The number of charters and declarations, promoting sustainability in education is increasing with the number of universities integrating sustainability. For many universities, those declarations are self commitments and are used to improve public relations. Although they may have further implications, declarations can be a strong policy statement. Over 300 European universities have signed the Copernicus Charta and in the same moment, they sign a commitment for sustainable development. This shows that sustainability became an important issue. Universities can use the Charta to raise awareness among staff and convince them that they should act and demonstrate universities’ role and impact on society. Universities impact society by their four roles.
• Education: Universities train and influence future decision makers
• Research: University research influences daily life
• Administration/Management: Universities are large employers and consume all kinds of resources
• Role in Society/Outreach: Universities have a direct (regional development, actor in society) and indirect (education, research, administration) influence on societal development and especially the surrounding and environment.
By fulfilling their role and obligations, universities can contribute to a sustainable development for the society and the university itself. Good examples of each of those responsibilities offer universities ideas about what they can do. Of course good practices must be adapted to their own structure. To gain insight to the processes and the activities of other “sustainable” universities, universities can participate in the COPERNICUS University Core Group. Within this group, universities can benchmark themselves with others and can get a better understanding about the structure and proceedings of sustainability by learning about good practices and processes of other universities in other countries.
Integrating sustainability offers a new challenge for universities of which they can only succeed – Succeed in social well-being, ecological quality and economic prosperity.
Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
2 MILESTONES, DECLARATIONS AND POLICIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN UNIVERSITIES
2.1 The Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment
2.2 The Taillores Declaration
2.3 Agenda 21
2.4 The Kyoto Declaration
2.5 The CRE-COPERNICUS Charta
2.6 The Global Higher Education for Sustainability Partnership (GHESP)
2.7 The Lüneburg Declaration on Higher Education for Sustainable Development
2.8 The Ubuntu Declaration on Education and Science and Technology for Sustainable Future
2.9 The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Developments (DESD)
3 SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITIES RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1 Education
3.1.1 Kurt Lewin’s Ten Rules for Re-education
3.2 Research
3.3 Administration / Management
3.3.1 The Sustainability Task Force
3.3.2 Employment
3.3.2.1 Equality and Integration
3.3.2.2 Participation and Transparency
3.3.2.3 Social Security
3.3.3 Environmental Concepts
3.4 The Role of Universities in Society
3.4.1 Universities Contribution to National and Regional Development
3.4.2 Indirect Role in Society
3.4.3 Direct/Active Role in Society
4 GOOD PRACTICES OF SUSTAINABILITY AT UNIVERSITIES
4.1 Sustainability in Education
4.1.1 Environmental System Sciences at the University of Graz
4.1.2 European Virtual Seminar on Sustainable Development
4.1.3 The Impact Matrix of Good Practices in Education
4.2 Sustainable Research
4.2.1 Ökoprofit© International – INTERREG III C
4.2.2 The Impact Matrix of Good Practices in Research
4.3 Sustainable Administration
4.3.1 Sustainability Task Force at the University of Florida at Gainesville, USA
4.3.2 The Impact Matrix of Good Practices in Sustainable Administration
4.4 Sustainable Role in Society
4.4.1 The Lüneburg Case
4.4.2 The Impact Matrix of Good Practices of Universities Role in Society
4.5 The University of Graz: Development of a Sustainability Process
5 SUSTAINABILITY BENCHMARKING OF UNIVERSITIES
5.1 The ESMU Benchmarking Concept
5.1.1 The Sustainability ESMU – COPERNICUS Benchmarking Concept
6 FINAL CONSEQUENCES
Objectives and Core Themes
The thesis aims to provide scientific insight into international relations regarding Higher Education for Sustainable Development and serves as a guide for students and university stakeholders on how to integrate sustainability into university structures and operations.
- Analysis of international declarations, charters, and policies related to sustainability in higher education.
- Examination of the four fundamental responsibilities of universities: education, research, administration/management, and their societal role.
- Identification of "good practices" for integrating sustainability through case studies at various universities.
- Development of a benchmarking framework to support universities in assessing and improving their sustainability processes.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 The Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment
Sweden hosted the conference in response to severe damage of thousands of Swedish lakes by acid rain. The Stockholm Declaration was adopted following the conference on 16th of June 1972. Participants from 114 countries came to Stockholm for the UN Conference. Only one of the participants was an environmental minister, as most countries did not yet have environmental agencies. The delegates adopted 109 recommendations for government action and pushed to create the UN Environment Program.
“One of our prominent responsibilities in this conference is to issue an international declaration on the human environment; a document with no binding legislative imperatives, but – we hope - with moral authority, that will inspire in the hearts of men the desire to live in harmony with each other, and with their environment.” – Professor Mostafa K. Tolba, Head of the Egyptian delegation to the Stockholm Conference, UNEP Executive Director 1975 – 93
The Stockholm Declaration was the first declaration that had a heavy influence on higher education in terms of ecology, especially the environmental impact of humanity. The declaration clearly had an human-centered focus, stating: Principle 1: “Man has the fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well being, and he bears a solemn responsibility to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations…” (UNESCO, 1972).
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter outlines the thesis objective to provide scientific insight into Higher Education for Sustainable Development and explores key questions regarding university responsibilities and benchmarking.
2 MILESTONES, DECLARATIONS AND POLICIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN UNIVERSITIES: This chapter reviews the history of global declarations since 1972, such as the Stockholm Declaration and Agenda 21, and their role as commitments for universities to advance sustainable development.
3 SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITIES RESPONSIBILITIES: This section details the four core responsibilities of universities—education, research, administration, and their role in society—while highlighting the necessity of systematic change management.
4 GOOD PRACTICES OF SUSTAINABILITY AT UNIVERSITIES: This chapter presents concrete case studies from universities worldwide, applying an impact matrix to evaluate the effects of sustainability initiatives in education, research, and administration.
5 SUSTAINABILITY BENCHMARKING OF UNIVERSITIES: This chapter defines the concept of process benchmarking and details the ESMU-COPERNICUS approach as a tool for universities to improve their management performance by sharing best practices.
6 FINAL CONSEQUENCES: This final chapter synthesizes findings, emphasizing that signing declarations is only the first step and that active implementation, networking, and benchmarking are indispensable for true sustainable development in higher education.
Keywords
Higher Education, Sustainable Development, Environmental Education, University Management, Sustainability Declaration, Benchmarking, Copernicus Charta, Agenda 21, Institutional Commitment, Environmental Ethics, Interdisciplinarity, Sustainability Task Force, Quality Assurance, Global Partnership, Greening the Campus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on the integration of sustainable development principles into higher education institutions, analyzing the international policy context and practical implementation strategies.
Which specific areas of responsibility do universities have regarding sustainability?
Universities are responsible for sustainability in four key areas: education, research, administration and management, and their direct and indirect roles within the broader society.
What is the central research goal or question?
The core objective is to provide an introduction for students and stakeholders on how to integrate sustainability into university operations and to explore how international declarations impact these institutions.
What methodology does the author employ?
The research relies on the analysis of international declarations, review of existing organizational strategies (case studies), and the proposal of a benchmarking concept to facilitate institutional learning.
What is the main topic of the book's main section?
The main section investigates practical "good practices" at various universities, such as the "Environmental System Sciences" program in Graz and the "Sustainability Task Force" at the University of Florida.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD), University Benchmarking, Institutional Change, Environmental Literacy, and Stakeholder Engagement.
What role does the "Sustainability Task Force" play at a university?
The Task Force acts as a coordinating committee bringing together representatives from faculty, administration, students, and regional actors to plan, implement, and monitor sustainability initiatives.
Why is process benchmarking preferred over statistical benchmarking for universities?
Process benchmarking is preferred because it focuses on qualitative improvements and the exchange of experiences, which is more effective than statistical comparisons that often fail due to structural differences between institutions.
- Quote paper
- Mag. Clemens Mader (Author), 2004, Integration of Sustainability into Universities - Good Practices and Benchmarking for Integration, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/75222
