96
I. I. Berchin et al.
apply these premises in their professional performance and in their role as responsible
citizens (Interviewee 7).
Among the outreach projects, Interviewees 7 and 12 indicate that Unisul has a
longstanding relation with the local communities, promoting academic events open
to the community, outreach courses to empower people, and research projects that
stimulate local development and welfare. Interviewee 7 also considers that “events
are a tool and a very important strategy for the university, to maintain and straighten
the proximity among stakeholders, and the relationship between the university and
the community”.
The insertion of the university in the communities, through partnerships and collaborations, contributes to the promotion of local development through the training
of qualified people and the transferring of knowledge and technologies (Interviewees
9 and 12). The openness of the university to the communities also operate as a form of
qualification, awareness and leisure to the local communities. Interviewee 14 highlights the importance of engaging students to develop plans to improve their local
communities as their final report for the bachelor, stimulating them to contribute to
the sustainable development of their communities.
Finally, Interviewee 15 observes that university campuses are references to the
community in which they are inserted, therefore, the adoption of sustainable practices
on campus generate an inspiring and conscientious effect throughout the community;
in addition, outreach is the most direct intervention model in which the university
operates in the community.
In this regard, Table 3 summarizes the practices for sustainable development
promoted by Unisul to operate as a living lab for sustainable development. The
interviewees indicated these practices as the main sources of ESD and innovation
for sustainable development promoted by the university, also contributing to local
sustainable development.
These practices open the university to the community, so besides doing outreach
programs, Unisul also enables and invites the community to use the university and its
facilities for learning, consultancy and wellbeing. Therefore, Unisul operates as living
labs, integrating the university with its surroundings and promoting an integrated,
inclusive sustainable development.
5 Conclusions and Recommendations
This study’s main goal is to understand how sustainable campuses, as living labs,
promote innovations for sustainable development through the case of a Brazilian
Community University, Unisul. Innovation relates to new processes, methods, technologies and institutions, aiming to promote long-term welfare, development and
social wellbeing, while reducing environmental risks. As a result of the analysis we
could understand that innovations for sustainable development occur in every level
and sector of a university. These innovations, as observed in Unisul, occur through:
I. I. Berchin et al.
apply these premises in their professional performance and in their role as responsible
citizens (Interviewee 7).
Among the outreach projects, Interviewees 7 and 12 indicate that Unisul has a
longstanding relation with the local communities, promoting academic events open
to the community, outreach courses to empower people, and research projects that
stimulate local development and welfare. Interviewee 7 also considers that “events
are a tool and a very important strategy for the university, to maintain and straighten
the proximity among stakeholders, and the relationship between the university and
the community”.
The insertion of the university in the communities, through partnerships and collaborations, contributes to the promotion of local development through the training
of qualified people and the transferring of knowledge and technologies (Interviewees
9 and 12). The openness of the university to the communities also operate as a form of
qualification, awareness and leisure to the local communities. Interviewee 14 highlights the importance of engaging students to develop plans to improve their local
communities as their final report for the bachelor, stimulating them to contribute to
the sustainable development of their communities.
Finally, Interviewee 15 observes that university campuses are references to the
community in which they are inserted, therefore, the adoption of sustainable practices
on campus generate an inspiring and conscientious effect throughout the community;
in addition, outreach is the most direct intervention model in which the university
operates in the community.
In this regard, Table 3 summarizes the practices for sustainable development
promoted by Unisul to operate as a living lab for sustainable development. The
interviewees indicated these practices as the main sources of ESD and innovation
for sustainable development promoted by the university, also contributing to local
sustainable development.
These practices open the university to the community, so besides doing outreach
programs, Unisul also enables and invites the community to use the university and its
facilities for learning, consultancy and wellbeing. Therefore, Unisul operates as living
labs, integrating the university with its surroundings and promoting an integrated,
inclusive sustainable development.
5 Conclusions and Recommendations
This study’s main goal is to understand how sustainable campuses, as living labs,
promote innovations for sustainable development through the case of a Brazilian
Community University, Unisul. Innovation relates to new processes, methods, technologies and institutions, aiming to promote long-term welfare, development and
social wellbeing, while reducing environmental risks. As a result of the analysis we
could understand that innovations for sustainable development occur in every level
and sector of a university. These innovations, as observed in Unisul, occur through: