The Case for Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions

In light of worsening global socioecological crises, there is a need to integrate sustainability across different sectors. While the precise definition of “sustainability” is somewhat contested, prioritizing economic, social, and environmental prosperity—while maintaining resources for current and future generations—is considered the core component of sustainability. Sustainability is being integrated into various institutions and corporations around the world, and higher education institutions are in a unique position to provide transformative change. As a Master’s student in environmental sciences and sustainability at the University of Edinburgh, I am particularly interested in how to meaningfully integrate sustainability into higher education institutions and where I can make a positive impact as a student.

The “Three Pillars of Sustainability” or the “Triple Bottom Line” seeks to harmonize economic, social, and environmental well-being, which are guiding forces in implementing sustainability across various sectors. Figure taken from Clune and Zehnder (2018).

Over the past few decades, higher education institutions around the world have integrated sustainability into operations, research, student-led experiences, and community engagement. However, since sustainability is an emerging and dynamic field, higher education institutions require innovative approaches to implementing sustainability into their operations through sustainability programming.

Universities have offered environmental science and sustainability courses for several decades, and sustainability programs and experiential learning opportunities are becoming increasingly common. Unique knowledge on sustainability challenges can be provided through all types of university degrees, and educating university staff and faculty on sustainability initiatives and programming is crucial to ensure this knowledge is disseminated to students. Research has found that integrating sustainability education into coursework could increase student confidence in higher education institutions and sustainability programming, which can, in turn, support innovation in local economies and ecosystems. Taking unique approaches to coursework engages students and fosters creative, critical thinking, and some universities are taking a “living lab” approach to include student engagement in sustainability research projects.

While universities are taking steps to create long-term sustainability strategies, there is still a lag in implementing these strategies when compared to corporations and other global institutions. There are various approaches to tracking and reporting sustainability metrics in universities, but the number of universities engaged in this type of reporting is relatively low. Sustainability reporting and accounting frameworks differ among universities, and standardizing frameworks across all universities could provide a more robust and detailed overview of their progress towards implementing sustainability initiatives. There are opportunities for further research on this topic, which I am interested in investigating.

Opportunities for higher education institutions to contribute to sustainability initiatives. Figure taken from Ankareddy et al., 2025.

Sustainability is an evolving field, and many university students are interested in weaving sustainability into their academic and professional pursuits. As a result, higher education institutions are taking new approaches to implement sustainability into their operations. My time studying at the University of Iowa and the University of Edinburgh has been formative in shaping my outlook on the sustainability sector. I have seen a strong emphasis on student engagement and community involvement during my time at these two universities. I look forward to finding new ways to contribute to the sustainability sector through my studies. My hope is that university students will take advantage of sustainability programming within their universities to make a positive contribution to society!

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Ashton Knatz is a student at the University of Edinburgh studying the Master of Science in Environmental Sustainability. She previously studied environmental sciences at the University of Iowa and has experience working in the sustainability sector for the University of Iowa and for the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana. Ashton met Heather White while she was working in Montana and was introduced to the OneGreenThing leadership intensive, which she has been participating in since summer 2025. Ashton has enjoyed connecting with like-minded sustainability professionals from all around the world through this intensive.