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What Sustainability? Higher Education Institutions’ Pathways to Reach the Agenda 2030 Goals

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  • Isabel Ruiz-Mallén

    (Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona 08860, Spain)

  • María Heras

    (Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona 08860, Spain)

Abstract

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have the mandate of promoting sustainability through addressing the Agenda 2030. However, how this is being understood and framed in both discourse and practice by HEIs remains an underexplored issue. This article interrogates the concept of sustainability embraced by ten key HEIs networks at global and regional levels while identifying and discussing the main pathways for action displayed. We rely on HEIs networks’ data from available online documents related to the Agenda 2030. “Greening” is the dominant sustainability discourse among the global and many regional HEIs networks, that is, the one that refers to the links between people, planet and profit. Two other discourses are minor and regional, “resilience” and “alternative”. The “alternative” discourse is the only one entailing a critical approach to the Agenda 2030 goals. All networks promote changes in HEIs organizational culture to embed sustainability values in strategic planning, academic and managerial work. Yet there is a need for further engagement with society to readdress HEIs societal role. Deep and critical reflection of the worldviews, contradictions and tensions in the discourses and practices proposed by HEIs networks at global and regional scales is also needed to build common pathways toward sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Isabel Ruiz-Mallén & María Heras, 2020. "What Sustainability? Higher Education Institutions’ Pathways to Reach the Agenda 2030 Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:4:p:1290-:d:318982
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    1. Norka Blanco-Portela & Luis R-Pertierra & Javier Benayas & Rodrigo Lozano, 2018. "Sustainability Leaders’ Perceptions on the Drivers for and the Barriers to the Integration of Sustainability in Latin American Higher Education Institutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, August.
    2. Maarten Van Opstal & Jean Huge, 2013. "Knowledge for sustainable development: A worldviews perspective," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/184399, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    3. Casey Stevens & Norichika Kanie, 2016. "The transformative potential of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 393-396, June.
    4. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
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    2. Stephen N. Hamilton & Richard D. Waters, 2022. "Mainstreaming Standardized Sustainability Reporting: Comparing Fortune 50 Corporations’ and U.S. News & World Report’s Top 50 Global Universities’ Sustainability Reports," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-17, March.
    3. Alberto Paucar‐Caceres & Melissa Franchini Cavalcanti‐Bandos & Silvia Cristina Quispe‐Prieto & Lucero Nicole Huerta‐Tantalean & Katarzyna Werner‐Masters, 2022. "Using soft systems methodology to align community projects with sustainability development in higher education stakeholders' networks in a Brazilian university," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(4), pages 750-764, July.
    4. Ebiyon Idundun & Andrew S. Hursthouse & Iain McLellan, 2021. "Carbon Management in UK Higher Education Institutions: An Overview," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-16, September.
    5. Andrea Cuesta‐Claros & Shirin Malekpour & Rob Raven & Tahl Kestin, 2022. "Understanding the roles of universities for sustainable development transformations: A framing analysis of university models," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(4), pages 525-538, August.
    6. Bacci, Silvia & Fabbricatore, Rosa & Iannario, Maria, 2023. "Multilevel IRT models for the analysis of satisfaction for distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    7. Brodny, Jarosław & Tutak, Magdalena, 2023. "Assessing regional implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 9 “Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation” in Poland," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).

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