World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities

The 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), also known as “Rio+20”, was an historical event. Held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 2012, this landmark gathering agreed on various sets of actions to make the world a better and more sustainable place to live in. In particular, the document “The Future We Want”, outlined many of the measures countries across the world should pursue and implement, in order to translate the principles of sustainable development into practice.

As a parallel event to UNCSD, the 1st World Symposium on Sustainable Development  at Universities” (WSSD-U-2012) was held in Rio de Janeiro on 5-6 June 2012. It was then followed up by the 2rd World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities” (WSSD-U-2014), which was held in Manchester, UK in September 2014, the 3rd World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities” (WSSD-U-2016), hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) held in September 2016, and the 4th World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities” (WSSD-U-2018), hosted by the Universiti Sains Malaysia ( (USM) in August 2018.

The events have led to many groundbreaking publications on the theory and practice of sustainable development, and showed the need for a continuation of the dialogue among sustainability academics and practitioners, so as to address the issues, matters and problems at hand.

It is against this background that the “5th World Symposium on Sustainable Development  at Universities” (WSSD-U-2022) will be organised by Allegheny College (USA), Research and Transfer Centre “Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management” of the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany), and the European School of Sustainability Science and Research (ESSSR), in cooperation with the World Sustainable Development Research and Transfer Centre, the Inter-University Sustainable Development  Research Programme (IUSDRP) and the United Nations University initiative “Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development” (RCE). 

The “5th World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities” (WSSD-U-2022) will focus on “Educating the Sustainability Leaders of the Future”, and will contribute to the further development of this fast-growing field.  As the slogan of the event suggests, we are as always looking for practical experiences on Education, Research and Extension (the so-called 3rd Mission,  whereby universities outreach to society as a whole (e.g. to local communities,  organisations, industry and other groups)  with the  aim of documenting such experiences and making them available to a wide audience. 

Consistent with the goals of the WSSD-U series, the aims of the “5th World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities” (WSSD-U-2022) are as follows:

• i.    to provide universities all round the world with an opportunity to display and present their works (i.e. curriculum innovation, research, activities, practical projects) as they relate to teaching sustainable development;
• ii.    to foster the exchange of information, ideas and experiences acquired in the execution of projects, from successful initiatives and good practice;
• iii.    to discuss methodological approaches and projects which aim to integrate the topic of sustainable development in the curriculum of universities; to network the participants and provide a platform so they can explore possibilities for cooperation;
• iv.    to enable scalability of existing and future models of cooperation between universities and society.

Finally yet importantly, a further aim of the event will be to document and disseminate the wealth of experiences available today. To this purpose, the book “Educating the Sustainability Leaders of the Future” will be published, with all accepted papers. It will be part of the award-winning “World Sustainability Series”, published by Springer, one of the world´s top five scientific publishers

As countries of the world currently strive to implement the UN Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, WSSD-U-2022 will demonstrate how universities can cooperate and interact with society and societal groups at large, demonstrating approaches, methods and projects which may be replicable elsewhere.

Delegates attending the “5th World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities” (WSSD-U-2022) will come from a cross-sectoral range of areas. They are:

• i.    faculty (i.e. teaching and research staff)
• ii.    members of university administrations;
• iii.    campus sustainability officers/directors
• iv.    campus facilities and operations staff;
• v.    project officers and consultants;
• vi.    student leaders;
• vii.    other people interested in the field.

It is believed that this wide range of participants will help to outline the need for integrated approaches towards sustainable development and, hence contribute to the further implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The “5th World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities” (WSSD-U-2022) will be organised in two main strands:

Strand 1: the posters
Participating universities and organisations will be able to put-up posters describing their works and projects and to distribute the relevant information to the participants. The posters will be the backbone of the event and will allow close, one-to-one contacts between the participants and the exhibitors.

Strand 2: the presentations
A set of presentations, divided into five sections, will be organised, dealing with issues of strategic value in reviewing the state of the art of sustainability in higher education today. These are:

• Session 1: Innovations in the Curriculum and in Research
• Session 2: Collaborative Community Partnerships and Engagement 
• Session 3: Cooperation between universities and social groups 
• Session 4: Comprehensive approaches to Sustainable Development: the integration 
• of Curriculum, Research and Operations 
• Session 5: Student Participation and Engagement in Sustainability Issues

A set of special sessions will also be organised, showcasing excellent examples of how universities educate future sustainability leaders, and how to mobilise academics, local communities, industry and other groups in achieving the SDGs.

The participation from universities from around the world are especially welcome, using this unique opportunity to interact with international colleagues.

Due to the fact that some colleagues have restrictions with travel, the event will be held in a hybrid format. This means that we will have 
presentations and interactions on site, and that colleagues unable to travel may attend the event via a livestream, and make some 
presentations on-line. There are no differences as far as fees as concerned, since the event is self-funded and we need among other things 
cover the production of the book, which will benefit all authors.

The “5th World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities” 
(WSSD-U-2022) will be held from 16th to 17th June 2022. The schedule is as follows:

WEDNESDAY 15th JUNE 2022: arrival and set-up of displays, keynote speech and cocktail reception (16:00-18:00)

Delegates are kindly asked to organise their travel in a way that allows them to arrive in Meadville, Pennsylvania (flying into Pittsburgh, PA; Cleveland, Ohio; or Buffalo, NY) Wednesday 15th, June 2022 at the latest, and travel back after the 17th, June 2022, so that they do not miss the final session (especially the best papers awards), field trips, and information on follow-up activities. Shuttles to and from the Pittsburgh airport to Allegheny College will be provided for a fee.  See below for possible housing information.
 

Deadline for submission of abstracts: 30th August 2021
Deadline for submission of papers: 30th November 2021
Deadline for full, revised papers: 30th January 2022
Deadline for early-bird registrations: 30th January 2022
Final deadline for registrations: 30th March 2022

Since the book “Educating the Sustainability Leaders of the Future” – as part of Springer´s World Sustainability Series – will be launched soon after the Symposium, the deadlines need to be followed.

The event will be held on the beautiful campus located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the small town of Meadville, Pennsylvania in the middle of forests and agricultural fields and adjacent to the most biologically diverse river in the eastern half of the United States.  Allegheny College is the eighth college in North America to achieve Carbon neutrality.  Allegheny College’s Department of Environmental Science and Sustainability is ranked #4 in the United States. Founded in 1815, the college is the 32nd oldest college in the United States.

Address: Allegheny College, 520 North Main St., Meadville, PA16335 USA. Meadville is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is within 40 miles of Erie and within 90 miles of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first permanent settlement in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Meadville can be reached by air from Pittsburgh, PA; Cleveland, Ohio; or Buffalo, NY.  

COVID-19 requirements and restrictions will be announced closer to the conference meeting time.

Full details on lodging, buildings, rooms and a map of the campus will be sent to all registered delegates after registration is complete.
Participants are encouraged to stay on the campus of Allegheny College and take meals provided (for a nominal fee) by the college. Information on on-campus housing options can be found here, including costs for this option.  On-campus housing is provided at one of our LEED certified dormitories with suites.  Participants have the option to room alone or share a suite.  See the link for details about accommodations on campus, as well as costs.

Options to stay in hotels and Beds and Breakfast are also provided, but participants will need vehicles to drive to campus if they are not staying in college-provided housing. Participants staying off-campus will need to make their own reservations and provide their own transportation to meeting sessions. Link to the Allegheny College’s visitor site.

Delegates are kindly requested to express their interest in attending early. Earlier bookings are recommended to avoid any last minute stress.
 

A  conference fee of  Euro 250 (Euro 150 for students) will be charged 
so as to offset the preparation  costs. The fee includes free lunches and coffee breaks on 16th-17th June 2022 and a free on-line copy of the publication “Educating the Sustainability Leaders of the Future”, to be made available to the authors who contributed to it.

Organisations or individuals not able to pay this fee should contact the Secretariat so that it may be waived in special cases. Interested people and organisations are encouraged to register by completing the application form provided. This is a self-funded event and the organisers are unable to pay any travel or accommodation costs of any kind. They are however happy to issue letters of invitation to support delegates to request funding for their participation, provided their full papers (and not only the abstracts!) have been accepted.  

Registration is now open and closes 30th March 2022. Regrettably, registrations after the deadline may not be possible. Since the space for posters and the time for presentations is limited, delegates are advised to register as soon as possible. The organisers will notify any interested delegate or organisation in case there are any limitations with time for presentations or space for posters. Registered delegates will then receive further details on the payment of the fees and updated information on the preparations for the event. The decision as to which papers will be accepted for presentation will be taken by the Chairpersons, following consultation with the organising committee. All submitted papers are subject to peer-review and only those which have passed review may be considered for the book “Educating the Sustainability Leaders of the Future.”

Participants registering to the event will do so under the condition that they will cover their own travel, accommodation and incidental costs (e.g. visa fees) related to their trip to Pennsylvania. This is a self-funded event and the organisers are unable to pay any travel or accommodation costs of any kind. Letters of invitation to enter the United States can only be sent to bona fide, registered delegates, who have paid their fees and need a document to show their employers.

Due to the fact that some colleagues have restrictions with travel, the event will be held in a hybrid format. This means that we will have 
presentations and interactions on site, and that colleagues unable to travel may attend the event via a livestream, and make some 
presentations on-line. There are no differences as far as fees as concerned, since the event is self-funded and we need among other things 
cover the production of the book, which will benefit all authors.

• Allegheny College
• Hamburg University of Applied Sciences Research and Transfer Centre 
•  “Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management” (FTZ-NK)
• European School of Sustainability Science and Research (ESSSR)
• World Sustainable Development Research and Transfer Centre (WSD-RTC)
• Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRUP)
   

• Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
• UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
• UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
• Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS)
• Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC)
• Manchester Metropolitan University (UK)
   

Chairpersons

• Prof. Walter Leal (BSc, PhD, DSc, DPhil, DL, DLitt), Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, HAW Hamburg and RCE Hamburg and Region, Germany  
• Prof. Beth Choate (BSc, MS, PhD), Chair of Environmental Science and Sustainability, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA, USA.
• Prof. Eric Pallant, (BA, MFS, PhD) Christine Nelson Professor of Environmental Science and Sustainability, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA, USA.

Advisory Committee

• Prof. Maria de Fátima Pereira Alves, Universidade Aberta, Portugal
• Dr. Nelson Amaro, Galileo University, Guatemala
• Prof. Ulisses Azeiteiro, University of Aveiro, Portugal
• Prof. Luciana Brandli, University of Passo Fundo, Brazil
• Prof. Sandra Caeiro, Universidade Aberta, Portugal
• Prof. Bernd Delakowitz, University of Applied Sciences Zittau-Görlitz, Germany
• Leanne Denby, President, Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS)  
• Prof. Baltasar D´Andrade Guerra, UNISUL, Brazil
• Professor Sadiq Hussain, Ibri College of Applied Sciences, Sultanate of Oman
• Prof. Dzintra Ilisco, Daugavpils University, Latvia
• Prof. Maris Klavins, University of Latvia, Latvia
• Prof. Linas Kliucininkas, Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania
• Prof. Violeta Orlovic Lovren, University of Belgrade, Serbia
• Dr. Karel Mulder, TU Delft, Netherlands
• Dr. Julie Newman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
• Prof. Maria Novo, National University on Distance Education, Spain
• Prof. Paul Pace, University of Malta, Malta
• Prof. Joost Platje, University of Opole, Poland
• Prof. Anita Pipere, Daugavpils University, Latvia
• Prof. Diana-Mihaela Tirca, Constantin Brancusi University, Romania
• Prof. Elizabeth Price, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
• Prof. Osvaldo Quelhas, Fluminense Federal University, Brazil
• Prof. Mikhail Shilin, Russian State Hydrometeorological University, St. Petersburg, Russia
• Prof. Luis Vargas, University of Chile, Chile
• Prof. Luis Velazquez, University of Sonora, Mexico
• Prof. Sergei Zenchenko, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Belarus
• Ms. Meghan F. Zahniser, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, USA
• Dr. Michaela Zint, University of Michigan, USA

All questions related to scientific inputs and strategic partnerships, as well 
as the book, should be sent to:

Professor Walter Leal, European School of Sustainability Science and Research HAW Hamburg (Germany)
iusdrp (at) ls.haw-hamburg (dot) de
 

All questions related to abstracts and registrations should be sent to:

Dr. Mihaela Sima
European School of Sustainability Science and Research
simamik (at) yahoo (dot) com

All questions related to abstracts local accommodation, issuing of invitations and dietary requirements should be sent to:

WSSDU2022 (at) allegheny (dot) edu
 

An abstract should be up to 200 words, it should describe the rationale and aims of the paper, and some of its results. General descriptions of broad contexts should be avoided.  The names and full contact details about the author(s) need to be provided. Abstracts should be written in the third person and not in the first or second one (e.g. I, me, or my paper). Please see page below a sample abstract. Authors whose abstracts have been accepted, will receive further details about how to submit their full papers, and further logistical information.

SAMPLE ABSTRACT

Please send your abstract to Dr. Mihaela Sima: simamik (at) yahoo (dot) com

Some developments on education for sustainable development in higher
education institutions

Walter Leal (BSc, PhD, DSc, DPhil, DEd, DLitt, FSB, FRGS, FLS)
European School of Sustainability Science and Research
Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
Ulmenliet 20
D-21033 Hamburg
Germany 
esssr (at) ls.haw-hamburg (dot) de

Abstract

The implementation of sustainable development in higher education is a global trend. Yet, the intensity and the depth with which higher education institutions are taking on the challenge of sustainability, significantly differs.

This paper presents a global analysis about how higher education institutions are including sustainability issues in the different areas (e.g. teaching, research, outreach and institutional management) and describes the progress made in this field during the last 10 years. A special emphasis is given to the problems and barriers which prevent developments in respect of the integration of sustainability issues in higher education. Finally, some concrete steps which may be undertaken in order to allow universities to integrate sustainable development in their activities but also in regional development, are outlined. This paper will be useful to anyone interested in the different levels of emphasis given to sustainable development at higher education institutions across the world