some of the characteristics related to stakeholder engagement, and associate higher education for sustainable development to empowerment and capacity building, shifting away from a previous focus on environmental sustainability. The success of participatory approaches is interdependent with structural institutional conditions and the persons engaged, highlighting the importance of specific skills and participatory competencies. A better integration of the dimensions of participation into sustainability assessment practices can help in defining and establishing participatory approaches on institutional level and fostering a culture of participation in the transition to sustainable universities.
- Participatory processes in sustainable universities: what to assess?Publication . Disterheft, Antje; Azeiteiro, Ulisses; Leal Filho, Walter; Caeiro, SandraPurpose – This paper aims to connect participatory sustainability implementation with sustainability assessment, exploring learning theories, the principles of Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD) and respective indicators applied in the university context. Even though participation is partly considered in existing assessment practices, it is still unclear what and how to measure participatory processes that envision implementing sustainability principles in higher education institutions. Holistic approaches are often proclaimed, but reductionist assessment methods are frequently followed. Design/methodology/approach – The study followed a qualitative approach, inspired by the Delphi method, and includes semi-structured expert interviews (N 15) and two focus group discussions (N 23), with participants coming from a total of 17 different countries. Data were analysed and compared according to qualitative content analysis and systemized according to the underlying theoretical strands. Findings – The findings suggest that participatory processes can be better assessed from a social learning and organisational learning perspective, emphasizing non-linear criteria for the quality of the process in terms of depth and meaningfulness as well as criteria for the quality of the outcome in terms of knowledge generation and innovation. The findings also point implicitly to the need of considering double- and triple-loop learning, if a culture of participation towards sustainability is to be pursued, and underline the high impact of institutional governance. Originality/value – Although a great volume of literature about sustainability implementation in higher education exists, studies focusing on participatory processes in this context are rather scarce. This research pays attention to sustainability experts working in universities rarely heard in a more systemic manner and also applies a reflective participatory approach itself by using qualitative methods.
- Reinvigorating the sustainable development research agenda: the role of the sustainable development goals (SDG)Publication . Leal Filho, Walter; Azeiteiro, Ulisses; Alves, Fátima; Pace, Paul; Mifsud, Mark; Brandli, Luciana; Caeiro, Sandra; Disterheft, AntjeThe United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) contain a set of 17 measures to foster sustainable development across many areas. It offers a good opportunity to reinvigorate sustainable development research for two main reasons. First, it comprises many areas of SD research, which have become mainstream thanks to the UN SDGs. Second, the fact that the UN and its member countries have committed to attaining SDGs by 2030 has added a sense of urgency to the need to perform quality research on SD on the one hand, and reiterates the need to use the results of this research on the other. Even though the basic concept of sustainability goes back many centuries, it has only recently appeared on the international political agenda. This is partly due to an awakening of the fact that the human ecological pressure on the planet is still much larger than what nature can renew or compensate for. Based on this state of affairs, this paper presents an outline of the process leading to the agreement on the UN SDGs, and looks at some of the ecological aspects as a result of continued pressure of human activities on natural resources. Furthermore, a set of research needs is proposed – also based holistically on updated research trends – discussing the degree of urgency of some measures and explaining why the UN SDGs need to be accorded greater priority in international sustainable development research efforts.