Abstract
Student Attitudes towards, and Skills for, Sustainable Development & Employer Attitudes towards, and Skills for, Sustainable Development
The Higher Education Academy and National Union of Students, UK, September 2015
For the fifth year in a row, 80 per cent of college and university students in the United Kingdom (UK) have said that they want their institutions to be doing more on sustainability and 60 per cent want to learn more about it. This is the fifth annual survey of student attitudes towards, and skills for, sustainable development conducted by Higher Education Academy and the National Union of Students. In 2015, they also carried out a separate employers’ survey, which further supports the case for education for sustainable development (ESD).
The Campus Wild: How College and University Green Landscapes Provide Havens for Wildlife and ‘Lands-On’ Experiences for Students
National Wildlife Federation, US, September 2015
This richly detailed guide highlights how colleges and universities are playing a dynamic role protecting wildlife and restoring habitats in campus green spaces, including on-campus landscapes and natural areas, as well as remote campus-owned lands. It explores how such green places—dedicated to ‘The Wild’—can also benefit students, faculty and staff with leadership opportunities, hands-on learning, energy savings, water conservation and much more.
Managing Sustainability in School Districts: A Profile of Sustainability Staff in the K-12 Sector
US Green Building Council, 2015
The second in a series of research publications about sustainability professionals, this report summarizes the role and expectations for sustainability directors in K-12 school districts. Drawing from extensive surveys and interviews with the Center for Green Schools’ network of sustainability professionals, the research concludes with important lessons for those managing and performing in this role.
World Development Report 2015: Mind, Society and Behavior
World Bank, December 2014
The World Development Report 2015 shows how a richer view of human behaviour can help achieve development goals in many areas, including early childhood development, household finance, productivity, health and climate change.
It also shows how a more subtle view of human behaviour provides new tools for interventions. Making even minor adjustments to a decision-making context, designing interventions based on an understanding of social preferences and exposing individuals to new experiences and ways of thinking may enable people to improve their lives. This report aims to inspire and guide the researchers and practitioners who can help advance a new set of development approaches based on a fuller consideration of psychological and social influences.
2015 Sustainable Campus Index
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, US, 2015
The ‘2015 Sustainable Campus Index’ highlights top-performing colleges and universities in 17 areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). The impact report also highlights best practices from over 50 United States (US), Canadian and Mexican institutions that have submitted a STARS report in the last 12 months. Average trends in each impact area based on institution type and country are also included. Higher education is making great strides in advancing sustainability, and STARS institutions have achieved major milestones in the last 12 months. Participation in STARS surpassed 700 institutions in 2015, and annual reports submitted increased for a second year in a row. In January 2015, Universidad de Monterrey became the first institution outside the US and Canada to earn a STARS rating. Submissions from Canadian institutions doubled in comparison to 2014.
Sustainability Science: Full Cost Analysis and Learning Module
David E. Shi Center for Sustainability, Furman University, US, 2015
Free, open-source, online learning module for undergraduate and introductory graduate-level courses. Explores full cost analysis (FCA), a method of problem solving which uses systems thinking to account for the economic, societal and environmental costs of a problem. The materials are designed to be easily incorporated into pre-existing course syllabi or as the foundation for new courses. Learning module includes: 15-minute video primer on sustainability science and FCA; six 5-minute case study video documentaries; worksheets for each video documentary to facilitate course dialogues and student understanding; assignments that can be used to develop case studies on your campus and in your community; and additional readings and links to online resources.
Compass Education: Whole-school Strategies and Approaches to ESD
Robert Steele, AtKisson, Inc., 2015
A whole-school approach to education for sustainable development (ESD), as advocated by Compass Education, integrates pedagogy with the social/organizational and technical/economic aspects of school practice. A school adopting the Compass model and approach practises a transformative type of education that permeates the entirety of the school community, reaching out through a school’s network and connecting with the local community and beyond.