Educational sustainability initiatives in higher education: An integrative approach to urban areas in northwestern Portugal

This paper explores the integration of sustainability and climate change education within Higher Education (HE), emphasizing the societal impact of such initiatives. Through a comprehensive analysis of various educational projects conducted between 2020 and 2024 in Portugal, the research highlights...

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Main Author: Hélder Silva Lopes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Societal Impacts
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000584
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author Hélder Silva Lopes
author_facet Hélder Silva Lopes
author_sort Hélder Silva Lopes
collection DOAJ
description This paper explores the integration of sustainability and climate change education within Higher Education (HE), emphasizing the societal impact of such initiatives. Through a comprehensive analysis of various educational projects conducted between 2020 and 2024 in Portugal, the research highlights the critical role of education in fostering sustainable development and resilience to Climate Change (CC). Utilizing a participatory-based methodology, including the TIP (Territory, Intervention, Proposal) model, the study involved collaboration among students, experts, and local stakeholders to address urban and environmental challenges. The findings underscore the importance of embedding sustainability into educational frameworks to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to tackle complex environmental issues. Moreover, the projects demonstrated how HE institutions can act as catalysts for societal change, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting a multidisciplinary approach. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term impacts of these educational practices on fostering sustainable behaviors in young people and local communities, crucial agents of change in the face of climate change.
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spelling doaj-art-9632326890494ddda1e3ac08e9ba832b2024-12-13T11:09:23ZengElsevierSocietal Impacts2949-69772024-12-014100093Educational sustainability initiatives in higher education: An integrative approach to urban areas in northwestern PortugalHélder Silva Lopes0Lab2PT—Landscape, Heritage and Territory Laboratory/IN2PAST, Department of Geography, Institute of Social Sciences, University of Minho, Porto, Portugal; IdRA—Climatology Group, Department of Geography, University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08001, Spain; Rede Compor Mundos, Humanidades, bem-estar e saúde – Fundação Fernando Pessoa, Braga 4710-057, PortugalThis paper explores the integration of sustainability and climate change education within Higher Education (HE), emphasizing the societal impact of such initiatives. Through a comprehensive analysis of various educational projects conducted between 2020 and 2024 in Portugal, the research highlights the critical role of education in fostering sustainable development and resilience to Climate Change (CC). Utilizing a participatory-based methodology, including the TIP (Territory, Intervention, Proposal) model, the study involved collaboration among students, experts, and local stakeholders to address urban and environmental challenges. The findings underscore the importance of embedding sustainability into educational frameworks to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to tackle complex environmental issues. Moreover, the projects demonstrated how HE institutions can act as catalysts for societal change, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting a multidisciplinary approach. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term impacts of these educational practices on fostering sustainable behaviors in young people and local communities, crucial agents of change in the face of climate change.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000584Climate changeTIP modelParticipatory-based methodologyHigher educationSustainability
spellingShingle Hélder Silva Lopes
Educational sustainability initiatives in higher education: An integrative approach to urban areas in northwestern Portugal
Societal Impacts
Climate change
TIP model
Participatory-based methodology
Higher education
Sustainability
title Educational sustainability initiatives in higher education: An integrative approach to urban areas in northwestern Portugal
title_full Educational sustainability initiatives in higher education: An integrative approach to urban areas in northwestern Portugal
title_fullStr Educational sustainability initiatives in higher education: An integrative approach to urban areas in northwestern Portugal
title_full_unstemmed Educational sustainability initiatives in higher education: An integrative approach to urban areas in northwestern Portugal
title_short Educational sustainability initiatives in higher education: An integrative approach to urban areas in northwestern Portugal
title_sort educational sustainability initiatives in higher education an integrative approach to urban areas in northwestern portugal
topic Climate change
TIP model
Participatory-based methodology
Higher education
Sustainability
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000584
work_keys_str_mv AT heldersilvalopes educationalsustainabilityinitiativesinhighereducationanintegrativeapproachtourbanareasinnorthwesternportugal