Session Information
ERG SES D 04, Higher Education and Research in Education
Paper Session
Contribution
Sustainable university term was firstly defined in the Tallories Declaration in 1990 and the role of higher education to develop sustainable universities was emphasized in the Halifax Declaration (1992). Universities have an important value in raising awareness, enriching knowledge, developing technology tools, education, research as well as policy for such a sustainable future (Cortese, 1992). Universities influence both local and national environment. Moreover, they also affect graduates and their future plans related to society (Cortese, 2003). Orr (2006) noted that sustainable universities may grow green minds and therefore, he suggested that there should be a green movement in the universities. However, the problem is that the graduates from the best universities of the world lead to unhealthy, inequitable and unsustainable world (Cortese, 2003). Therefore, universities should shift their positions toward more sustainable practices and educate their students for a sustainable society (Lukman & Glaviç, 2007). On the other hand, according to some research studies (Earl, Lawrence, Harris & Stiller, 2003; Summers, et al., 2004) university students have a lack of knowledge of SD and they do not understand the complexity and multi-faceted area of SD. Although university students believe that they should take action to protect the natural resources for a sustainable future, they do not reflect their beliefs in their actions (Tuncer, 2008). This is another problem that should be taken into consideration in the higher education. Universities can disseminate the sustainability through their vision, mission and strategies effectively (Lukman & Glavic, 2007). The purpose of this position paper is to indicate three sustainable campus models in UK (University of East Anglia, University of Salford, and Oxford Brookes) and present suggestions to support sustainability and develop students’ sustainability understanding and their positive actions in the university campuses. This study is a relevant part of an incipient sustainable campus project in our university.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Cortese, A. D. (1992). Education for an environmentally sustainable future: a priority for environmental protection. Environmental Science Technology, 8, 1108-1111. Cortese, A. D. (2003). The critical role of higher education in creating a sustainable future. Planning for Higher Education, 31 (3), 15-22. Earl, C., Lawrence, A., Harris, N., & Stiller, S. (2003). The campus community and the concept of sustainability: an assessment of college of Charleston student perceptions. Annual Review of Undergraduate Research at the College of Charleston, 2, 85-102. Emanuel, R., & Adams, J. N. (2010). College students’ perceptions of campus sustainability. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 12 (1), 79-92. Halifax Declaration (1991). Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, June 04 2011 retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/iau/sd/sd_declarations.html Lukman, R., & Glavic, P. (2007). What are the key elements of a sustainable university? Clean Techn Environ Policy, 9, 103-114. M’Gonigle M., & Starke, J. (2006). Planet U, sustaining the world, reinventing the university. New Society Publishers, Canada Şahin, E. (2008). An examination of indications for a green curriculum application towards sustainability. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. Şahin, E., Ertepınar, H., & Tuncer, G. (2009). Implications for a green curriculum application toward sustainable development. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 37,123-135. Scott, W. and Gough, S. (2003) Oral evidence to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee’s enquiry into sustainable development, University of Bath. Summers, M., Corney, G., & Childs, A. (2004). Student teachers’ conceptions of sustainable development: the starting points of geographers and scientists. Educational Research, 46 (2), 163-182. Tuncer, G. (2008). University students' perception on sustainable development: A Case Study from Turkey. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 17 (3), 212-226. Orr, (2006). Green campuses / Green minds: Improving the still unlovely human mind. 21 November, retrieved June 01 2011 from http://www.davidworr.com/articles.php
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