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Romanian Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes And Behaviors Regarding Sustainability. Testing An Assessment Instrument

Author

Listed:
  • Sorana SĂVEANU

    (Department of Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania)

  • Raluca BUHAȘ

    (Department of Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania)

  • Tomina SĂVEANU

    (Research Center for Competitiveness and Sustaibable Development, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania)

  • Maria-Madela ABRUDAN

    (Department of Management-Marketing, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania)

Abstract

Universities’ role in promoting sustainability and the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is increasingly highlighted in the recent years. The high number of academic papers published in this field stands as proof of the attention received by these subjects. The integration of sustainability in education implies the transmission of principles, values and practices in teaching-learning activities, research and in institutional operations. While studies focus on the type of educational and extracurricular actions that universities may promote in order to develop more sustainability aware students, less attention is devoted to the actual impact of these practices. The Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) approach starts with the assessment of the current state: what is being done in universities and what is the level of sustainability awareness among the main actors, mainly students. Having a concrete picture regarding the students’ level of sustainability literacy, we can identify opportunities to develop new implementation practices that address the sustainability issue within higher education. Currently, there is no consensus over a tool to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes as well as behaviors of students regarding sustainability and the SDGs. Nevertheless, efforts were made in this line of research. Our study focuses on the methodologies to assess these aspects. Based on previously used tools, we developed and tested a questionnaire on Romanian student population. The tested scales for sustainability knowledge, attitudes and behaviors highlight the different pillars of sustainable development, namely: social, economic and environmental, revealing that more focus is given to the latter.

Suggested Citation

  • Sorana SĂVEANU & Raluca BUHAȘ & Tomina SĂVEANU & Maria-Madela ABRUDAN, 2024. "Romanian Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes And Behaviors Regarding Sustainability. Testing An Assessment Instrument," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 33(1), pages 602-617, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:ora:journl:v:33:y:2024:i:1:p:602-617
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chaofan Chen & Qi An & Lijuan Zheng & Chenghua Guan, 2022. "Sustainability Literacy: Assessment of Knowingness, Attitude and Behavior Regarding Sustainable Development among Students in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Alex Michalos & Heather Creech & Christina McDonald & P. Kahlke, 2011. "Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours. Concerning Education for Sustainable Development: Two Exploratory Studies," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(3), pages 391-413, February.
    3. Compagnucci, Lorenzo & Spigarelli, Francesca, 2020. "The Third Mission of the university: A systematic literature review on potentials and constraints," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    4. Alex Michalos & P. Kahlke & Karen Rempel & Anu Lounatvuori & Anne MacDiarmid & Heather Creech & Carolee Buckler, 2015. "Progress in Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours Concerning Sustainable Development Among Tenth Grade Students in Manitoba," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 123(2), pages 303-336, September.
    5. Alex Michalos & Heather Creech & Natalie Swayze & P. Maurine Kahlke & Carolee Buckler & Karen Rempel, 2012. "Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours Concerning Sustainable Development among Tenth Grade Students in Manitoba," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 106(2), pages 213-238, April.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Education for Sustainable Development (ESD); Higher education (HE); SDGs; students knowledge; attitudes and behaviors.;
    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
    • A20 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development

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