Governing the university in the perspective of the United Nations 2030 Agenda

Abstract

Purpose Starting from the experience of the University of Bologna, this paper provides an innovative framework to analyse how universities are rethinking courses and curricula, teaching, research programmes, campus operation and partnership to address the Agenda 2030. Design/methodology/approach The paper proposes a methodological approach to represent direct and indirect impacts produced by all universities’ activities. Findings The commitment to sustainability of the University of Bologna was made clear through the last Strategic Plan approach explicitly aimed at the consideration of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Parallel to the process of integration of the SDGs in strategic planning, the University has an additional tool for reporting on the extended performance, which was presented during the G7 Environment held in Bologna in June 2017. Research limitations/implications This study focussed on the University of Bologna experience, according with HEIs sustainability approach over the world. A bit too technical sometimes to explain each practical point of activity related with the commitment in SDGs. Practical implications The multi-year experience acquired by the University of Bologna through a process of reporting that combines the economic dimension with the social and environmental, has as a natural outlet questioning the priorities to be pursued in teaching, research and the third mission to contribute to the Agenda 2030. Social implications It is shown as Alma Mater promotes actively the principles of sustainability also in terms of enhancement of collectivity welfare, the economic growth, the social equity and the capability of involved people to actually work together for the common good. Originality/value On the basis of the experience of the University of Bologna, an innovative framework can be provided to analyse how universities are rethinking all their activities to address the Agenda 2030.

A Holistic Approach to Integrate and Evaluate Sustainable Development in Higher Education. The Case Study of the University of the Basque Country

“…They agree on the identified difficulties and conclude that the development of sustainability plans (particularly when combined with local and community development) could also act as an enabler to capacitybuilding, with a special attention to relevant matters of local and global interest. From all these qualitative case studies, the most relevant are those developed at the University of South Africa [24], the University of Bologna [25] and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology [26]. These three case studies not only report the institutional processes they carried out (leadership, set-up of priorities, plurality of topics, courses and programs on offer, engaging various stakeholders) but also detail their own systems of indicators for the monitoring of achievements.…”

A Holistic Approach to Integrate and Evaluate Sustainable Development in Higher Education. The case study of the University of the Basque Country

“…The study carried out by Paletta et al [25] highlighted that universities are complex, polycentric and multi-stakeholder organizations, for which sustainability can represent an opportunity to promote new institutional governance mechanisms, coherently orienting internal decision-making processes, allocation of resources and the incentive system for teaching and research. Putting these ideas into practice can lead to tensions and dysfunctions that could make very a real change difficult.…”

“…They agree on the identified difficulties and, both conclude that the development of sustainability plans (particularly when combined with local and community development) could also act as an enabler to capacity-building, with a special attention to relevant matters of local and global interest. From all these qualitative case studies, the most relevant are the ones developed at the University of South Africa [24], the University of Bologna [25] and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology [26]. These three case studies not only report the institutional processes they carried out (leadership, set-up of priorities, plurality of topics, courses and programs on offer, engaging various stakeholders) but also detail their own systems of indicators for the monitorization of achievements.…”

The Impact of Budget, Accountability Mechanisms and Renewable Energy Consumption on Environmentally Sustainable Development: Evidence From Indonesia

“…The accountability mechanisms of environmental sustainability become complex in developing countries like Indonesia because they rely on foreign aid and international donors like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. These all organizations give aid to mitigate the poverty and elevate the lifestyles of people of the inhabiting countries (Paletta and Bonoli, 2019). This thing made it very difficult to do honest accountability.…”