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Higher Education for Sustainability: A Bibliometric Approach—What, Where and Who Is Doing Research in This Subject?

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  • Carolina Feliciana Machado

    (School of Economics and Management, University of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-054 Braga, Portugal
    Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA.UMinho), University of Minho, 4710-054 Braga, Portugal)

  • João Paulo Davim

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

Abstract

Contextualization: From a very early age, assuming more prominence over the last decades, issues related to sustainability have been taking on a particular interest in the field of research. Although initially the basic concern was at the level of environmental sustainability, the truth is that, progressively, education for sustainability, deeply linked to the science of sustainability, constitutes, together with the latter, the scientific basis for education for the sustainability in higher education, thus emerging a research niche capable of providing greater openness and interaction between higher education institutions and their surroundings. Main aims of the study: Due to the importance that this issue assumes, this article seeks to address the issue of sustainability in higher education, giving particular focus to the analysis at the level of studies that have been developed, which are the main countries and institutions where this has been most researched, as well as which main researchers have been working on this issue. Methodology: For this purpose, and using information taken from the Scopus Database, a bibliometric analysis was carried out, which based on the items “higher education” and “sustainability” allowed to identify a set of 4410 publications. Main results: The results obtained allow to conclude that the number of publications in this area has been observing a significant increase over the last 30 years, with the United States, UK, Spain, Australia and Germany emerging as the countries which publish the most, and within these the Leuphana Universitat Luneburg, RMIT, Hochschule fur Angewandte Wissenschaften Hamburg, Manchester Metropolitan and the Arizona State universities that most publish in this field of research. The five main researchers in the field of higher education for sustainability, were also highlighted. Main contributions: Theoretical and practical contributions were highlighgted, namely, the contribution for government entities and the respective HEIs to reflect on the possible synergies to be developed, as well as to establish strategies and policies promoters of a more efficient and effective investment in research in higher education for sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Carolina Feliciana Machado & João Paulo Davim, 2022. "Higher Education for Sustainability: A Bibliometric Approach—What, Where and Who Is Doing Research in This Subject?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-15, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:8:p:4482-:d:790213
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Begoña Etxebarria & Francisco Sánchez & Naiara Rojo & Astrid Barona, 2022. "Multiple Intelligence Informed Resources for Addressing Sustainable Development Goals in Management Engineering," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-16, July.
    2. Joo-Young Jung, 2022. "The Effect of Authentic Leadership of Deans and Directors on Sustainable Organizational Commitment at Universities: Mediated by Organizational Culture and Trust," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Angel Deroncele-Acosta & Rosa Victoria Jiménez-Chumacero & Sofía Gamarra-Mendoza & José Gregorio Brito-Garcías & Hernán Gerardo Flores-Valdivieso & Miriam Encarnación Velázquez-Tejeda & Félix Fernando, 2023. "Trends in Educational Research for Sustainable Development in Postgraduate Education Programs at a University in Peru," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Carolina Feliciana Machado & J. Paulo Davim, 2023. "Sustainability in the Modernization of Higher Education: Curricular Transformation and Sustainable Campus—A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-28, May.

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