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An overview of research trends on sustainability in higher education – an exploratory study

Walter Leal Filho, Fernanda Frankenberger Silva, Amanda Salvia, Chris Shiel, Arminda Paço, Elizabeth Price, Luciana Londero Brandli, Izabela Simon Rampasso, Rosley Anholon, Osvaldo Luiz Gonçalves Quelhas, Rudi Wessel Pretorius

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education

ISSN: 1467-6370

Article publication date: 23 March 2023

Issue publication date: 18 May 2023

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the main areas in which researchers are focusing their efforts in terms of sustainability in higher education (curriculum, campus greening, research, governance or outreach), the format in which this research is performed (in terms of individual or combined efforts) and the primary research focus (in terms of local or global issues).

Design/methodology/approach

Trends on sustainability research were investigated by means of an online survey – the World Survey on Sustainability Publishing and Research in Higher Education, which was disseminated among members of the European School of Sustainability Science and Research and the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme.

Findings

The survey collected responses from 103 researchers across over 40 countries. Three trends emerged: in spite of the intrinsic value of sustainability research in higher education, this area is not as mature as one could expect; the range of themes covered is wide and addresses a variety of areas; and individuals working alone is the most common means of doing research, whereas research at the university, department and faculty level appears to be less common.

Originality/value

The paper outlines some measures via which higher education institutions may be able to take more advantage of the many opportunities sustainability research offers to them.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This paper is part of the “100 papers to accelerate the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals” initiative.

Citation

Leal Filho, W., Frankenberger Silva, F., Salvia, A., Shiel, C., Paço, A., Price, E., Brandli, L.L., Rampasso, I.S., Anholon, R., Quelhas, O.L.G. and Pretorius, R.W. (2023), "An overview of research trends on sustainability in higher education – an exploratory study", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 1161-1175. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-08-2022-0252

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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