812
W. S. de Amorim et al.
3.3 The Role of Universities in the Development
of Sustainable Communities
Human settlements are becoming increasingly urbanized, following a long-time
trend: in 1930, 30% of the population lived in cities (Roseland and Spiliotopoulou
2017); in 2014, more than half of the world lived in these areas and this number is
expected to grow to 75% by 2050 (Clark and Cooke 2015). While cities are catalysts
of innovation, productivity, technology and infrastructure development (UN-Habitat
2016), such urbanization brings new problems and might reinforce existing ones,
such as pollution, vulnerability to natural disasters, incapacity of providing basic
services (United Nations 2017).
Since cities are increasingly the centre of human habitation and production, they
are the places where solutions to these problems must be found. SDG 11 in the UN’s
2030 Agenda is “Sustainable Cities and Communities” (United Nations 2015b).
While there is a not a clear model of what a sustainable community looks like (Roseland and Spiliotopoulou 2017), cities and communities need to address problems in
housing, transport, economy and environment in order to be considered sustainable
(United Nations 2016). Other areas, such as waste collection (United Nations 2017)
and air quality (United Nations 2018a) still need to be addressed.
HEIs are believed to be the best place to start environmental-friendly activities,
since they can teach principles of education and management (Freidenfelds et al.
2018) and are key drivers in changing society, be it participating in community
sustainable actions or managing their own structure sustainably (Yáñez et al. 2019).
HEIs and civil society would both greatly benefit from more connection in their
practical and theoretical work; however, community engagement is currently not
incentivized, since cooperation outcomes are not recognized as legitimate results
by the current structure of scientific production ( ˇ
Cada and Ptᡠcková 2013). If HEIs
could empower their students to act on sustainability issues with holistic thinking,
a bottom-up approach to sustainability in communities would be possible (Szitar
2014).
4 The Water Resources Plan of the Itapocu River Basin:
The Case of Unisul
Unisul is a community university in southern Brazil, established in 1964 in the
state of Santa Catarina. The institution has 3 campuses, around 25.000 students and
more than 100 distance education hubs. In order to improve knowledge production,
development and dissemination, Unisul invests in education, research and outreach
and commits to pluralism and a free flow of ideas (Unisul 2019a, b). Since it is a
community university, Unisul is a non-profit institution with social responsibility,
committed to education, social welfare and student development and devoted to
public use (Unisul 2019a; Teixeira 1994).
W. S. de Amorim et al.
3.3 The Role of Universities in the Development
of Sustainable Communities
Human settlements are becoming increasingly urbanized, following a long-time
trend: in 1930, 30% of the population lived in cities (Roseland and Spiliotopoulou
2017); in 2014, more than half of the world lived in these areas and this number is
expected to grow to 75% by 2050 (Clark and Cooke 2015). While cities are catalysts
of innovation, productivity, technology and infrastructure development (UN-Habitat
2016), such urbanization brings new problems and might reinforce existing ones,
such as pollution, vulnerability to natural disasters, incapacity of providing basic
services (United Nations 2017).
Since cities are increasingly the centre of human habitation and production, they
are the places where solutions to these problems must be found. SDG 11 in the UN’s
2030 Agenda is “Sustainable Cities and Communities” (United Nations 2015b).
While there is a not a clear model of what a sustainable community looks like (Roseland and Spiliotopoulou 2017), cities and communities need to address problems in
housing, transport, economy and environment in order to be considered sustainable
(United Nations 2016). Other areas, such as waste collection (United Nations 2017)
and air quality (United Nations 2018a) still need to be addressed.
HEIs are believed to be the best place to start environmental-friendly activities,
since they can teach principles of education and management (Freidenfelds et al.
2018) and are key drivers in changing society, be it participating in community
sustainable actions or managing their own structure sustainably (Yáñez et al. 2019).
HEIs and civil society would both greatly benefit from more connection in their
practical and theoretical work; however, community engagement is currently not
incentivized, since cooperation outcomes are not recognized as legitimate results
by the current structure of scientific production ( ˇ
Cada and Ptᡠcková 2013). If HEIs
could empower their students to act on sustainability issues with holistic thinking,
a bottom-up approach to sustainability in communities would be possible (Szitar
2014).
4 The Water Resources Plan of the Itapocu River Basin:
The Case of Unisul
Unisul is a community university in southern Brazil, established in 1964 in the
state of Santa Catarina. The institution has 3 campuses, around 25.000 students and
more than 100 distance education hubs. In order to improve knowledge production,
development and dissemination, Unisul invests in education, research and outreach
and commits to pluralism and a free flow of ideas (Unisul 2019a, b). Since it is a
community university, Unisul is a non-profit institution with social responsibility,
committed to education, social welfare and student development and devoted to
public use (Unisul 2019a; Teixeira 1994).