IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i19p10875-d647112.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainable University: From the Worldwide Conception to the Brazilian Amazonia

Author

Listed:
  • Jacqueline Bailão da Silva Lopes

    (Doctoral Program in Society, Nature and Development (PPGSND), Institute of Biodiversity and Forests, Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém 68040-255, Brazil)

  • Thiago Almeida Vieira

    (Doctoral Program in Society, Nature and Development (PPGSND), Institute of Biodiversity and Forests, Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém 68040-255, Brazil)

Abstract

Higher Education as a transforming instrument in societies raises the need for universities and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as a whole to be leaders in the current paradigm of the time. The objectives of this study are to verify and analyze the movement and actions around the world that drove and started the conceptual model of Sustainable University (SU), as well as these ideas that started in Brazil and their implications for the reality of the Brazilian Amazon Region. A timeline has been sketched and provides additional theoretical insights into universities’ involvement in events before and after the sustainable development process. The methodological procedures were based on a wide literature review in scientific databases that gather journals with satisfactory impact factors; with the refinement of the searches, 87 scientific articles supported the analysis of this study. The results show that universities have played a prominent role on the world stage since 1950, in the post-war period. In the 1970s, HEIs sought to engage in the design of the new paradigm, and in the 1980s it is enunciated as Sustainable Development and conceptualized by the Sustainability approach. Universities, which had been active in discussions and events related to sustainability from the late 1980s onwards, began to organize themselves more effectively and promote sustainable initiatives to become examples of sustainability. Currently, many HEIs from countries in Europe and North America stand out in the initiatives. In Brazil, according to a global classifier, some HEIs seek to align themselves towards the SU model. Until 2019, no university in the Brazilian Amazon region had integrated the ranking, but in 2020, two appear in the list. It appears that information on the sustainability of universities inserted in the context of the Brazilian Amazon is still incipient.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacqueline Bailão da Silva Lopes & Thiago Almeida Vieira, 2021. "Sustainable University: From the Worldwide Conception to the Brazilian Amazonia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-31, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:19:p:10875-:d:647112
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/19/10875/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/19/10875/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Muhammet Usak & Ming Yuan Hsieh & Yung-Kuan Chan, 2021. "A Concretizing Research on Making Higher-Education Sustainability Count," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Hamed Gholami & Mohamad Faizal Bachok & Muhamad Zameri Mat Saman & Dalia Streimikiene & Safian Sharif & Norhayati Zakuan, 2020. "An ISM Approach for the Barrier Analysis in Implementing Green Campus Operations: Towards Higher Education Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Dietz, Simon & Neumayer, Eric, 2007. "Weak and strong sustainability in the SEEA: Concepts and measurement," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(4), pages 617-626, March.
    4. Tajammal Hussain & Jacob Eskildsen & Rick Edgeman & Muhammad Ismail & Alaa Mohamd Shoukry & Showkat Gani, 2019. "Imperatives of Sustainable University Excellence: A Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-21, September.
    5. Giulia Sonetti & Caterina Barioglio & Daniele Campobenedetto, 2020. "Education for Sustainability in Practice: A Review of Current Strategies within Italian Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-24, June.
    6. Habib M. Alshuwaikhat & Yusuf A. Adenle & Bilal Saghir, 2016. "Sustainability Assessment of Higher Education Institutions in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-16, August.
    7. Yonghua Zou & Wanxia Zhao & Robert Mason & Meizhen Li, 2015. "Comparing Sustainable Universities between the United States and China: Cases of Indiana University and Tsinghua University," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-19, August.
    8. Ken Oyama & Ayari G. Pasquier & Edgar Mojica, 2018. "Transition to Sustainability in Macro-Universities: The Experience of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-16, December.
    9. Annina Lattu & Yuzhuo Cai, 2020. "Tensions in the Sustainability of Higher Education—The Case of Finnish Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, March.
    10. Rodrigo Lozano & Michelle Y. Merrill & Kaisu Sammalisto & Kim Ceulemans & Francisco J. Lozano, 2017. "Connecting Competences and Pedagogical Approaches for Sustainable Development in Higher Education: A Literature Review and Framework Proposal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, October.
    11. Nabil Hasan Al-Kumaim & Abdulsalam K. Alhazmi & Fathey Mohammed & Nadhmi A. Gazem & Muhammad Salman Shabbir & Yousef Fazea, 2021. "Exploring the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on University Students’ Learning Life: An Integrated Conceptual Motivational Model for Sustainable and Healthy Online Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-20, February.
    12. Rocsana Bucea-Manea-Țoniş & Radu Bucea-Manea-Țoniş & Violeta Elena Simion & Dragan Ilic & Cezar Braicu & Natalia Manea, 2020. "Sustainability in Higher Education: The Relationship between Work-Life Balance and XR E-Learning Facilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-18, July.
    13. Walter Leal Filho & João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio & Adriana Cristina Ferreira Caldana & Markus Will & Amanda Lange Salvia & Izabela S. Rampasso & Rosley Anholon & Johannes Platje & Marina Kova, 2020. "Sustainability Leadership in Higher Education Institutions: An Overview of Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-19, May.
    14. Evropi‐Sofia Dalampira & Stefanos A. Nastis, 2020. "Mapping Sustainable Development Goals: A network analysis framework," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(1), pages 46-55, January.
    15. Jean-Paul D. Addie, 2017. "From the urban university to universities in urban society," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(7), pages 1089-1099, July.
    16. Simona Șimon & Claudia E. Stoian & Vasile Gherheș, 2020. "The Concept of Sustainability in the Romanian Top Universities’ Strategic Plans," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-22, April.
    17. Jay Whitehead, 2017. "Prioritizing Sustainability Indicators: Using Materiality Analysis to Guide Sustainability Assessment and Strategy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 399-412, March.
    18. 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.
    19. I. Sachs, 1978. "Ecodéveloppement : une approche de planification," Économie rurale, Programme National Persée, vol. 124(1), pages 16-22.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Manuel Muñoz-Suárez & Natividad Guadalajara & José M. Osca, 2020. "A Comparative Analysis between Global University Rankings and Environmental Sustainability of Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-19, July.
    2. Claudia E. Stoian & Simona Șimon & Vasile Gherheș, 2021. "A Comparative Analysis of the Use of the Concept of Sustainability in the Romanian Top Universities’ Strategic Plans," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-34, September.
    3. Lam-Huu-Phuoc Nguyen & Nguyen-Bich-Thy Bui & Thi-Ngoc-Cam Nguyen & Chin-Fei Huang, 2022. "An Investigation into the Perspectives of Elementary Pre-Service Teachers on Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-22, August.
    4. Asma Fahim & Qingmei Tan & Bushra Naz & Qurat ul Ain & Sibghat Ullah Bazai, 2021. "Sustainable Higher Education Reform Quality Assessment Using SWOT Analysis with Integration of AHP and Entropy Models: A Case Study of Morocco," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-19, April.
    5. Anete Veidemane, 2022. "Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education Rankings: Challenges and Opportunities for Developing Internationally Comparable Indicators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, April.
    6. Nicole Motzer & Aleta Rudeen Weller & K Curran & Simon Donner & Ronald J. Heustis & Cathy Jordan & Margaret Krebs & Lydia Olandar & Kirsten Rowell & Linda Silka & Diana H. Wall & Abigail York, 2021. "Integrating Programmatic Expertise from across the US and Canada to Model and Guide Leadership Training for Graduate Students in Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-20, August.
    7. Simona Șimon & Claudia E. Stoian & Vasile Gherheș, 2020. "The Concept of Sustainability in the Romanian Top Universities’ Strategic Plans," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-22, April.
    8. Habib M. Alshuwaikhat & Ismaila R. Abubakar & Yusuf A. Aina & Yusuf A. Adenle & Muhammad Umair, 2017. "The Development of a GIS-Based Model for Campus Environmental Sustainability Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-23, March.
    9. Laís Viera Trevisan & João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio & Bárbara Galleli Dias & Walter Leal Filho & Eugênio Ávila Pedrozo, 2024. "Digital transformation towards sustainability in higher education: state-of-the-art and future research insights," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 2789-2810, February.
    10. Primiano Di Nauta & Enrica Iannuzzi & Michele Milone & Claudio Nigro, 2020. "The Impact of the Sustainability Principles on the Strategic Planning and Reporting of Universities. An Exploratory Study on a Qualified Italian Sample," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-21, September.
    11. Adel Alshammari, 2025. "Assessing campus sustainability in Saudi universities: faculty perspectives and institutional challenges—a case study of three leading universities," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    12. William Horan & Bernadette O’Regan, 2021. "Developing a Practical Framework of Sustainability Indicators Relevant to All Higher Education Institutions to Enable Meaningful International Rankings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, January.
    13. Javier Alejandro Bermeo Pacheco & María Mercedes Teijeiro-Álvarez & María Teresa García-Álvarez, 2020. "Sustainable Development in the Economic, Environmental, and Social Fields of Ecuadorian Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-21, September.
    14. Xiaodan Zhou & Ling-Hsiu Chen & Chin-Ling Chen, 2019. "Collaborative Learning by Teaching: A Pedagogy between Learner-Centered and Learner-Driven," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-14, February.
    15. Van de Kerk, Geurt & Manuel, Arthur R., 2008. "A comprehensive index for a sustainable society: The SSI -- the Sustainable Society Index," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(2-3), pages 228-242, June.
    16. Pezzey, John C.V. & Burke, Paul J., 2014. "Towards a more inclusive and precautionary indicator of global sustainability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 141-154.
    17. 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.
    18. Rodrigo Lozano & Maria Barreiro-Gen & Francisco J. Lozano & Kaisu Sammalisto, 2019. "Teaching Sustainability in European Higher Education Institutions: Assessing the Connections between Competences and Pedagogical Approaches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-17, March.
    19. Rocsana Bucea-Manea-Țoniș & Luciela Vasile & Rareș Stănescu & Alina Moanță, 2022. "Creating IoT-Enriched Learner-Centered Environments in Sports Science Higher Education during the Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-25, April.
    20. MICHAILIDIS Anastasios & LIVADIOTIS Anastasios & NIKOULI Smaragda & LAZARIDOU Dimitra & TSOUKALIDIS Ioannis & DALAMPIRA Evropi-Sofia, 2022. "Investigating Technology Transfer Gaps Through Farmers Field School," European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Bucharest Economic Academy, issue 02, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:19:p:10875-:d:647112. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.