Campus sustainability: emerging curricula models in higher education

TLDR

This paper builds a detailed description of the Global Seminar curricula model by exploring its participatory practices worldwide and demonstrates how such models can fundamentally shift higher‑education paradigms toward sustainability. The authors conducted a qualitative study, interviewing 20 faculty across ten countries, observing 11 class sessions, and analyzing course documents to examine the Global Seminar model. The Global Seminar model expands teaching and learning for sustainability by integrating greening and sustainability education into curricula, evidencing an emerging shift toward a new academic paradigm.

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to build a detailed description of the Global Seminar (GS) curricula model by exploring its on‐the‐ground participatory practices in America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Design/methodology/approach Within a qualitative research design framework, the authors interviewed 20 faculty members from the USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Italy, Australia, Sweden, Honduras, South Africa, Germany, Austria, and Denmark. They observed 11 class sessions; and analyzed available course documents. Findings The GS model provides a broader notion of teaching and learning for sustainability that incorporates greening and education for sustainability into curricula. This participatory model proves the emerging shift towards a new paradigm of teaching and learning for sustainability in academia. Originality/value This paper shows how academia can address sustainability through curricula models that promote a fundamental change to the dominant academic paradigm and challenge the existing understanding of sustainability in higher education.