Sustainability practices of higher education institutions—an analysis from a developing country

Abstract

Sustainability has become an essential concern in higher education at a global level. Numerous universities started to incorporate this concept into their principles and practices. Sustainability practices of higher education institutions encompass environmental, social and economic aspects. Universities integrate sustainable development through institutional, educational, research, outreach and partnership, social and campus operations. This study examines the sustainability practices undertaken by 32 public and foundation universities in a developing country, Turkey. The sample is formed on the basis of the membership to and/or partnership with eight global sustainability assessing organizations. The content analysis of the universities’ web pages and published reports reveals that educational, research, outreach and partnership, and social sustainability dimensions have higher importance, whereas institutional and campus-related sustainability practices receive less attention. The findings of this study also indicate that the various sustainability scores of the universities differ in terms of their ownership type, age, and size.