Sustainable Campuses as Living Labs for Sustainable …
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assess the peaks of energy generated, how much carbon is mitigated, how many trees
are saved, and other forms of study).
Interviewee 5 considers that “the example is a great way to mobilize and raise
awareness” on sustainability. Therefore, sustainable campuses contribute directly to
“create and demonstrate ways for students and the community to interact with these
technologies”, being “a great showcase for sustainability actions that can be expanded
to other communities”. Thus, Interviewee 9 and Interviewee 10 also believe that the
experience of sustainability practices on university campuses contributes to cultural
and behavioral changes.
Interviewee 11 considers the university campus as an incubator of new ideas, new
habits, new technologies, then “the more the campus assumes this responsibility with
sustainability, the more it forms people which will multiply these actions”. Accordingly, people in contact with the campus become multipliers and disseminators of
the sustainability practices, attitudes, knowledge and experiences lived on campus.
Interviewee 13 understands Unisul as a community and innovative university,
concerned with meeting social demands through research and outreach, transferring knowledge and technologies to the society, promoting sustainable development.
Thus, the university must penetrate the community and society must be inserted in
the university, since both are part of the same ecosystem (Interviewee 13).
Considering the university campus as a learning environment and a development
ecosystem, Interviewees 13 and 14 believes that campuses should be an environment
for sustainability experimentation and innovation, because this practical experience
transforms behaviors, attitudes and thinking, transforming these students into multipliers of the lived practices.
In addition to sustainable campus, Unisul maintains several learning and outreach
projects open to the community, to train and develop their skills and resilience. Thus,
Unisul also focus on events open to the community, aiming to develop a Green
Agenda in the Campuses, as indicated by the university’s ESD policy and program.
Among the commitments of this agenda, the Green June receives great attention,
with the objective of “sensitizing the academic community and the society around
Unisul, about the principles, practices, premises and attitudes that we must take to
achieve sustainable development” (Unisul 2017).
Through outreach and the relationship with the communities surrounding its campuses, Unisul promotes social entrepreneurship and innovations that contribute to
local sustainable development (Interviewees 4 and 6). Thus, Interviewee 8 and 10
highlight the importance of developing a plan for implementing and measuring the
sustainability commitment of the institution.
In addition to fulfilling its mission to train qualified citizens, Unisul engages
with assistance to the communities and to the vulnerable population, through the
provision of health care services, consulting in law, management and entrepreneurship, and other social services, contributing to the sustainable development of these
communities (Interviewees 7 and 12).
These ESD practices help to prepare, shape and sensitize students to become
“qualified future professionals who can success in the market and in society with an
innovative thinking and care for sustainable development”, also educating them to
95
assess the peaks of energy generated, how much carbon is mitigated, how many trees
are saved, and other forms of study).
Interviewee 5 considers that “the example is a great way to mobilize and raise
awareness” on sustainability. Therefore, sustainable campuses contribute directly to
“create and demonstrate ways for students and the community to interact with these
technologies”, being “a great showcase for sustainability actions that can be expanded
to other communities”. Thus, Interviewee 9 and Interviewee 10 also believe that the
experience of sustainability practices on university campuses contributes to cultural
and behavioral changes.
Interviewee 11 considers the university campus as an incubator of new ideas, new
habits, new technologies, then “the more the campus assumes this responsibility with
sustainability, the more it forms people which will multiply these actions”. Accordingly, people in contact with the campus become multipliers and disseminators of
the sustainability practices, attitudes, knowledge and experiences lived on campus.
Interviewee 13 understands Unisul as a community and innovative university,
concerned with meeting social demands through research and outreach, transferring knowledge and technologies to the society, promoting sustainable development.
Thus, the university must penetrate the community and society must be inserted in
the university, since both are part of the same ecosystem (Interviewee 13).
Considering the university campus as a learning environment and a development
ecosystem, Interviewees 13 and 14 believes that campuses should be an environment
for sustainability experimentation and innovation, because this practical experience
transforms behaviors, attitudes and thinking, transforming these students into multipliers of the lived practices.
In addition to sustainable campus, Unisul maintains several learning and outreach
projects open to the community, to train and develop their skills and resilience. Thus,
Unisul also focus on events open to the community, aiming to develop a Green
Agenda in the Campuses, as indicated by the university’s ESD policy and program.
Among the commitments of this agenda, the Green June receives great attention,
with the objective of “sensitizing the academic community and the society around
Unisul, about the principles, practices, premises and attitudes that we must take to
achieve sustainable development” (Unisul 2017).
Through outreach and the relationship with the communities surrounding its campuses, Unisul promotes social entrepreneurship and innovations that contribute to
local sustainable development (Interviewees 4 and 6). Thus, Interviewee 8 and 10
highlight the importance of developing a plan for implementing and measuring the
sustainability commitment of the institution.
In addition to fulfilling its mission to train qualified citizens, Unisul engages
with assistance to the communities and to the vulnerable population, through the
provision of health care services, consulting in law, management and entrepreneurship, and other social services, contributing to the sustainable development of these
communities (Interviewees 7 and 12).
These ESD practices help to prepare, shape and sensitize students to become
“qualified future professionals who can success in the market and in society with an
innovative thinking and care for sustainable development”, also educating them to