Evaluation of sustainability using the AISHE Instrument: case study in a Brazilian University
Tóm tắt
The role of Higher Education Institutions (HEI), which are in the forefront of the challenges of sustainable development, is becoming increasingly predominant, given the importance of these institutions in the dissemination of knowledge and the implementation of sustainable conscientiousness in society. This article presents the application of the Auditing Instrument for Sustainability in Higher Education (AISHE) at the University of Passo Fundo, which is situated in Southern Brazil. The research evaluated the level of sustainability in 30 undergraduate courses at this university, focusing on Education for Sustainability. To do this, interviews were conducted with course coordinators and quickscans were utilized with professors and students. The way in which the University of Passo Fundo applied AISHE is innovative and interesting: first of all, it is important to emphasize that during the research, a wide variety of university departments were assessed; secondly, this approach allowed a comparison between the courses, producing interesting outcomes that can easily be used for a successive phase of sustainability integration. The most innovative element in the UPF approach is the way in which the outcome of the twenty AISHE criteria are related to the results of the quickscans, which are part of the ‘Check’ criteria of AISHE. Considering the priorities within sustainability in the UPF, the need exists of an initial drive in the managerial stage, such as definition of vision and policy for the institution.
Tài liệu tham khảo
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