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Cited by 690Sustainability in Higher EducationEnvironmental and sustainability educationHigher Education Practises and Engagement

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The role of transformation in learning and education for sustainability

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Leal Filho, W., Raath, S., Lazzarini, B., Vargas, V.R., de Souza, L., Anholon, R., Quelhas, O.L.G., Haddad, R., Klavins, M., Orlovic, V.L.·2018·Journal of Cleaner Production
DOI 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.017
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Abstract

Education research has acknowledged the value of transformation, which offers an opportunity for researching and rethinking how appropriate and successful educational practices may be. However, despite the role of transformation in higher education and particularly in sustainability learning, there is a paucity of studies which examine the extent to which transformation and learning on matters related to sustainable development may be integrated. Based on this perceived research need, the purpose of this article is to present how transformation in learning in education for sustainability requires the commitment of Faculty and the engament of students. To do this, a set of qualitative case studies were used in higher education institutions across seven countries (Brazil, Serbia, Latvia, South Africa, Spain, Syria, UK). The findings revealed that the concept of education for sustainable development has not been sufficiently integrated into the concept of transformation in higher education institutions. It also found that to enhance sustainability in the curricula, academics should develop collaborative approaches, and discuss how to redesign their own disciplines, and how to appreciate the epistemology and multicultural vision of sustainability, both as a topic, and as a field of education research. It was further found that reflections of the academics on their own values are crucial for developing the transformative potential of students as agents of a sustainable future. It is necessary that universities should transform to serve as models of social justice and environmental stewardship, and to foster sustainability learning.

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Metadata

Authors
Leal Filho, W., Raath, S., Lazzarini, B., Vargas, V. R., de Souza, L., Anholon, R., Quelhas, O. L. G., Haddad, R., Klavins, M., & Orlovic, V. L.
Affiliations
  • North-West University (ZA)
  • Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (ES)
  • Manchester Metropolitan University (GB)
  • Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) (BR)
  • Universidade Federal Fluminense (BR)
  • Damascus University (SY)
  • University of Latvia (LV)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Cleaner Production
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-10
Volume
199
Pages
286-295
ISSN
0959-6526 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.017
OpenAlex
W2884330262
Cited by
690
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 96 · 2025: 92 · 2024: 106 · 2023: 113 · 2022: 89 · 2021: 82 · 2020: 60 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 7
FWCI
157.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Cleaner Production (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • RECERCAT (Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • e-space (Manchester Metropolitan University) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Faculty of Philosophy (University of Belgrade) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • UPCommons institutional repository (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Education › Sustainability in Higher Education
  • Social Sciences › Education › Environmental and sustainability education
  • Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Practises and Engagement
Keywords
sustainability education, sustainability learning, curriculum integration, faculty commitment, student engagement, research collaboration, epistemology of sustainability, academic values, environmental stewardship

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: The role of transformation in learning and education for sustainability. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.017
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Leal Filho, W., Raath, S., Lazzarini, B., Vargas, V. R., de Souza, L., Anholon, R., Quelhas, O. L. G., Haddad, R., Klavins, M., & Orlovic, V. L. (2018). The role of transformation in learning and education for sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.017