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How Do Students Assess the Sustainability of Their University? A Comparison between Dutch and Romanian Students from Business Schools

Author

Listed:
  • Florentin Popescu

    (HAN University of Applied Sciences (Arnhem Business School), Netherlands)

  • Tudor Edu

    (Romanian American University, Romania)

  • Iliuta Costel Negricea

    (Romanian American University, Romania)

  • Rãzvan Zaharia

    (The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania)

  • Rodica Milena Zaharia

    (The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania)

Abstract

This article is exploratory in its essence and aims to analyse the sustainability of universities in the case of three higher education institutions: one university from the Netherlands and two universities from Romania. The main focus is on the awareness of the sustainable university concept among students and on the perception students have about their university: do they consider their university as being a sustainable one? Why? Do they consider they are educated to act as future sustainable business persons? There is a growing interest in researching students’ perceptions on the sustainability of universities. Students are the key stakeholders; they represent the future business people, employees, managers or entrepreneurs, responsible for sustainable development. Therefore, universities have to build a “sustainable mindset” for their graduates. This research related to students’ perception on sustainable university has two phases. The first one involved a secondary data analysis, based on the online information provided by the universities, in order to assess the sustainability of these universities considering the adapted Deming spiral (planning, operating, reporting and innovating). The second phase involved a qualitative research among students from these three universities, based on focus groups, about the awareness of the sustainable university concept, how they perceive their university from the sustainability point of view and how prepared they consider to be to act as future sustainable persons. Comparisons between universities are performed. The conclusions discuss possible solutions for universities to become more sustainable, and good practices that can be shared among universities are identified.

Suggested Citation

  • Florentin Popescu & Tudor Edu & Iliuta Costel Negricea & Rãzvan Zaharia & Rodica Milena Zaharia, 2020. "How Do Students Assess the Sustainability of Their University? A Comparison between Dutch and Romanian Students from Business Schools," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 22(54), pages 412-412, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:aes:amfeco:v:22:y:2020:i:54:p:412
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Giulia Sonetti & Patrizia Lombardi & Lorenzo Chelleri, 2016. "True Green and Sustainable University Campuses? Toward a Clusters Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-23, January.
    2. Charles Kivunja, 2015. "Innovative Methodologies for 21st Century Learning, Teaching and Assessment: A Convenience Sampling Investigation into the Use of Social Media Technologies in Higher Education," International Journal of Higher Education, Sciedu Press, vol. 4(2), pages 1-1, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Liana Badea & George Laurențiu Șerban-Oprescu & Silvia Dedu & Grigore Ioan Piroșcă, 2020. "The Impact of Education for Sustainable Development on Romanian Economics and Business Students’ Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-17, October.
    2. Elisabeta-Emilia Halmaghi & Diana-Elena Ranf & Dorel Badea, 2023. "Interdisciplinary Exploration between Organizational Culture and Sustainable Development Management Applied to the Romanian Higher Education Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sustainable university; sustainable development; students’ opinion; Netherlands; Romania;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • I29 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Other

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