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Drivers and Barriers of Implementing Sustainability Curricula in Higher Education - Assumptions and Evidence

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  • Marie Weiss
  • Matthias Barth
  • Arnim Wiek
  • Henrik von Wehrden

Abstract

Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) depends, in part, on the sustainability competencies of professionals in various fields, and thus, on the implementation of sustainability curricula in higher education. While many universities now offer sustainability curricula, and many more aspire to, there is a lack of evidence on what supports or hinders such implementation. This article presents a meta-study on 133 case studies from universities around the world and synthesizes the main drivers and barriers, identifies information gaps, and tests prominent assumptions on implementing sustainability curricula in higher education. The findings confirm that such implementation is associated with strong leadership by the university; incentives and support through professional development; concurrent implementation of sustainability in research, campus operations, and outreach; formal involvement of internal and external stakeholders as well as sustainability champions, among others. Common research protocols for case studies are needed to yield comparable data on these influencing variables and to enhance reliability of cross-case comparisons. Most sustainability programs could utilize the findings for informing their implementation processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Marie Weiss & Matthias Barth & Arnim Wiek & Henrik von Wehrden, 2021. "Drivers and Barriers of Implementing Sustainability Curricula in Higher Education - Assumptions and Evidence," Higher Education Studies, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(2), pages 1-42, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibn:hesjnl:v:11:y:2021:i:2:p:42
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Gregory Trencher & Masaru Yarime & Kes B. McCormick & Christopher N. H. Doll & Steven B. Kraines, 2014. "Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 41(2), pages 151-179.
    4. United Nations, 2016. "The Sustainable Development Goals 2016," Working Papers id:11456, eSocialSciences.
    5. Kim Ceulemans & Rodrigo Lozano & María Del Mar Alonso-Almeida, 2015. "Sustainability Reporting in Higher Education: Interconnecting the Reporting Process and Organisational Change Management for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-23, July.
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    1. Pilar Martín-Hernández & Marta Gil-Lacruz & Ana I. Gil-Lacruz & Juan Luis Azkue-Beteta & Eva M. Lira & Luis Cantarero, 2021. "Fostering University Students’ Engagement in Teamwork and Innovation Behaviors through Game-Based Learning (GBL)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-16, December.

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    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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