Campus sustainability governance in Canada

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an overview of a content analysis of sustainability policies from Canadian post-secondary education institutions. The paper reports findings on the orientations to sustainability evident in the policies; references to other policies within the documents; and other key themes on how sustainability is engaged in the policies in relation to overall governance, education, operations, research and community outreach. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 50 Canadian colleges and universities was selected based on representativeness across a range of criteria. A qualitative thematic content analysis of these policies was conducted using a collaborative coding approach. Findings – Results suggest that most sustainability policies described a Brundtland (i.e. intergenerational) and/or three-pillar (e.g. economic, environmental and social) orientation to sustainability. Many sustainability policies also connected to other external municipal or provincial policies. In terms of various domains of sustainability, campus operations was discussed by all of the policies and in the most detail, while discussions of sustainability in education (i.e. the curriculum) and in research were vague, and discussions of sustainability in relation to community outreach were included less frequently. Originality/value – This comparative study provides a broad view of sustainability policies from post-secondary institutions across Canada. It deepens our understanding of the institutions’ conceptualizations of, and priorities for, sustainability. This paper has practical implications for institutions seeking to create or further develop their own policies, and it contributes to the comparative scholarly literature on the institutionalization of sustainability in higher education.

A Strategic Communication Model for Sustainable Initiatives in Higher Education Institutions

“…This trend is prominent in the higher education sector (Vaughter et al, 2016), although here as elsewhere, research has found that institutions are often keener on signing "sustainability" declarations than on crafting accordant policies, much less thoroughly implementing them (Beveridge et al, 2015). That being noted, when a commitment to environmental responsibility expressly exists in one or more official identity statements, this offers leverage to communication professionals and other advocates championing a particular sustainability campaign.…”

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A Matter of Responsible Management from Higher Education Institutions

“…The examination shows certain processes often begin in the course of informal activities [20] leading to an incremental incorporation [7], flanked by participatory processes, management frameworks, or guidelines, and driven by top level support, clear objectives, monitoring, and an institutional framing [7]. Mission statements [54] defining a certain policy [57] with transparent objectives, clear processes, monitoring, and communication patterns [58] promote a culture of social responsibility [7]. Human Resource Management functions as a critical success factor by providing the necessary resources [16] and spurring organizational change and commitment.…”

Otimização da matriz curricular para os cursos de Engenharia de Produção no Brasil: Uma aplicação da teoria dos Grafos para a integração da sustentabilidade

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