Sustainable higher education

The why and how of (re-)orienting higher education towards sustainability

As the need for reform towards sustainability is recognised by an ever increasing community of scholars, governments and actors of civil society, higher education institutions have steadily but slowly joined the mobility movement. The current forces of internationalisation of the higher education landscape and the ever-deepening sustainability crisis create a series of challenges as well as opportunities. The varied perspectives on sustainability held by diverse groups of international students and scholars who increasingly meet at sustainable campuses create fertile ground for cross-fertilisation across and within disciplines. In this article, an introduction of the rationale for sustainable higher education institutions is followed by an analysis of the opportunities for action and existing best practices in campus operations, curriculum development and research. The article concludes with a series of recommendations to strengthen the role of higher education institutions in achieving sustainability by following a whole systems approach.