Main dimensions, initiatives, barriers, and international best practices of sustainability in the higher education sector

Higher education institutions can play three different roles in promoting sustainability, which makes the relationship between higher education and sustainability unique. Universities can shape the attitudes of future generations through education and can also act as scientific laboratories to address environmental, social, and economic challenges. Their operations can have a wide range of positive and negative impacts on their environment that are worth addressing. This paper will explore the role of universities in sustainability, presenting international best practices in the different aspects of sustainability and analysing the impact of COVID-19 on the sustainability of universities.