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This study aims to the perceptions of the administration of Greek universities on sustainable development and the role of the administration in the implementation of corresponding practices. Specifically, it examines management’s perception and contribution to sustainable development and assesses the sustainability initiatives taking place in universities and the factors that influence their implementation. The obstacles and motivations in the implementation of these actions are also investigated.

For the empirical analysis, a survey was conducted during the period March–June 2022, addressing questionnaires to 12 rectors or vice rectors dealing with the sustainability of the respective 12 Greek universities. Secondary data about their sustainability practices were also collected from the institutions’ official Web pages.

The results show that management’s perception of sustainable development mainly concerns the conservation of resources for future generations and the balancing of the economy. Moreover, the findings indicate that universities play a significant role in achieving sustainability by contributing to the educational process, conducting research and serving as a model of sustainability for both the educational community and society as a whole. Financial and institutional barriers are characterized as the most important obstacles for adopting sustainability practices. The most popular motives to promote sustainability issues are financial support of universities, in addition to the governmental support of the leadership and, in particular, of the rectorate authorities.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first conducted among the Greek universities that focuses on administration’s viewpoint and contributes to the international dialogue on the implementation of sustainability by higher education institutions. The results provide preliminary evidence of top management responses to endorse sustainability activities at the higher education institutes in the broader area of Eastern Europe.

This chapter provides comments and suggestions to the lawmaker, and especially to economic policy-makers in the field of the optimal regulatory framework and implementation of sustainable practices. The main findings are as follows: (1) degradation of the rule of law in several European Union (EU) Member States and constant political undermining of the legal institutions represent the main threat for the implementation of sustainable practices and development; (2) the golden regulatory rule of thumb provides that regulatory intervention is suggested merely in cases of market failures under the condition that the costs of such intervention do not exceed the benefits; (3) over-regulation might impede implementation of sustainable practices, distort the operation of the market, undermine productivity, diminish growth and social wealth and consequently also sustainability; (4) efficiency and wealth maximization should be the lawmaker’s leading normative principle in designing the legal framework that will enable effective implementation of sustainable practices; (5) the efficient level of harmonization or subsidiarity of decision-making in the EU urges for a rigorous investigation of costs and benefits of the EU top-down harmonization policies which should lead to a better, efficient vertical allocation of sustainability agenda between EU and the Member States; and (6) The Reflection Paper on Sustainable Development Goals – “Towards a Sustainable Europe in 2030” – represents an effective institutional framework in pursue of the overall sustainability targets.

This chapter introduces the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and considers how criminological research, policy and practice can advance this global agenda. It critically accounts for the complex geopolitical, institutional and ideological landscapes that gave rise to this agenda and the challenges this poses for implementing the SDGs today. The chapter also raises important questions about the viability and consequentiality of global efforts to govern the nexus between crime, justice and sustainable development on account of the gravest threat to humanity, climate change. We conclude that all of these issues highlight the need for scholars and practitioners with expertise on crime and justice to approach this agenda from a critical standpoint. At the same time, we acknowledge that the SDGs remain the best global framework that we have for promoting safer and more equitable societies.

The euphoria of tourism development in Indonesia as one of the leading industries of the country’s economy requires proper planning and an advanced strategy to maintain its sustainability. This chapter discusses strategies used by the Indonesian government for the implementation of sustainable tourism development. The strategy comprises three tourism programs: sustainable destination, sustainable observatory, and sustainable certification. The discussion developed in this chapter stresses that sustainable programs require serious commitment from the government and a carefully developed framework that suits the Indonesian context. Further, the proposed programs have to be introduced in closely monitored stages and are perhaps best developed through a certification program that may encourage positive impacts.

It is essential for developed nations to have adequate and functional infrastructure to sustain economic growth and well-being. Despite efforts to reduce the chances of infrastructure problems, several scholars have expressed concern about infrastructure standards deteriorating at an alarming rate and the need to ensure their sustainability. To achieve sustainable infrastructure development (SID), Sahely et al. (2005) proposed an uncomplicated strategy based on fundamental cooperation between infrastructure and ecological, economic, and social frameworks. Sustainable infrastructure is defined as the development and dependable management of a safe built environment based on efficient resource utilization and environmental standards. SID aims to mitigate or eliminate ecological problems and challenges while maximizing the potential social and economic benefits. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP, 2007) defines SID as infrastructure compatible with continued financial and environmental sustainability. Sustainable road development infrastructure (SRID) is a procedure for constructing infrastructure that incorporates all the essential sustainable development (SD) parameters and is complicated by the interdependence of multiple factors. Stakeholders are essential for the successful execution of infrastructure projects, and a comprehensive evaluation of stakeholder interests and requirements is necessary to achieve SRID goals while meeting the needs of all parties involved. To achieve SRID, it is necessary to understand the relationship between road infrastructure development (RID) processes and SD standards and to implement criteria and indicators that accurately depict the long-term viability of a development process. Al Sanad (2015) identified several factors that may impede the implementation of SD in the infrastructure sector. Shafii et al. (2006) identified insufficient knowledge of SID, lack of SID training, a perception of SID as expensive, acquisition concerns, administrative issues, expert capacities, and motivational factors for manufacturing local materials as potential obstacles. Serpell (2013) identified four categories of SID challenges, including knowledge, economic and financial, organizational, and go. Darko and Chan (2016) identified the most prevalent barriers as a lack of data, training, research, information, and expertise, high cost, government interest, premium and demand, and the absence of SID standards of practice. Azis et al. (2012) identified improved project efficiency, waste reduction in the construction industry, and energy efficiency as advantages of SID. Ametepey and Aigbavboa (2014) identified energy savings, environmental protection, contribution to a higher standard of living and a healthy work environment, resource preservation for future generations, reduction in lifecycle costs, promotion of sustainable economic development, and stakeholder satisfaction as the top benefits of sustainable construction (SC). Du Plessis (2007) identified technological factors, Al Sanad (2015) identified educational programmes, Serpell et al. (2013) identified transformation, economic, and stakeholder engagement as drivers of SC, and Hankinson and Breytenbach (2012) identified enhanced SC awareness. This chapter reviewed the literature on international infrastructure and sustainability development, discussing factors, and benefits promoting SID.

Although the value of community capacity building is widely accepted within scholarly literature, these initiatives thus far appear to have achieved very little impact in the achievement of community development aspirations. This paper aims to increase knowledge regarding specific priority areas which when targeted will result in more effective pathways towards sustainable development.

This study was performed through utilization of a qualitative strategy, which involved the combination of a number of qualitative methods and techniques including individual interviews, surveys, focus groups, literary review and policy analysis.

The investigation found that improving identified CSD priority areas, aligned with the sustainable development goals (SDGs), seems to be the most effective strategy to enhance the ability of local communities to overcome sustainability challenges over time. SDGs 9, 4, 15, 16, 17 and 8 were identified as the areas of greatest significance for practical community capacity building for sustainable development (CSD).

This paper answers scholarly literature’s call for greater investigation into bringing sustainability research closer to society, to clearly define research direction and agenda. It also recommends ways to action the global goals locally.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and illustrate a comprehensive framework for how hospitality firms can overcome the broad vs narrow dilemma in sustainable management. The authors develop a framework for how to break down the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) into actionable and context-specific subsets and select individual sustainability initiatives with maximum impact.

The framework focuses on sustainable innovation and management in hospitality and the issue-focused stakeholder perspective. The authors develop a theoretical framework for the selection of impactful sustainability initiatives in the hospitality industry. In addition, the paper provides a broad range of concrete examples for how different stakeholders can act as barriers or catalysts for the implementation of sustainability initiatives.

The major contribution of this paper is twofold. First, it recognizes that the solutions to the great sustainability challenges ahead involve the active participation of the hospitality industry in establishing partnerships with stakeholders. Second, it offers an ambitious roadmap for hospitality firms to identify local issues specific to sustainable management actions committed to advancing the social, environmental and economic dimensions of sustainability.

The framework has considerable practical implications in that it is centered on helping hospitality firms select an appropriate set of SDGs for their local context and translate them into specific sustainability initiatives that address these goals. The “stakeholder-filter model” methodology is aligned with an approach that is already being used for the development of sustainability initiatives outside the scope of the hospitality industry. As a result, the framework should have substantial practical value for the hospitality industry.

The purpose of this paper is to examine university students’ attitudes towards the concept of sustainable development and towards the need for the implementation of education for sustainable development into the higher education system. To that end, the paper explores in a process-oriented focus which drivers and barriers are experienced as being the most important ones and how they relate to one another.

The study is based on the questionnaire for the evaluation of attitudes towards the concept of sustainable development. This instrument consists of 9 batteries with 83 items presented in the form of the five-point Likert scale. The questionnaire evaluated different aspects of respondents’ attitudes towards the concept of sustainable development, but students’ attitudes in relation to the items from the following subscales will be presented for this paper: understanding the concept of sustainable development, position of sustainable development in the system of higher education, sources of information about sustainable development and entities responsible for sustainable development. The study sample consisted of students from the University of Novi Sad, specifically from the faculties with accredited programs in the field of humanities and technological sciences.

In general, students recognized the main determinants of sustainable development and they support an integral approach to sustainability, i.e. the need to include the knowledge, values and skills for sustainable development in the higher education programs. In addition, they identified a number of obstacles and the uncertainties of overcoming them. In this regard, the students did not recognize the responsibility of the higher education institutions as the key responsibility or their own responsibility in relation to sustainable development, which can be related to their feeling of marginalization and the doubt that their behaviour and decisions can influence the development of the local society, as well as the development of the society as a whole. On the other hand, the respondents acknowledged the role, the importance and the responsibility of the mass media in the process of developing the attitudes towards and opinions about the problems related to environmental protection and sustainable development.

The results of the study indicate the students’ attitudes towards sustainable development, thus making the directions for higher education reform clearer and in line with the present needs for sustainable development in Serbia. The obtained results can serve as a recommendation to the governing structures, i.e. to the relevant ministries of education and environmental protection, as well as to the universities in terms of which direction their process of planning and creating paths of sustainability should take. This is particularly important in the case of the Republic of Serbia, which is currently in the process of joining the European Union and responding to the requirements set by the process of negotiation for Chapter 27 in terms of improving the strategic framework and plans for the education for sustainable development and building the capacities in response to climate change. On the other hand, linking the results of this research with the results of similar studies around the world contributes to the further enrichment of the scientific knowledge base in this field and confirms the need for stronger and united efforts on the path to a sustainable future. It is a fact that, regardless of the national, economic, socio-political and cultural context, there is a global lack of success in shaping a humane and sustainable relationship between man and nature. Therefore, the results of this research should be considered as an invitation for new research initiatives regarding the ways to support the positive attitudes of students towards the concept of sustainable development and to facilitate their further development in the educational process, as well as in other academic domains.

This research is inspired by the fact that, in the Balkan countries, education for sustainable development has not been extensively discussed within the scientific discourse on higher education for sustainable development. This is one of the first papers to provide data about students’ attitudes towards the concept of sustainable development and the need for its implementation in the higher education system in Serbia. The value of the paper lies in its potential to help understand the role that different drivers and barriers play in higher education for sustainable development.