How UK universities approach sustainability: A timely review

IF 16.4 1区化学 Q1 CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Accounts of Chemical Research Pub Date : 2024-03-22 DOI:10.1177/14779714241240985

Ronghui Zhou

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This article aims to explore the definitions and approaches of sustainable development (SD) in UK higher education institutions (UKHEI). Specifically, the article investigates how SD and education for sustainable development (ESD) are defined and enacted from the official websites of the 24 Russell Group Universities. The findings reveal that some of these universities disclosed their institutionalised sustainability conceptualisation with specific targets; more than half of these universities did not disclose their institutional definitions. Despite this inconsistency, all of the universities have recognised the importance of sustainability and SDGs and prioritised one or multiple dimensions of sustainability. Sustainability is implemented in UKHEIs mainly through four categories of activity: the learning environment, Research SDGs, external collaboration, and curriculum integration. This article found that sustainability has been routinised and systematically integrated by these universities regardless of their institutionalised sustainability conceptualisation. A more innovative path, however, is needed to ensure that sustainability transitions from being merely a strategic priority to an institutional ethos that drives all actions and decisions in these universities.

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英国大学如何对待可持续发展：及时回顾

本文旨在探讨英国高等教育机构（UKHEI）对可持续发展（SD）的定义和方法。具体而言，文章调查了 24 所罗素大学集团大学的官方网站是如何定义和实施可持续发展和可持续发展教育（ESD）的。研究结果表明，其中一些大学披露了其制度化的可持续发展概念和具体目标；超过一半的大学没有披露其制度定义。尽管存在这种不一致，但所有大学都认识到了可持续发展和可持续发展目标的重要性，并将可持续发展的一个或多个方面列为优先事项。英国高等院校主要通过四类活动实施可持续性：学习环境、研究可持续发展目标、外部合作和课程整合。本文发现，无论这些大学的可持续发展概念是否制度化，它们都将可持续发展常规化、系统化。然而，要确保可持续发展从单纯的战略优先事项转变为推动这些大学所有行动和决策的机构精神，还需要一条更具创新性的道路。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Accounts of Chemical Research 化学-化学综合

CiteScore

31.40

自引率

1.10%

发文量

312

审稿时长

2 months

期刊介绍： Accounts of Chemical Research presents short, concise and critical articles offering easy-to-read overviews of basic research and applications in all areas of chemistry and biochemistry. These short reviews focus on research from the author’s own laboratory and are designed to teach the reader about a research project. In addition, Accounts of Chemical Research publishes commentaries that give an informed opinion on a current research problem. Special Issues online are devoted to a single topic of unusual activity and significance. Accounts of Chemical Research replaces the traditional article abstract with an article "Conspectus." These entries synopsize the research affording the reader a closer look at the content and significance of an article. Through this provision of a more detailed description of the article contents, the Conspectus enhances the article's discoverability by search engines and the exposure for the research.