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Purpose: Universities and their actions affect the environment directly and significantly. Therefore, the carbon footprint (CF) needs to be implemented in these institutions for mitigating climate change and its potential risks. Based on this understanding, the university consortium quality and environment (QualEnv) stands out by its main objective – to increase the university's contribution to sustainable development (SD) through the deployment of systematic environmental practices and quality processes. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to present the CF of the Latin American universities of the QualEnv consortium. Design/methodology/approach: The study was based on the actions for adopting CF and its implementation at the universities that take part in the QualEnv consortium. The measurement process and report presentation were done properly by the universities and published as institutional documents. Therefore, data were collected and analyzed through a document search, systematic literature review and participant observation. Findings: The results show knowledge deepening and systematization on CF in higher education. In addition, it presents the effort of a group of universities that, through a research network, seek to adopt practices towards a carbon-neutral university, which requires an incremental and systematic change to break out of the traditional system. Originality/value: This paper discusses the practical implications for universities and the need to implement initiatives for measuring and reducing their CF since it shows how the institutions belonging to QualEnv consortium have created their own strategies to mitigate climate change and contribute to SD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To combat climate change and safeguard a liveable future, humanity needs fundamental and rapid social change. The purpose of this paper is to show, why and how climate communication can play an important role to nurture the public engagement needed for this change, and to explore, what higher education for sustainability can learn from climate communication. Design/methodology/approach: The scientific evidence base on climate communication for effective public engagement is summarised into 10 key principles, including "basing communication on people's values", "conscious use of framing" and "turning concern into action". Based on the author's perspective and experience in the university context, implications are explored for sustainability in higher education. Findings: The study provides suggestions for teaching (e.g. complement information with consistent behaviour by the lecturer, integrate local stories and provide students with basic skills to communicate climate effectively), for research (e.g. make teaching for effective engagement the subject of applied research), for universities' third mission to contribute to sustainable development in the society (e.g. provide climate communication trainings to empower local stakeholders) and greening the campus (develop a proper engagement infrastructure, e.g. by a university storytelling exchange on climate action). Originality/value: The study provides an up-to-date overview of climate communication research, which is in itself original. This evidence base holds interesting learnings for institutions of higher education, and the link between climate communication and universities has so far not been explored comprehensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is facing two important problems such as climate change and environmental pollution. Unconscious consumption and industrialization also increase environmental pollution, making nature unable to renew itself. Everyone has a very important role in the regeneration of nature and the sustainability of resources. It will be possible to obtain a more sustainable and clean environment by separating wastes, by using resources more efficiently and economically. United Nations (UN) members met in 2015 and agreed on 17 Global Goals by 2030 for 3 key issues "eliminating extreme poverty, fighting inequality and injustice, fixing climate change.". It is expected that these global goals for sustainable development will be realized for all people in all countries. It has become a necessity for institutions to place sustainable development and sustainability in their management policies for the future of the world. This study investigates how European Commission has adapted to the sustainability process and UN's 17 Global Goals in Higher Education through examining its corporate sustainability strategies, and its relationship between its stakeholders. The European Green Deal Communication is the new growth strategy of European Union (UN) and recognises the key role of schools, training institutions and universities to engage with pupils, parents, and the wider community on the changes needed for a successful transition to become climate neutral by 2050. European Commission has internalized UN goals, has determined sustainability strategies in line with especially Goal 12 and Goal 13, has followed the European Green Deal missons and ECHE principles, and has implemented practices such as Erasmus Without Paper Network, EWP Dashboard and Green Travel. In this research, it has been revealed that the corporate sustainability strategies of the European Commission are in line with the objectives of the UN's 17 Global Goals, not just on paper, and become widespread with various supported projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Much literature discusses higher education as an agent for sustainable development, but the extent to which higher education contributes to unsustainable economic and social systems receives less attention. This paper examines the environmental impacts of international student mobility in higher education. Combining several datasets, the paper presents a model of greenhouse gas emissions associated with international student mobility. Estimates suggest that these emissions are substantial and are rising faster than overall global emissions, but the emissions per student are slowly decreasing, largely due to changes in the patterns of mobility. The paper concludes that although international exchange is increasingly important, a meaningful consideration of higher education for sustainable development should take account of environmental costs of international mobility alongside its benefits. Highlights • Estimates emissions from international student mobility in higher education. • Considers emissions from travel and changes in consumption. • Estimates at least 14 megatons of CO 2 per year associated with student mobility. • Emissions per mobile student are decreasing as mobility patterns change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to report on a case study concerning the development of sustainable energy partnerships involving engineering faculty and undergraduate students at the University of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Design/methodology/approach: Faculty were motivated to seek partnerships with public and private entities in the local area for the purposes of realising mutually beneficial outcomes. The educational programmes of future engineers, when sustainability is considered, are analysed. Education for sustainable development has to include multidisciplinary active learning as a desirable competence. Active learning can be obtained when problems are based on real life because they are most motivating for students. Constructive alignment component is obtained because learning objectives are linked with learning activities related to the needs of public and private entities. Findings: Through the provision of technical expertise, the adoption and success of renewable energy projects was facilitated on the one hand, while final year undergraduate students benefited in terms of hands-on experience in helping to bring these projects to life, drawing on the knowledge and skills they had acquired throughout their degree programmes. These works are addressed to students by faculty members with the aim of developing and promoting renewable energies. Outcomes from partnerships surpassed expectations; not only were different benefits realised as were initially hoped for, but this success led to partnerships being sustained over time. Originality/value: Fossil fuel-based energy systems are associated with a myriad of negative environmental and social externalities. It is difficult to overstate the importance of transitioning towards alternative low carbon energy sources for climate change mitigation which are less centralised compared to the status-quo for energy security and energy independence. By actively facilitating the development of decentralised renewable energy sources in Catalonia, the projects reported herein are of significant value in social environmental and educational terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As education providers, universities play a pivotal role in developing and delivering quality education that contributes to the achievement of the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" and the related "Sustainable Development Goals". Given the large impact of the built environment industry on global emissions and climate change, integrating environmental sustainability principles and architectural education is of paramount importance for the achievement of such targets. Through a systematic and comprehensive literature review, this article explores how and to what extent environmental sustainability considerations have been integrated within architecture curricula in tertiary education providers across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, highlighting common approaches, future directions and areas that still need further development. Over 500 published refereed research outputs were analysed and 111 selected for inclusion and discussion in this article, with attention given to understanding course structures, pedagogy, relationship with design studios, types of assessment, teaching and learning technologies, and engagement of the wider architecture profession across undergraduate and graduate architecture programmes. 68% of the documents use case study methodologies to evaluate the impact of sustainability education, while theory only papers represent 15% of the total. Studies using a combination of theoretical discussions and applicative evidence are the 17% of the total. Among the case studies category, it is to be noted that the work done at course level (26%) almost equals that done at curriculum level (29%), signalling that attention has been paid to both the macro and micro scale. The research shows that more attention in the past was given to the 'what' (content and structure of courses and programmes), while more recent studies focus on the 'how' (pedagogies and implementation processes for teaching and curriculum development purposes). The latest works, on the other hand, start to be more focussed on assessing students' learning and increase active engagement, in an attempt to shape the profile of future graduates and make them ready to produce the substantial market transformation still needed to achieve environmental sustainability goals worldwide. [Display omitted] • The integration of environmental sustainability within architecture curricula. • A systematic and comprehensive literature review is conducted across continents. • Common approaches, areas to develop and future directions are highlighted. • In the past, attention in architecture curricula was given to the what and the how. • Nowadays, more attention is given to assessing students' learning and engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]