Higher Education Institutions as Drivers
of Sustainable Communities: A Case
Study of the University of Southern Santa
Catarina Empowering the Community
Wellyngton Silva de Amorim, Samara da Silva Neiva,
Brenda Caroline Geraldo Castro, André Borchardt Deggau,
Ana Valquiria Jonck, Celso Lopes de Albuquerque Junior
and José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra
Abstract Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a key role in creating change
in communities and societies as a whole. As a result of the emergence of new challenges, mainly related to the management of resources (food, water and energy), the
promotion of well-being, security, equality and education, universities are pressured
to become responsible for promoting sustainable development in communities. In
this sense, this study presents the case of a Brazilian Community University, the University of Southern Santa Catarina (Unisul), which implements numerous practices
aimed at the community, carrying out training, education, research, outreach, academic events, consulting on business, legal assistance and medical clinics, as well
as promoting sustainability within campuses’ infrastructure, inspiring local communities to incorporate the University’s sustainable values. In addition to the many
benefits obtained through actions taken by HEIs and living labs, it is hoped that
such actions will cooperate with sustainable development goals (SDGs) to achieve
W. S. de Amorim (B) · S. da S. Neiva · B. C. G. Castro · A. B. Deggau · A. V. Jonck ·
C. L. de Albuquerque Junior · J. B. S. O. de A. Guerra
Centre for Sustainable Development (GREENS), University of Southern Santa Catarina (Unisul),
34 Adolfo Melo Street, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
e-mail: wellyngton.amorim@gmail.com
S. da S. Neiva
e-mail: samara.neiva@unisul.br
B. C. G. Castro
e-mail: brendacarolyne19@gmail.com
A. B. Deggau
e-mail: andre.deggau@gmail.com
A. V. Jonck
e-mail: anajonck15@gmail.com
C. L. de Albuquerque Junior
e-mail: celsohorti@gmail.com
J. B. S. O. de A. Guerra
e-mail: baltazar.guerra@unisul.br
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
W. Leal Filho et al. (eds.), Universities and Sustainable Communities:
Meeting the Goals of the Agenda 2030, World Sustainability Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30306-8_50
805
of Sustainable Communities: A Case
Study of the University of Southern Santa
Catarina Empowering the Community
Wellyngton Silva de Amorim, Samara da Silva Neiva,
Brenda Caroline Geraldo Castro, André Borchardt Deggau,
Ana Valquiria Jonck, Celso Lopes de Albuquerque Junior
and José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra
Abstract Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a key role in creating change
in communities and societies as a whole. As a result of the emergence of new challenges, mainly related to the management of resources (food, water and energy), the
promotion of well-being, security, equality and education, universities are pressured
to become responsible for promoting sustainable development in communities. In
this sense, this study presents the case of a Brazilian Community University, the University of Southern Santa Catarina (Unisul), which implements numerous practices
aimed at the community, carrying out training, education, research, outreach, academic events, consulting on business, legal assistance and medical clinics, as well
as promoting sustainability within campuses’ infrastructure, inspiring local communities to incorporate the University’s sustainable values. In addition to the many
benefits obtained through actions taken by HEIs and living labs, it is hoped that
such actions will cooperate with sustainable development goals (SDGs) to achieve
W. S. de Amorim (B) · S. da S. Neiva · B. C. G. Castro · A. B. Deggau · A. V. Jonck ·
C. L. de Albuquerque Junior · J. B. S. O. de A. Guerra
Centre for Sustainable Development (GREENS), University of Southern Santa Catarina (Unisul),
34 Adolfo Melo Street, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
e-mail: wellyngton.amorim@gmail.com
S. da S. Neiva
e-mail: samara.neiva@unisul.br
B. C. G. Castro
e-mail: brendacarolyne19@gmail.com
A. B. Deggau
e-mail: andre.deggau@gmail.com
A. V. Jonck
e-mail: anajonck15@gmail.com
C. L. de Albuquerque Junior
e-mail: celsohorti@gmail.com
J. B. S. O. de A. Guerra
e-mail: baltazar.guerra@unisul.br
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
W. Leal Filho et al. (eds.), Universities and Sustainable Communities:
Meeting the Goals of the Agenda 2030, World Sustainability Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30306-8_50
805