Mobilising the Sustainable Development
Goals Through Universities: Case Studies
of Sustainable Campuses in Malaysia
Jasmin Irisha Jim Ilham, Malik Hisyam Zaihan,
Sakiinah Mahamad Hakimi, Mahamad Hakimi Ibrahim
and Shakirin Shahrul
Abstract The 2030 Agenda as adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
paves the way forward for planet, people and prosperity—an Agenda that replaced the
Millennium Development Goals, to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The
SDGs consist of 17 goals, 169 targets and 232 indicators. Essentially the goals exist
to address sustainability holistically, covering all dimensions including economic,
social, cultural and ecological. The United Nations has identified Goal 4: Quality
Education as one of the main drivers in achieving the Agenda. This paper focuses
on specifically Target 4.7: Education for sustainable development and global citizenship. Universities play a vital role in engaging youth and generating knowledge and
expertise in understanding and implementing the SDGs. This paper explores the role
of universities in ensuring the SDGs are met, as a mobilizing catalyst for accelerated
implementation, as well as case studies of sustainable campuses in Malaysia that
showcase the community and student outreach projects, in line with the SDGs, such
as the Bicycle Project at the University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Kompos
to Kelulut (K2K) at the Universiti Sains Malaysia and Sunway Youth for Sustainable
Development at Sunway University, Malaysia. The case studies show that education
goes beyond the formal curricula, emphasizing on soft skills and critical thinking—a
major component of and contributor towards pro-environmental behaviour. A set of
recommendations are included to address limitations in the study.
Keywords SDGs · Universities · Sustainability · Sustainable campus
J. I. J. Ilham (B)
Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
e-mail: jasminj@sunway.edu.my
M. H. Zaihan
Nottingham University Business School, University of Nottingham, Semenyih, Malaysia
S. M. Hakimi · M. H. Ibrahim
School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
S. Shahrul
Sunway University Business School, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
W. Leal Filho et al. (eds.), Universities as Living Labs for Sustainable Development,
World Sustainability Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15604-6_8
121
Goals Through Universities: Case Studies
of Sustainable Campuses in Malaysia
Jasmin Irisha Jim Ilham, Malik Hisyam Zaihan,
Sakiinah Mahamad Hakimi, Mahamad Hakimi Ibrahim
and Shakirin Shahrul
Abstract The 2030 Agenda as adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
paves the way forward for planet, people and prosperity—an Agenda that replaced the
Millennium Development Goals, to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The
SDGs consist of 17 goals, 169 targets and 232 indicators. Essentially the goals exist
to address sustainability holistically, covering all dimensions including economic,
social, cultural and ecological. The United Nations has identified Goal 4: Quality
Education as one of the main drivers in achieving the Agenda. This paper focuses
on specifically Target 4.7: Education for sustainable development and global citizenship. Universities play a vital role in engaging youth and generating knowledge and
expertise in understanding and implementing the SDGs. This paper explores the role
of universities in ensuring the SDGs are met, as a mobilizing catalyst for accelerated
implementation, as well as case studies of sustainable campuses in Malaysia that
showcase the community and student outreach projects, in line with the SDGs, such
as the Bicycle Project at the University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Kompos
to Kelulut (K2K) at the Universiti Sains Malaysia and Sunway Youth for Sustainable
Development at Sunway University, Malaysia. The case studies show that education
goes beyond the formal curricula, emphasizing on soft skills and critical thinking—a
major component of and contributor towards pro-environmental behaviour. A set of
recommendations are included to address limitations in the study.
Keywords SDGs · Universities · Sustainability · Sustainable campus
J. I. J. Ilham (B)
Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
e-mail: jasminj@sunway.edu.my
M. H. Zaihan
Nottingham University Business School, University of Nottingham, Semenyih, Malaysia
S. M. Hakimi · M. H. Ibrahim
School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
S. Shahrul
Sunway University Business School, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
W. Leal Filho et al. (eds.), Universities as Living Labs for Sustainable Development,
World Sustainability Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15604-6_8
121