TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the case of the Valorbio research project, in which students of different high-level programs were involved in the experimental work and in the dissemination of results in collaboration with the research team.Design/methodology/approach The inclusion in higher education curricula of content related to the sustainable development should be a preferred mechanism for the dissemination of good practices of sustainability. Another equally important way to achieve this is to involve students in research projects that seek solutions to the societal challenges related to sustainable growth. The Valorbio project aims to meet the needs for treating and reusing wastewater and solid waste. Its main goal was the development of modular systems for wastewater treatment based on constructed wetlands, exploring the possibility of the treatment systems being composed of solid waste and by-products from significant industrial sectors.Findings The students’ contribution to the research work was relevant and simultaneously allowed them to acquire skills on sustainable development. Additionally, the students contributed to the dissemination of the results. The Valorbio project can thus be considered a successful application of the concept of project-based learning (PBL), as a way to include sustainability issues content in the higher education curricula.Originality/value The applied experimental work had an original approach regarding the equipment design, the waste materials valuation, as well as the integration of waste treatment processes in the circular economy paradigm. This paper is the first reported PBL experience involving students of short-cycle technical–professional programs in partnership with first and second-level students and a research team.
VL  - 21
IS  - 2
SN  - 1467-6370
DO  - 10.1108/IJSHE-09-2019-0254
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-09-2019-0254
AU  - Mateus Dina M.R.
AU  - Pinho Henrique J.O.
AU  - Nogueira Isabel M.D.P.
AU  - Rosa Manuel A.N.H.
AU  - Cartaxo Marco A.M.
AU  - Nunes Valentim M.B.
PY  - 2020
Y1  - 2020/01/01
TI  - Participation of students in the project Valorbio: A case study to accelerate the implementation of sustainability principles in the curriculum
T2  - International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 244
EP  - 263
Y2  - 2024/04/20
ER  -