Conclusion
This chapter has explored where SHE declarations have been in the past, where they are now, and provides glimpses for SHE declarations in the future. It has highlighted key themes that have emerged in SHE declarations since the early 1990s, including the ethical and moral responsibility of the university to contribute to local, regional and global sustainability; the need for public outreach and universities to become models of sustainability in their own communities; encouraging sustainable physical operations; fostering ecological literacy; the development of interdisciplinary curriculum; encouraging research related to sustainability; forging partnerships with government, non-governmental organizations and industry; and, cooperation amongst universities. The identification of these themes and patterns furthers the understanding of what universities believe are the key priorities to becoming sustainable institutions, and what paths universities believe they should take on the journey to sustainability. This provides a starting point for an exploration of the challenges to sustainability in higher education.
Further, the chapter discussed the evolution of SHE declarations from the 1990s to present. While it is anticipated that SHE declarations will continue to evolve, it is likely that the themes will remain the same. These themes represent a utopian vision of SHE and confirm research on indicators of sustainability in higher education. The themes are a constant reminder of what sustainability in higher education should look like, and a vision for SHE practitioners to keep in mind while struggling with the practicalities of adaptation and evolution in the quest to realize the dream of sustainability in higher education.
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Wright, T. (2004). The Evolution of Sustainability Declarations in Higher Education. In: Corcoran, P.B., Wals, A.E.J. (eds) Higher Education and the Challenge of Sustainability. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48515-X_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48515-X_2
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