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- 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.
- 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.