Raising Awareness of Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education Institutions
Year 2024,
, 39 - 72, 30.03.2024
Harika Suklun
,
Elif Bengü
Abstract
Higher education institutions play a crucial role in advancing sustainable development goals. They bear the responsibility of informing and encouraging all stakeholders, including faculty members, students, and industry partners, to collaborate towards achieving these goals. While many universities are integrating Sustainable Development Goals into their operations and educational programs, there is an increasing need to establish collaborative platforms with private sectors and non-governmental organizations to further champion this agenda. Educating the future workforce is a key responsibility of these institutions, and they should actively raise students' awareness of these goals, enabling them to develop competencies related to sustainability. This study aims to explore how higher education institutions can effectively raise awareness of sustainable development goals. In addition, the research contributes to the literature by presenting a curriculum designed in a Turkish higher education institution to foster awareness of sustainable development goals. The findings hold the potential to significantly enrich existing literature on awareness-raising practices and the promotion of sustainability strategies, extending beyond higher education institutions to organizations at large.
Ethical Statement
Ethical approval is not required for this study.
References
- Adomßent, M., Fischer, D. Godemann, J., Herzig, C. Otte, I., Rieckmann, M. & Timm, J. (2014). Emerging areas in research on higher education for sustainable development – management education, sustainable consumption and perspectives from Central and Eastern Europe. Journal of Cleaner Production, 62, 1-7, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.09.045
- AGU (Abdullah Gül University). (n.d.a). Sustainability at Abdullah Gül University. Accessed at (01 December 2023).
- AGU (Abdullah Gül University). (n.d.b). Abdullah Gül University global courses. Accessed at (01 December 2023).
- Alaoui, S. (2021). 7 innovative ways American universities are driving progress on the SDGs. United Nations Foundation. Accessed at https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/7-innovative-ways-american-universities-are-driving-progress-on-the-sdgs/ (01 December 2023).
- Aleixo, A. M., Azeiteiro, U. M. & Leal, S. (2020). Are the sustainable development goals being implemented in the Portuguese higher education formative offer? International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(2), 336-352, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2019-0150
- Argento, D., Einarson, D., Mårtensson, L., Persson, C., Wendin, K., Westergren, A. (2020). Integrating sustainability in higher education: a Swedish case. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(6), 1131-1150, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-10-2019-0292
Avelar, A. B. A, Dayane da Silva-Oliveira, K., da Silva Pereira, R. (2019). Education for advancing the implementation of the sustainable development goals: A systematic approach. The International Journal of Management Education, 17(3), 100322, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2019.100322
- Bengu, E., Abrignani, E., Sabuncuoglu, I., and Yilmaz, C. (2020). Rethinking higher education for the emerging needs of society: A new university model bridging skill-gaps and meeting community needs. Global Solutions Journal, Vol. 5, pp. 178-187. https://www.global-solutions-initiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/GSJ5_Abrignani_Yilaz_Bengu_Sabuncuoglu.pdf
Cebrián, G., Junyent, M., & Mulà, I. (2020). Competencies in education for sustainable development: Emerging teaching and research developments. Sustainability, 12(2), 579, https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020579
Chang, H. (2002). Kicking away the ladder: Development strategy in historical perspective. Anthem Press.
- Dlouhá, J., Heras, R., Mulà, I., Salgado, F. P., & Henderson, L. (2019). Competences to address SDGs in higher education—A reflection on the equilibrium between systemic and personal approaches to achieve transformative action. Sustainability, 11(13), 664, https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133664
- European Development Agency (2020). Turkey county profile-SDGs and environment. Accessed at https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/sustainability-transitions/sustainable-development-goals-and-the/country-profiles/turkey-country-profile-sdgs-and (01 December 2023).
- Filho, W. L., Shiel, C., Paço, A., Mifsud, M., Veiga Ávila, L., Londero Brandli, L., Molthan-Hill, P., Pace, P., Azeiteiro, U. M., Ruiz Vargas, V., & Caeiro, S. (2019). Sustainable development goals and sustainability teaching at universities: Falling behind or getting ahead of the pack? Journal of Cleaner Production, 232, 285-294, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.05.309
- Findler, F., Schönherr, N., Lozano, R., & Stacherl, B. (2019). Assessing the impacts of higher education institutions on sustainable development—An analysis of tools and indicators. Sustainability, 11(1), 59, https://doi.org/10.3390/su11010059
- Franco, I., Saito, O., Vaughter, P., Whereat, J., Kanie, N., & Takemoto, K. (2019). Higher education for sustainable development: Actioning the global goals in policy, curriculum and practice. Sustainability Science, 14, 1621–1642, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-018-0628-4.
- Gillespie, A. (2018). From 1970 to 1990, The long road to sustainability: The past, present, and future of international environmental law and policy. Oxford Academic, 22. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198819516.003.0006
- Heng, T.T. & Song, L. (2020), A proposed framework for understanding educational change and transfer: Insights from Singapore teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction. Journal of Educational Change, 21, 595–622, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-020-09377-0
Kapitulčinová, D., Atkisson, A., Perdue, J. & Will, M. (2018). Towards integrated sustainability in higher education – Mapping the use of the accelerator toolset in all dimensions of university practice. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 4367-4382, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.05.050
- Korhonen-Kurki, K., Koivuranta, R., Kuitto, V., Pietikäinen, J., Schönach, P. & Soini, K. (2020). Towards realising SDGs in the University of Helsinki. In G. Nhamo, V. Mjimba (Eds) Sustainable Development Goals and Institutions of Higher Education. Sustainable Development Goals Series (pp. 15-29). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26157-3_2
Kim, T., Yang, M. & Lim, S. (2021). Owning educational change in Korean schools: Three driving forces behind sustainable change. Journal of Educational Change, 22, 589–601, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-021-09442-2
Kioupi, V. & Voulvoulis, N. (2019). Education for sustainable development: A systemic framework for connecting the SDGs to educational outcomes. Sustainability, 11(21), https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216104
- Maharjan, N., Kuroda, K., Okada, M., Nakamura, S., Aburatani, H., Yamaguchi, T., & Ichitsubo, M. (2019). Generic skills assessment through implementation of group-based learning to understand SDGs. Journal of Education and Practice, 10(6), https://doi.org/10.7176/JEP/10-6-03
Manolis, E. N., & Manoli, E. N. (2021). Raising awareness of the sustainable development goals through ecological projects in higher education. Journal of Cleaner Production, 279, 123614, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123614
Mawonde, A. & Togo, M. (2019). Implementation of SDGs at the University of South Africa. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 20(5), 932-950, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2019-0156
Mulholland, E., Bernardo, A. & Berger, G. (2017). Communication and awareness raising in the implementation of the 2030 agenda and the SDGs: Activities and challenges, ESDN Quarterly Report 44, ESDN Office, Vienna.
- Nhamo, G., & Mjimba, V. (2020). The context: SDGs and institutions of higher education. In G. Nhamo, V. Mjimba (Eds) Sustainable Development Goals and Institutions of Higher Education. Sustainable Development Goals Series (pp. 1-13). Springer, Cham, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26157-3_1
Lovren, O. V., Maruna, M., & Stanarevic, S. (2020). Reflections on the learning objectives for sustainable development in the higher education curricula – Three cases from the University of Belgrade 2020. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(2), 315-335, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-09-2019-0260
- Purvis, B., Mao, Y. & Robinson, D. (2019). Three pillars of sustainability: in search of conceptual origins. Sustain Sci 14, 681–695. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-018-0627-5
- Ramísio, P. J., Costa Pinto, L. M., Gouveia, N., Costa, H., & Arezes, D. (2019). Sustainability strategy in higher education institutions: Lessons learned from a nine-year case study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 222, 300-309, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.02.257
- Republic of Estonia Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2022). Raising awareness and global education. Accessed at https://www.vm.ee/en/foreign-economics-development-cooperation/development-cooperation-and-humanitarian-aid/raising (01 August 2023).
- Santos, G., Marques, C. S., Justino, E. & Mendes, L. (2020). Understanding social responsibility’s influence on service quality and student satisfaction in higher education. Journal of Cleaner Production, 256, 120597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120597
Sayers, R. (2006). Principles of awareness-raising for information literacy: A case study. UNESCO Office Bangkok and Regional Bureau for Education in Asia and the Pacific. Accessed at https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000147637 (01 December 2023).
- Skene, K. R., & Malcolm, J. (2019). Using the SDGs to nurture connectivity and promote change. The Design Journal, 22(1), 1629-1646, https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.2019.1594996
Slocum, S. L., Dimitrov, D. Y., & Webb, K. (2019). The impact of neoliberalism on higher education tourism programs: Meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals with the next generation. Tourism Management Perspectives, 30, 33-42, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2019.01.004
Suwartha, N. & Berawi, M.A. (2019). The role of UI Greenmetric as a global sustainable ranking for higher education institutions. International Journal of Technology, 10(5), 862-865. https://doi.org/10.14716/ijtech.v10i5.3670
TAP Network (n.d.). SDG accountability handbook: Raising awareness through public outreach campaigns. Accessed at https://sdgaccountability.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Raising-Awareness.pdf (01 August 20223).
- Tichnor-Wagner, A. (2019). District agency in implementing instructional reform: A comparative case study of global education. Journal of Educational Change, 20, 495–525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-019-09346-2
UN. (2023). Sustainable development goals United Nations Department of Global Communications. guidelines for the use of the SDG logo including the colour wheel, and 17 Icons. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/E_SDG_Guidelines_Sep20238.pdf
- Vareda, R. (2020). What can everyone do about it? Sustainable individual choices that contribute to the SDGs. European Journal of Public Health, 30(5), https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.1403
Yuan, X., Yu, L., & Wu, H. (2021). Awareness of sustainable development goals among students from a Chinese senior high school. Education Sciences, 11(9), 458. https://doi.org/0.3390/educsci11090458
Zamora-Polo, F., Sánchez-Martín, J., Corrales-Serrano, M. & Espejo-Antúnez, L. (2019). What do university students know about sustainable development goals? A realistic approach to the reception of this UN program amongst the youth population. Sustainability, 11, 3533, https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133533
Year 2024,
, 39 - 72, 30.03.2024
Harika Suklun
,
Elif Bengü
References
- Adomßent, M., Fischer, D. Godemann, J., Herzig, C. Otte, I., Rieckmann, M. & Timm, J. (2014). Emerging areas in research on higher education for sustainable development – management education, sustainable consumption and perspectives from Central and Eastern Europe. Journal of Cleaner Production, 62, 1-7, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.09.045
- AGU (Abdullah Gül University). (n.d.a). Sustainability at Abdullah Gül University. Accessed at (01 December 2023).
- AGU (Abdullah Gül University). (n.d.b). Abdullah Gül University global courses. Accessed at (01 December 2023).
- Alaoui, S. (2021). 7 innovative ways American universities are driving progress on the SDGs. United Nations Foundation. Accessed at https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/7-innovative-ways-american-universities-are-driving-progress-on-the-sdgs/ (01 December 2023).
- Aleixo, A. M., Azeiteiro, U. M. & Leal, S. (2020). Are the sustainable development goals being implemented in the Portuguese higher education formative offer? International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(2), 336-352, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2019-0150
- Argento, D., Einarson, D., Mårtensson, L., Persson, C., Wendin, K., Westergren, A. (2020). Integrating sustainability in higher education: a Swedish case. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(6), 1131-1150, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-10-2019-0292
Avelar, A. B. A, Dayane da Silva-Oliveira, K., da Silva Pereira, R. (2019). Education for advancing the implementation of the sustainable development goals: A systematic approach. The International Journal of Management Education, 17(3), 100322, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2019.100322
- Bengu, E., Abrignani, E., Sabuncuoglu, I., and Yilmaz, C. (2020). Rethinking higher education for the emerging needs of society: A new university model bridging skill-gaps and meeting community needs. Global Solutions Journal, Vol. 5, pp. 178-187. https://www.global-solutions-initiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/GSJ5_Abrignani_Yilaz_Bengu_Sabuncuoglu.pdf
Cebrián, G., Junyent, M., & Mulà, I. (2020). Competencies in education for sustainable development: Emerging teaching and research developments. Sustainability, 12(2), 579, https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020579
Chang, H. (2002). Kicking away the ladder: Development strategy in historical perspective. Anthem Press.
- Dlouhá, J., Heras, R., Mulà, I., Salgado, F. P., & Henderson, L. (2019). Competences to address SDGs in higher education—A reflection on the equilibrium between systemic and personal approaches to achieve transformative action. Sustainability, 11(13), 664, https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133664
- European Development Agency (2020). Turkey county profile-SDGs and environment. Accessed at https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/sustainability-transitions/sustainable-development-goals-and-the/country-profiles/turkey-country-profile-sdgs-and (01 December 2023).
- Filho, W. L., Shiel, C., Paço, A., Mifsud, M., Veiga Ávila, L., Londero Brandli, L., Molthan-Hill, P., Pace, P., Azeiteiro, U. M., Ruiz Vargas, V., & Caeiro, S. (2019). Sustainable development goals and sustainability teaching at universities: Falling behind or getting ahead of the pack? Journal of Cleaner Production, 232, 285-294, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.05.309
- Findler, F., Schönherr, N., Lozano, R., & Stacherl, B. (2019). Assessing the impacts of higher education institutions on sustainable development—An analysis of tools and indicators. Sustainability, 11(1), 59, https://doi.org/10.3390/su11010059
- Franco, I., Saito, O., Vaughter, P., Whereat, J., Kanie, N., & Takemoto, K. (2019). Higher education for sustainable development: Actioning the global goals in policy, curriculum and practice. Sustainability Science, 14, 1621–1642, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-018-0628-4.
- Gillespie, A. (2018). From 1970 to 1990, The long road to sustainability: The past, present, and future of international environmental law and policy. Oxford Academic, 22. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198819516.003.0006
- Heng, T.T. & Song, L. (2020), A proposed framework for understanding educational change and transfer: Insights from Singapore teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction. Journal of Educational Change, 21, 595–622, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-020-09377-0
Kapitulčinová, D., Atkisson, A., Perdue, J. & Will, M. (2018). Towards integrated sustainability in higher education – Mapping the use of the accelerator toolset in all dimensions of university practice. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 4367-4382, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.05.050
- Korhonen-Kurki, K., Koivuranta, R., Kuitto, V., Pietikäinen, J., Schönach, P. & Soini, K. (2020). Towards realising SDGs in the University of Helsinki. In G. Nhamo, V. Mjimba (Eds) Sustainable Development Goals and Institutions of Higher Education. Sustainable Development Goals Series (pp. 15-29). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26157-3_2
Kim, T., Yang, M. & Lim, S. (2021). Owning educational change in Korean schools: Three driving forces behind sustainable change. Journal of Educational Change, 22, 589–601, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-021-09442-2
Kioupi, V. & Voulvoulis, N. (2019). Education for sustainable development: A systemic framework for connecting the SDGs to educational outcomes. Sustainability, 11(21), https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216104
- Maharjan, N., Kuroda, K., Okada, M., Nakamura, S., Aburatani, H., Yamaguchi, T., & Ichitsubo, M. (2019). Generic skills assessment through implementation of group-based learning to understand SDGs. Journal of Education and Practice, 10(6), https://doi.org/10.7176/JEP/10-6-03
Manolis, E. N., & Manoli, E. N. (2021). Raising awareness of the sustainable development goals through ecological projects in higher education. Journal of Cleaner Production, 279, 123614, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123614
Mawonde, A. & Togo, M. (2019). Implementation of SDGs at the University of South Africa. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 20(5), 932-950, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2019-0156
Mulholland, E., Bernardo, A. & Berger, G. (2017). Communication and awareness raising in the implementation of the 2030 agenda and the SDGs: Activities and challenges, ESDN Quarterly Report 44, ESDN Office, Vienna.
- Nhamo, G., & Mjimba, V. (2020). The context: SDGs and institutions of higher education. In G. Nhamo, V. Mjimba (Eds) Sustainable Development Goals and Institutions of Higher Education. Sustainable Development Goals Series (pp. 1-13). Springer, Cham, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26157-3_1
Lovren, O. V., Maruna, M., & Stanarevic, S. (2020). Reflections on the learning objectives for sustainable development in the higher education curricula – Three cases from the University of Belgrade 2020. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(2), 315-335, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-09-2019-0260
- Purvis, B., Mao, Y. & Robinson, D. (2019). Three pillars of sustainability: in search of conceptual origins. Sustain Sci 14, 681–695. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-018-0627-5
- Ramísio, P. J., Costa Pinto, L. M., Gouveia, N., Costa, H., & Arezes, D. (2019). Sustainability strategy in higher education institutions: Lessons learned from a nine-year case study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 222, 300-309, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.02.257
- Republic of Estonia Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2022). Raising awareness and global education. Accessed at https://www.vm.ee/en/foreign-economics-development-cooperation/development-cooperation-and-humanitarian-aid/raising (01 August 2023).
- Santos, G., Marques, C. S., Justino, E. & Mendes, L. (2020). Understanding social responsibility’s influence on service quality and student satisfaction in higher education. Journal of Cleaner Production, 256, 120597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120597
Sayers, R. (2006). Principles of awareness-raising for information literacy: A case study. UNESCO Office Bangkok and Regional Bureau for Education in Asia and the Pacific. Accessed at https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000147637 (01 December 2023).
- Skene, K. R., & Malcolm, J. (2019). Using the SDGs to nurture connectivity and promote change. The Design Journal, 22(1), 1629-1646, https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.2019.1594996
Slocum, S. L., Dimitrov, D. Y., & Webb, K. (2019). The impact of neoliberalism on higher education tourism programs: Meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals with the next generation. Tourism Management Perspectives, 30, 33-42, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2019.01.004
Suwartha, N. & Berawi, M.A. (2019). The role of UI Greenmetric as a global sustainable ranking for higher education institutions. International Journal of Technology, 10(5), 862-865. https://doi.org/10.14716/ijtech.v10i5.3670
TAP Network (n.d.). SDG accountability handbook: Raising awareness through public outreach campaigns. Accessed at https://sdgaccountability.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Raising-Awareness.pdf (01 August 20223).
- Tichnor-Wagner, A. (2019). District agency in implementing instructional reform: A comparative case study of global education. Journal of Educational Change, 20, 495–525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-019-09346-2
UN. (2023). Sustainable development goals United Nations Department of Global Communications. guidelines for the use of the SDG logo including the colour wheel, and 17 Icons. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/E_SDG_Guidelines_Sep20238.pdf
- Vareda, R. (2020). What can everyone do about it? Sustainable individual choices that contribute to the SDGs. European Journal of Public Health, 30(5), https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.1403
Yuan, X., Yu, L., & Wu, H. (2021). Awareness of sustainable development goals among students from a Chinese senior high school. Education Sciences, 11(9), 458. https://doi.org/0.3390/educsci11090458
Zamora-Polo, F., Sánchez-Martín, J., Corrales-Serrano, M. & Espejo-Antúnez, L. (2019). What do university students know about sustainable development goals? A realistic approach to the reception of this UN program amongst the youth population. Sustainability, 11, 3533, https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133533