Networking the Sustainable Campus Awards: Engaging with the Higher Education Institutions in Developing Countries

Abstract

In order to promote sustainability in higher education institutions, different sustainable campus awards have been established to foster best practices and encourage networking among universities. However, the impact and engagement with the awards have not been similar especially between developed and developing countries. This paper reviews the major sustainable campus awards on two fronts; the coverage of different dimensions of campus sustainability and the spatial distribution of award winners. It also examines the impacts of the awards within the local context of Saudi Arabia as a case study of developing countries. The findings show the gap in the aspects covered by these awards and the spatial distribution of winners. This paper concludes with recommendations on how to improve both the engagement and networking of these award bodies with higher education institutions and the coverage of campus sustainability awards in developing countries.