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21 – 30 of 51Arpita Chakraborty, Manvendra Pratap Singh and Mousumi Roy
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of university in shaping pro-environmental behaviour in students.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of university in shaping pro-environmental behaviour in students.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper used goal-framing theory to investigate the relationship between goals and pro-environmental behaviour by comparing the responses of entry- and exit-level students. Structural equation modeling, one-way analysis of variance and other standard statistical analysis have been used to analyse the data collected through questionnaire survey in a central university offering technical education in India.
Findings
Pro-environmental intention in students increases with a strong normative goal. The direct and indirect effects indicate hedonic goal and gain goal via normative goal leads to better pro-environmental behaviour. Higher values for normative goal in exit-level students substantiates the role of university.
Practical implications
The paper provides scope to improvise and incorporate environmental practices into the habits of the students by aligning their goals and university dimensions including curriculum, campus operations, research and outreach activities.
Originality/value
The results make an important contribution in establishing a sustained green culture by offering a new university paradigm.
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Rita Adjei, Michael Addaney and Leslie Danquah
This study aims to determine the impact of resource use behaviours of students of a public university in Ghana on ecological sustainability. It examines the land area required to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to determine the impact of resource use behaviours of students of a public university in Ghana on ecological sustainability. It examines the land area required to provide the resources used and also to assimilate the wastes produced. It also suggests an effective way to initiate participative discussions on environmental sustainability and consequences of resource use in a university setting.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a mixed methods approach to gather and analyse data on students’ lifestyles concerning ecological footprint. The data was analysed using the Predictive Analytics Software and a modified version of the ecological footprint analysis (EFA).
Findings
The current ecological footprint of students in the university is not environmentally sustainable. The sample population had high average ecological footprint of 3.62 hectares, representing an ecological impact score of 135.85. The findings provide lessons on how universities and analogous institutions interested in sustainable practices could foster ecologically sustainable development.
Research limitations/implications
Additional data collection methods such as a longitudinal study would provide a more comprehensive assessment of the impact of resource use behaviour of students in a public university in Ghana on ecological sustainability.
Social implications
EFA and findings can support universities to effectively integrate sustainability practices into their policies and practices to help students contribute to making society more sustainable.
Originality/value
This is an original research and makes a contribution to EFA and sustainable practices of public universities in Ghana.
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Christin Dameria, Haryo Winarso, Petrus Natalivan Indradjati and Dewi Sawitri Tjokropandojo
The purpose of the study is to confirm the influence of each dimension of visitor's sense of place (place identity, place attachment and place dependence) on each dimension of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to confirm the influence of each dimension of visitor's sense of place (place identity, place attachment and place dependence) on each dimension of conservation behavioral intention (general behavioral intention and specific behavioral intention) in the context of urban heritage.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a quantitative methods. Research respondent is individual visitor who meet the research criteria. The strength influence of sense of place dimension (independent variable) on dimension of conservation behavioral intention (dependent variable) was measured by Somers' D correlation. Primary data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques.
Findings
All correlation coefficient values were below +0.59. It shows that the sense of place dimensions have a weak influence on each dimension of conservation behavioral intention. Weak correlation occurs because of the setting profile (tourism approaches which tends to be material-based) and the type of visitor (casual cultural tourism and sightseeing tourist) which interprets heritage only as an object of relaxation.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the statistical approach used (nonparametric statistical techniques), the results of the study cannot be generalized. Therefore, further studies with different approaches are needed.
Social implications
This study demonstrates the need for tourism policy in Semarang Old Town (SOT) as a form of value-driven heritage conservation practice to encourage visitors to appreciate the cultural significance of the area.
Originality/value
In the context of urban heritage area, the literature on research topics is still limited. However, the results of this study were different from previous studies. The weak relationship is explained through an approach that considers contextual factors, namely profile settings and visitor profiles.
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Margien Bootsma and Walter Vermeulen
The purpose of this paper is to explore the labor market position of environmental science graduates and the core competencies of these environmental professionals related to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the labor market position of environmental science graduates and the core competencies of these environmental professionals related to their working practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors carried out two surveys amongst alumni of the integrated environmental science program of Utrecht University and their employers. The surveys addressed alumni's working experiences and employers' assessment of the core competencies of environmental science graduates.
Findings
The surveys indicated that environmental science graduates have a fairly strong position on the labor market. They are employed in a diverse range of functions and working sectors, including consultancy agencies, research institutions, governmental organizations and NGOs. Graduates as well as employers consider a number of generic academic skills (e.g. intellectual qualities, communication skills) as well as discipline specific professional knowledge and practical skills as important competencies for the working practice of environmental scientists.
Practical implications
These insights can be used for the improvement of environmental science curricula in order to increase the employability of their graduates.
Originality/value
This paper presents data on the labor market position of graduates of “integrated” environmental science programs and provides insights into the core competencies of these graduates.
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Per Christensen, Mikkel Thrane, Tine Herreborg Jørgensen and Martin Lehmann
This article aims to discuss the contradiction between signing an agreement to work for sustainable universities and the lack of practical commitment in one case, namely at…
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to discuss the contradiction between signing an agreement to work for sustainable universities and the lack of practical commitment in one case, namely at Aalborg University (AAU). Focus is placed both on the University's core processes such as education, research and outreach; on the necessary inputs and outputs related to transport, food and operation, and maintenance of buildings, and on the university's products counting published results of research and educated students and researchers.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a desk study of official university documents from the period 1990 to 2007, and a number of student reports that have focused on the sustainability or environmental merits of the University.
Findings
Although adopting an environmental policy and signing the Copernicus Charter back in the early 1990s, AAU soon lost momentum. This was due to reasons defined as: the lack of commitment from top management, the missing acceptance from technical staff, and a narrow understanding of the university's environmental impacts. Obviously, a model of the environmental impacts should not only take into account the environmental impacts related to the impacts occurring in the present, e.g. related to the running and maintenance of buildings and laboratories, but also integrate considerations about the impacts in the processes (education, research and outreach). Thereby, the model shall provide the basis for more sustainable products, such as students considering aspects of sustainability in the solutions and approaches they apply in their future careers.
Research limitations/implications
This article forms the basis for future research identifying how universities can contribute to sustainable development in a more coherent way by implementing new policies and plans. The article takes its starting point in a general model of a university's environmental impacts involving key processes at the university, the related inputs and outputs (emissions), and the transformation of intermediate products such as high school students and existing research results into products such as graduate students, PhDs, and new research results.
Practical implications
The processes and the related inputs, outputs, intermediate products, and end‐products are analysed and discussed in order to illustrate the relevant environmental issues that need to be addressed by universities.
Originality/value
The paper identifies a number of key issues of sustainability that universities need to address and offers inspiration to staff and students on how to push these agendas at their home universities.
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Debalina Sengupta, Yinlun Huang, Cliff I. Davidson, Thomas F. Edgar, Mario R. Eden and Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi
Sustainable manufacturing may be defined as the creation of manufactured products that use processes that are non-polluting, conserve energy and natural resources, and are…
Abstract
Purpose
Sustainable manufacturing may be defined as the creation of manufactured products that use processes that are non-polluting, conserve energy and natural resources, and are economically sound and safe for employees, communities and consumers. Recently, there have been several industrial and governmental endeavors to launch sustainable manufacturing initiatives. To support such initiatives and to prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers, academic institutions have a responsibility to introduce educational programs and tools in the area of sustainable manufacturing. The purpose of this paper is to report on the approach, progress and contributions of a US National Science Foundation-sponsored project titled: “The Sustainable Manufacturing Advances in Research and Technology Coordination Network (SMART CN)”.
Design/methodology/approach
The project aims to bridge the gap between the academic knowledge discovery and industrial technology innovation for sustainable manufacturing. Toward this goal, various research and educational activities have been undertaken to introduce Sustainable Manufacturing Case Studies for use by academic instructors to a diverse group of undergraduate, graduate and industry professionals.
Findings
In this paper, the need for education on sustainable manufacturing has been focused upon, followed by approaches toward addressing these needs, concluding with examples of case studies developed through the SMART-CN project framework.
Originality/value
This work provides the engineering community with structured modules for introducing the topic of sustainable manufacturing in the curriculum.
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Vasiliki Maria Panatsa and Georgios Malandrakis
This study aims to detect preschool and primary school student–teachers’ (STs) views about the social pillar of urban sustainability and particularly about the importance they…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to detect preschool and primary school student–teachers’ (STs) views about the social pillar of urban sustainability and particularly about the importance they attach to various social aspects of urban sustainability, and the perceived effectiveness of education in influencing these aspects.
Design/methodology/approach
A custom-designed questionnaire comprising eight literature-based social aspects of urban sustainability was developed and administered to 207 STs during the spring semester of 2015-2016, in the school of education, of a university located in northern Greece.
Findings
The highest levels of importance were attached to the aspect of “Health”, whereas aspects related to “Policy and Governance” were considered as the least important of all social aspects of urban sustainability. The aspect considered most easily influenced through education was that of “Human Relations”, in contrast to the aspect of “Housing” in which education was considered as the least effective. Also, STs considered every aspect of social urban sustainability to be more important than able to be influenced by education, revealing that they are somewhat sceptical of the effectiveness of education in this field.
Research limitations/implications
The participation of only student-teachers and the use of quantitative research tools are among the main limitation of the study. Future research should include teachers, both in-service and pre-service, from various disciplines and educational levels, and should employ a combination of quantitative with qualitative methods of analysis.
Practical implications
Insight into STs’ views can serve as a useful guidance for teacher education programs, providing information about necessary actions that have to be taken for the improvement of both pre- and in-service teacher educations.
Originality/value
There is a great lack of research around pre- and in-service teachers’ views about the importance of sustainability and the role of education in influencing it. Existing research is further scarcer when it comes to the investigation of the social pillar of urban sustainability, as literature usually focuses either on the environmental pillar of sustainability or on the concept of sustainable development in general.
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Tenley M. Conway, Chelsea Dalton, Jennifer Loo and Laura Benakoun
The ecological footprint represents a simple way to assess the amount of materials consumed and waste produced by a given entity. The approach has been applied to countries…
Abstract
Purpose
The ecological footprint represents a simple way to assess the amount of materials consumed and waste produced by a given entity. The approach has been applied to countries, towns, households, and more recently university campuses. One of the challenges of using the ecological footprint at a university is the difficulty of determining how large the footprint should be. The authors have developed a calculator specific to the needs of a university campus, and applied it to the University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM). Rather than focus on the overall size, the purpose of this paper is to instead create several scenarios to help communicate the relative impacts of alternative actions.
Design/methodology/approach
An ecological footprint calculator appropriate to the campus was developed and applied to UTM. Three scenarios were then created: on‐campus electricity generation versus electricity purchased from the grid, current commuting patterns versus those expected if a student bus pass is adopted, and use of virgin office paper versus recycled office paper.
Findings
The results of the calculator suggest that energy consumption represents the largest component of UTM's footprint, followed by commuting to campus.
Practical implications
The relative benefits of on‐campus electricity generation, increasing public transit use, and the adoption of recycled paper are all highlighted through the scenario calculations.
Originality/value
This paper presents a way to avoid the difficulty of determining how large a university's footprint should be through the use of an alternative scenario method, which provides an easy way to communicate the impacts of consumption decisions to a campus' community.
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Yvonne Zeegers and Ian Francis Clark
This study investigated whether a course which focused on raising students' awareness of sustainability, from a balanced perspective, that is, one which gives equal consideration…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigated whether a course which focused on raising students' awareness of sustainability, from a balanced perspective, that is, one which gives equal consideration to the social and economic aspects as well as the environmental would produce graduates with the knowledge and commitment required to drive the sustainability agenda forward. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
An analysis of students' final entries in their reflective journal was used to explore whether their views on sustainability reflected a balanced view.
Findings
The findings of this research confirmed previous studies showed that initially students do have an enviro-centric bias. It also showed that despite experiencing a pedagogical approach which challenged views by encouraging discussion, debate, and reflection and which provided what was considered to be a balanced view of sustainability, many of the students still leaned towards an environmentally focused perspective of sustainability.
Research limitations/implications
The conclusions are based on one data set but are supported by other data described in the paper.
Practical implications
The finding led the authors to conclude that a concerted holistic effort within and across courses is needed within tertiary institutions if students' views about sustainability are to be challenged.
Originality/value
The outcomes demonstrate that students' reflective journals can be used to gather information about the change in students' perceptions about sustainability.
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African feminist scholars and activists have made major contributions to our understanding of gender-based violence. This is especially the case in southern Africa, which has a…
Abstract
African feminist scholars and activists have made major contributions to our understanding of gender-based violence. This is especially the case in southern Africa, which has a long history of high rates of violence against women and girls. Their rates of gender-based violence are among the very highest in the world. While there are many forms of gender-based violence, this chapter will explore the important contributions of African gender scholars and activists to our knowledge concerning domestic violence and rape. These issues will be interrogated using Zimbabwe and South Africa as case studies, with some reference to Namibia. In the region, domestic violence and sexual assault have deeply rooted structural explanations linked to the long history of colonialism, apartheid and white minority rule, political transition, economic crises and adjustment, changes in expected gender roles and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In the past 25 years, Zimbabwe and South Africa attempted to address violence against women through the development of laws as well as the creation of non-governmental organizations. Although these important efforts have not resulted in a major decrease in violence against women, they clearly demonstrate the long history of African women’s actions in resisting state power and patriarchy. African women as citizens, scholars and activists are responsible for bringing to the fore the critical importance of reducing gender-based violence in order to establish strong, just and sustainable societies in southern Africa.
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