There should be a holistic view of the sustainability issue that affects all aspects of life inside the university campus, and there should be a sustainable perspective to handle issues inside the university. This concept and the actions build based on it should be stated clearly in the sustainable plan of the university. There should be aims that the university targets with its sustainable plan, there should be targets to be met, and most importantly is that there should be indicators to define where the university has been on a sustainable scale, what it has accomplished and where it’s going.
In the current plan for Qatar University this holistic concept is missing. Sustainability is looked at as moving towards more green solutions. So the only aspect being targeted in the plan is the environmental issues. The economic and social aspects are not targeted at all.
Another important thing is that there is no involvement for the students and staff in this plan, which in a university is a very negative thing. The strength of the university and consequently its sustainable plan and solutions is in its society, because these students and staff are the conveyers of this culture into the community. They should be the people in the community who lead the change. So their involvement is essential and a very important part of the plan.
One of the most important issues is that there is no committee to track and make sure that all parts of the university is complying with the universities concept of sustainability and to monitor the unsustainable practices inside the university. This committee should also be responsible for raising the awareness inside the university about the sustainable practices and encourage people to adopt it. There should be events organized specially to promote the sustainability inside campus, and the students and staff should be involved in this events.
The importance of the role of high quality education in global development
World Summit at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Chapter 36 of Agenda 21) highlighted the importance of the role of high quality education in global development and stated:
“Education, including formal education, public awareness and training should be reorganized as a process by which human beings and societies can reach their fullest potential. Education is critical for promoting sustainable development and improving the capacity of the people to address environment and development issues (Melnychuk et al., 2003:32).”
Regarding the University Rankings, the University that is ranked the number one university on an educational scale is yet according to a sustainable ranking at the bottom of the list. In England according to the green league published exclusively by the Guardian today on 2013 Manchester Metropolitan University has been awarded as the greenest university in the United Kingdom, scoring the first place, while the University of Cambridge has scored the 113th place on the same list. Ranking in terms of green ratings have shown a significant increase as the respective stakeholders (students and faculty) have more emphasis on environmental challenges. Finally we are looking forward to have Qatar University defined as a sustainable university globally.
University Role
QU has an opportunity to foster sustainability by making organizational changes involving operations, policies and student and faculty behavior. In order to prepare the next generation of society’s leaders for a sustainable future, QU considering a model of sustainability this can make students to more responsible citizens. According to QU policy the University role towards sustainability can be summarized to four main aspects as explained below.
Educating high skilled workers in the community
Presence of Skilled workers in the community is always related to economic growth. This growth is spread through a wide range of levels starting from Individual level to reach the National level. Higher education boosts the human Capital but also provide long-term economic development, technology development and providing Know-how practices.
Training the trainers
Not only having high skilled workers but also training the professors and teachers to develop alleducation levels and highlight the role of this education in the national growth. There are two types of Growth:
- Innovation Growth
Home grown breakthrough concepts which develop new science and technology that lead to new industries. In this type of growth Academia is place in a central position because science and technology has been centralized.
- Adaptation of technology growth
Having highly skilled workers help to transfer technology to fit the local context.
Getting involved in R & D network
Creating a national innovation network where all R & D funds are grouped together to serve the national development goals. The R&D funds are increasing in all types of private corporations and governmental institutes. Grouping these funds put all the efforts of development to the national development goals. University is a major partner in the R&D fund network that connects between private and public facilities.
Problem solving to face national challenges and create national policies
Highlighting wide range problems and challenges in all national policies related to three main pillars economic, social and environmental.
Parameters addressed by universities to become more sustainable
Universities understanding the responsibility and the extreme importance of shifting to more sustainable policies and plans started financing environmentally friendly products and services, sustainable buildings, and strategies for improving awareness among students and staff members. Some examples of sustainable university initiatives are noted below:
- Sustainable building design
- Renewable energy
- Water bottle re-use
- Locally produced food
- Waste disposal
- Green transport
- Awareness-raising events
The Campus Earth Summit at Yale University brought collectively 450 staff, faculty, and student representatives from 22 nations, 6 regions, and all 50 countries at Yale University on February 18-20, 1994 to develop a Green Campus blue print, recommending a set of parameters for higher education facilities across the globe to act toward an environmentally sustainable future. The recommendations in this summit which are still the main source for sustainability principles in today’s universities. These recommendations were as follows (Blueprint for a Green Campus, 1994):
Environmental knowledge integration into courses for all relevant disciplines.
- The academic vision and mission statement should highlight the relevance of environmental issues and should include all student body. All students upon graduation will transform from university to work environment the knowledge, values, and skills of sustainability. This will push the work environment towards a sustainable future.
- The staff training and development programs, seminars and funding to be oriented towards overall development of appropriate faculty for interfacing sustainability perspectives into their existing courses.
Enhance undergraduate’s core curriculum on environmental studies.
- Benchmarking in terms of quality assurance review pertaining to reports from environmental course offering through a group of students, faculty, alumni and subject matter experts.
- University management commitment/ BUY-IN to fund the required environmental courses and required resources to employ train and develop relevant staff and faculty members to chief such courses.
- Publicize and distribute the quality report of analyzed environmental courses and adopt the recommendations.
Study campus and local environmental issues – A great opportunity for students
- Awarding academic credits to students for conducting an impact study on campus environment and local environmental concerns.
- Ensuring university obligation to initiate an action on above impact case studies to formulate and strategies’ effective and innovative methodology for the betterment of campus and associated environmental impact.
- Campus environmental audit process to be conducted regularly to measure the impact of following : hazardous waste/materials, dangerous waste, medicinal waste, food, waste, water and rainstorm runoff, pest management, air quality, solid waste, workstation environment, purchasing policies, investment policies, mobility, water, energy, campus planning and development, research activities, business connections, education and knowledge related to environmental impacts.
- Publicize the report that provides specific action plan that highlight performance improvements in respective domains and identifying the area of importance for action plan, and pre-planning next audit after setting required benchmarking. Distribute the validated audit report to all the parties building the campus community involving staff, faculty, students, alumni trustees, high-level campus officials, and all related stakeholders.
Practice environmentally responsible purchasing policies.
- Include environment friendly/sustainable product specifications in university procurement policies and contract documents.
- As a community serving organization and with the understanding among the peer institutions, enhance the procurement of environmental friendly, biodegradable, energy efficient, reparable, less toxic and recyclable products, with maximum durability or biodegradability.
- Alignment of various intra departments within the university and program to integrate with common purchasing policies, standards and specifications.
- Establish work plans/programs involving student community to reduce, reuse ,and recycle the maximum amount of waste on campus.
- The following materials: plastic, food waste, glass, hazardous chemicals, steel/aluminum cans, cardboard, paper, electronic waste, landscape waste, magazines, newspapers, leaves, construction rubble, oil, tires, scrap metal, telephone books, contaminated soil be included in the scope of waste reduction programs.
- Introduce energy efficient technologies like variable frequency drives for cooling, heating and plumbing equipment’s in existing and upcoming campus buildings. Reinvest this accumulated income for enhancing performance related to environmental issues.
- Measurement and verification for consumption of heat electricity and water via Installation of meters and setting the base lines through existing metering systems.
- Conducting campus awareness programs to conserve energy and introduce incentives for action, such as by initiating inter department competitions.
Environmental sustainability in building planning, transportation and campus land-use – A priority agenda
- Improve use of inland plants, establish course of action to promote optimized developments for future campus growth and making sure that future development will positively effect natural resources such as parks, momentous buildings, areas of wetlands, forests, wildlife habitats, agricultural land, watersheds, noise and air pollution, traffic blockage.
- The existing and future land use plans to incorporate those design features that promote sustainability for all future and existing land-use, building plans, and transportation.
- Provide incentives for sustainable transportation activities such as bicycles, walking, public transport, either buses or rail, and ridesharing; and at the same time use of the single-occupancy cars be discouraged by increasing the parking fees, and integrate the land use planning with the transportation planning.
- Incorporate guidelines for energy-efficiency, proper ventilation as per ASHRAE guidelines, non-toxic and environmentally-sound construction materials while planning building construction or renovation,
Establishment of environmental center for students.
- Promoting education within campus and outreaching surrounding/local community to create awareness regarding problems related to the environment and their short and long term solutions.
- Educating the community through events and conferences so as to develop awareness and creating a network of faculty, students and subject matter experts and also to promote membership enrollment program
- Deployment of associated faculty and staff to collaborate with the students and channelize their interest into concrete reform strating from the campus and taking it further up to local, state, national levels.
Career Counseling for environmental careers.
- Allocate resources and funds for career placement to assist student efforts and find careers related to environmentally sustainable future, including environmental career guidance, internship etc.
- Conduct environmental career fairs annually that bring regulatory bodies, environmental specialist and experts from various businesses and government sector under one platform and counsel the students and other stakeholders about their related work.
The Need for a Sustainable Campus
There are many definitions for the Sustainable development, but the most frequently quoted definition mentioned in the Brundtland Report (1987) is:
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Conflicts on the definition of ‘development’ should be and what is ‘sustainable’ will doubtless never disappear. This can be clarified by several factors, amongst which are the following, regognized by Gagnon, Leduc &Savard (2012):
- The position to normative concepts (e.g. what is fair? what contributes to the well-being?).
- The need to reflect undefined or unnamed long-term effects on complex schemes.
- The struggle to predict the preferences of upcoming generations (e.g. values and needs).
Universities and higher education institutions have a great responsibility in promoting sustainable development, not only through the educational programs they offer, but also through the involvement of students and staff in the sustainability issues and encouraging the interaction with them, implementing sustainable solutions and adopting sustainability in their future plans, and finally having an impact on the society and leading the way by offering knowledge, solutions and influential individuals. To consider sustainable development is taking responsibility for the welfare of future generations and also of our environment, of our planet. Positive approach towards sustainability has to be an essential part of the ethical foundation of our actions and our lifestyle. This means the support sustainable development is a vital aspect of the educational agenda at whole levels (Archive.ias.unu.edu, 2014). With the rise of this awareness the need for sustainable plans for universities has raised too. Many efforts have been dedicated to this issue, and now many universities have different sustainability plans that suites their needs and nature.
Don’t miss it!
QU As Sustainable Campus: Sharing Experiences
Sunday – 9th November 2014, from 10:00 am -13:00 pm
QU Conference Hall, Administrative Building
Program:
09:30-10:00 Networking Coffee
10:00-10:10 Welcoming Speech
10:10-10:20 Introduction, QU
10:20-10:40 Presentation: “Future Plans for the Campus”, QU
10:40-11:00 Presentation: “QU As Green Campus:
Strategy and Implementation Plan”, QU
11:00-11:20 Presentation: “The Role of Qatar Green Building Council in Developing Qatar’s Sustainability Vision”, QGBC
11:20-12:20 Panel Discussion – Moderator: Dr. Y. Mahgoub, QU
12:20-12:30 Launch of QU Green Website, QU
12:30-13:00 Lunch
Useful References on Sustainable Campuses
A first list of useful references for discussing “sustainable campuses” approaches:
Archive.ias.unu.edu,.(2014). The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Promoting Sustainable Development. Retrieved 18 May 2014, from http://archive.ias.unu.edu/sub_page.aspx?catID=705&ddlID=887
Blueprint for a Green Campus. (1994). In The Campus Earth Summit Initiatives for Higher Education.
Brundtland Commission,. (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future. United Nations.
Campus-sostenibile.polimi.it,.(2014). Welcome – CAMPUS SOSTENIBILE. Retrieved 22 May 2014, from http://www.campus-sostenibile.polimi.it/
Ferguson, B. (1987). Water conservation methods in urban landscape irrigation: an exploratory overview1. JAWRA Journal Of The American Water Resources Association, 23(1), 147–152.
Friedman, A. (2007). Sustainable residential development (1st ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Gagnon, B., Leduc, R., &Savard, L. (2012). From a conventional to a sustainable engineering design process: different shades of sustainability. Journal Of Engineering Design, 23(1), 49–74.
GREENING THE URBAN CAMPUS: A Sustainability Assessment of New York University. (2014). Retrieved 19 May 2014, from http://www.nyu.edu/sustainability/pdf/gallatinassessment.pdf
LEED,.(2009). LEED 2009 FOR New construction (2nd ed., p. xi – xx). Washington, DC: U.S. Green Building Council.
New York University,. (2014). GREENING THE URBAN CAMPUS A Sustainability Assessment of New York University. Retrieved 20 May 2014, from http://www.nyu.edu/sustainability/pdf/gallatinassessment.pdf
Pearce, J., & F. Uhl, C. (2003). Getting It Done: Effective Sustainable Policy Implementation at the University Level.Planning For Higher Education, 53-61. Retrieved from http://www.aashe.org/documents/resources/Pearce-Gettingitdone.pdf
Pearce, J., & F. Uhl, C. (2014). Getting It Done: Effective Sustainable Policy Implementation at the University Level.Planning For Higher Education, (31(3), 53-61.
Pearce, J. (2006). Catalyzing mass production of solar photovoltaic cells using university driven green purchasing. International Journal Of Sustainability In Higher Education, 7(4), 425–436.
Qu.edu.qa,.(2014). Our Vision and Mission. Retrieved 22 May 2014, from http://www.qu.edu.qa/theuniversity/vision_mission.php
Regional Municipalilty of Waterloo.(1990). Healthy Lawns and Gardens with Less Water. Waterloo, Ontario
The global sustainable competitiveness index. (2013). Iisan: South Korea, Solability, pp.64-72.
The Role of University Education in Fostering Sustainable and Responsible Development.(2009). In 2009 G8 University Summit.
Topuniversities.com,.(2014). Green Universities. Retrieved 20 May 2014, from http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/choosing-university/green-universities
Universities join forces to promote sustainability. (2014). University World News, (320). Retrieved from http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20140513104636548
University of california, santabarbara,. (2014). Working document campus sustainability plan. Retrieved 20 May 2014, from http://sustainability.ucsb.edu/plan/docs/sustainability_plan_workingdoc4.08.pdf
University of Nottingham,. (2014). Strategic Plan 2010-15. Retrieved 20 May 2014, from http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/about/documents/universityofnottinghamstrategicplan2010-15.pdf
University of Waterloo,.(2013). University of Waterloo Green Guide. Retrieved 20 May 2014, from https://uwaterloo.ca/sustainability/sites/ca.sustainability/files/uploads/files/uw_green_guide_-_aoda_version_final.pdf
White, S. (2014). Campus Sustainability Plans in the United States: Where, What, and How to Evaluate?.International Journal Of Sustainability In Higher Education, 15(2), 8–8.
Lesson Learned
Higher education institutions are able to lead our world to fields of opportunity that could be expanded. Colleges and universities are leaders; they have the knowledge and ability to educate large number of their students each year on the most advanced ideas and technologies. We can say that universities and colleges possess the required opportunity and the ability to guide as well as lead the society towards more energy sources that are more sustainable. Universities have access to cutting edge technologies and knowledge of environmental challenges and associated technical solutions.
The leadership role of universities and colleges can be expressed in many different ways; one being the resources they invest in programs that are new or not fully understood. These are risks that colleges can and do take every day in order to achieve their quest of becoming more highly acclaimed and attract even better students. But they have the great advantage that they cannot fail. Instead, they take each failure as a learning tool for the next project or process. These educational steps may take a very long time, but once again colleges have no issue with time because they are institutions so entrenched into our society that they are and will always be there. Each year new students come to learn at these places of higher education and each year these colleges take new risks in order to not only teach the new but to learn about the opportunities available. It is absolutely vital for universities to apply their findings when capable in order to continue growth as the leaders of our society. By not using the resources at hand universities are contradicting their own studies and philosophies.
The complex issues can be addressed through the participation of higher education institutions as they are essential for promoting sustainable development via improving the ability of individuals. The outreach and partnership of the universities can further expand their scope for more sustainable developments. Many of the resource issues raised by the participants can be addressed by the partnership as they are becoming more and more experienced in the society. Universities can and have to lead by example through environment friendly institutional policies and practices by reducing their own impact on the environment, and implementing their own plans of sustainable solutions. Universities and colleges can potentially generate funds to further enhance the areas of research. A dynamic approach in the field of research could be a value addition to these initiatives.
In the 4th UNESCO Chair Conference for HESD (Higher Education for Sustainable Development), noticed that small changes such as starting additional course in HESD can help to integrate sustainability in all three areas; campus, community and curriculum to an extent. However, to have a concrete outcome in sustainability, positive approach from the entire university is required. So that development in all three areas; campus, community and curriculum are integrated in to each other. For example interdisciplinary calls for new learning approaches to be incorporated in curriculum and at the same time it has an effect n the relationship of community and university. This is also true for students, researchers and practitioners on campus. Whole sustainability concept development can be initiated through openness, participation, co-operation and dialogue. Dynamic leadership is a prerequisite for such changes that also give rise to recognition and exploration of enormous opportunities.
Sustainable design is a key component of a project. The higher education institutions role and their sustainability plan indicate complexity in assessing of sustainability metrics that meets the needs of all the stake holders.