392
A. P. Pessotto et al.
accompanied by values such as creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. This
evinces the participants’ emphasis on individual agency of university stakeholders
in pursuing sustainable development and sustainability education.
Certain short and long-term practices proposed by the students to be adopted by
the HEI stand out. These include the integration of practices in teaching, research
and extension activities, and actions focused on resource management. These are
illustrated in table three, which summarizes the recommendations of the students,
grouped by type of action (Table 3).
Finally, the indicators of progress toward sustainable development goals proposed
by the participants correlate to the goals of teaching, research, management and
extension activities of the university, as can be seen in Table 4.
The amount of indicators proposed by the students show the potential the university has. Based on these indicators and on students’ opinions recorded on posters, it’s
clear in the students view the need of (a) community engagement, which was pointed
out by Ceulemans (2015a); and (b) sustainability evaluation criteria in areas as teaching, research and other functions, as stated by Souza (2016). Nevertheless, students’
view don’t reflect all points indicated by UNESCO (2005) and some operational
topics.
5 Conclusion
In order to reorient education towards sustainable development, it is necessary to
teach and learn the knowledge, skills, perspectives and values that guide and motivate
people to seek sustainable ways of life and participate in a democratic society. In
this sense, it is not enough that sustainability is only a theory. It must be experienced
and understood by all stakeholders in the HEI, so that the culture of sustainability
can be implemented into practice as a part of everyday life, both within and beyond
the university walls.
Originally focused only on environmental issues, the sustainability concept progressed through discussion and debate towards the awareness of two additional sets of
issues, such as socio-cultural and economic. This forms the recognized tripod of sustainable development concept (UNESCO 2005). With a focal group of 18 students of
a Master Program from a Brazilian University, this paper discussed the understanding
about a sustainable university, identifying their motivations and suggestions towards
a sustainable HEI. The practices and suggested performance indicators demonstrate
the students’ understanding of the importance of involving all spheres of the University and the community in the debate on sustainability and makes clear the mission
of the university to be a protagonist. The students gave examples of concrete actions
in the university and in the community, the government, and the private sector. However, they also took a critical view on the distance between the academic sphere and
the public and private spheres, making this approach the biggest challenge for the
implementation of actions suggested by academics in the development of effective
and holistic sustainability policies.
A. P. Pessotto et al.
accompanied by values such as creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. This
evinces the participants’ emphasis on individual agency of university stakeholders
in pursuing sustainable development and sustainability education.
Certain short and long-term practices proposed by the students to be adopted by
the HEI stand out. These include the integration of practices in teaching, research
and extension activities, and actions focused on resource management. These are
illustrated in table three, which summarizes the recommendations of the students,
grouped by type of action (Table 3).
Finally, the indicators of progress toward sustainable development goals proposed
by the participants correlate to the goals of teaching, research, management and
extension activities of the university, as can be seen in Table 4.
The amount of indicators proposed by the students show the potential the university has. Based on these indicators and on students’ opinions recorded on posters, it’s
clear in the students view the need of (a) community engagement, which was pointed
out by Ceulemans (2015a); and (b) sustainability evaluation criteria in areas as teaching, research and other functions, as stated by Souza (2016). Nevertheless, students’
view don’t reflect all points indicated by UNESCO (2005) and some operational
topics.
5 Conclusion
In order to reorient education towards sustainable development, it is necessary to
teach and learn the knowledge, skills, perspectives and values that guide and motivate
people to seek sustainable ways of life and participate in a democratic society. In
this sense, it is not enough that sustainability is only a theory. It must be experienced
and understood by all stakeholders in the HEI, so that the culture of sustainability
can be implemented into practice as a part of everyday life, both within and beyond
the university walls.
Originally focused only on environmental issues, the sustainability concept progressed through discussion and debate towards the awareness of two additional sets of
issues, such as socio-cultural and economic. This forms the recognized tripod of sustainable development concept (UNESCO 2005). With a focal group of 18 students of
a Master Program from a Brazilian University, this paper discussed the understanding
about a sustainable university, identifying their motivations and suggestions towards
a sustainable HEI. The practices and suggested performance indicators demonstrate
the students’ understanding of the importance of involving all spheres of the University and the community in the debate on sustainability and makes clear the mission
of the university to be a protagonist. The students gave examples of concrete actions
in the university and in the community, the government, and the private sector. However, they also took a critical view on the distance between the academic sphere and
the public and private spheres, making this approach the biggest challenge for the
implementation of actions suggested by academics in the development of effective
and holistic sustainability policies.