Higher Education For Sustainability:A Global Perspective

Higher education institutions have an essential role in sustainability.They are key agents in the education of future leaders that will contribute to the successful United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)imple-mentation.The geography of SDGs this implementation is very heterogeneous,but it is clear that higher education institutions contribute decisively to creating a mindset that facilitates the dissemination of SDGs principle.This perspective paper analyses the impacts of higher education on sustainability and the challenges and barriers as-sociated with this process.Higher education contributes decisively to the SDGs implementation,but especially to Goal 1(end poverty in all its forms everywhere),Goal 3(ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages),Goal 5(gender equality),Goal 8(decent work and economic growth),Goal 12(responsible consumption and production),Goal 13(climate change)and Goal 16(peace,justice and strong institutions).As a transfor-mational agent,the higher education sector has a tremendous impact on students’habit and contribution to a prosperous society.However,to establish the required change in education,sustainability principles need to be at the heart of higher institutions strategy(e.g.,curricula,modus operandi)and is key to be incorporated in the organisational culture.Only by leading by example,the external influence in the society will be possible(e.g.,implementing SDGs key aspects such as gender quality,reduce waste reduction and energy consumption).For this to be a reality,different communication methods with students are needed(e.g.,different student academic levels).Nevertheless,critical challenges need to be tackled in the institutions inside and outside the institution environment,such as incorporating sustainability principles,political environment and stakeholders’interest.

Key stakeholders’ perspectives on the ideal partnering culture in construction projects

This paper examines the current state of project cultures in the German turnkey construction industry and the ideal project cultures in terms of partnering from the perspective of various key stakeholders(i.e.,Investors,General Contractors,(Sub-)Contractors and Designers).To investigate the current and ideal cultures,data were gathered among the key stakeholders by means of a survey study with 72 respondents divided over 12 companies.The respondents rated the current and desired cultures by using the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument,which belongs to the Competing Values Framework.The investigations show many similarities and differences between the stakeholder perspectives of the current and the idealized partnering project cultures.Mainly,the General Contractors desire more cooperative behaviors than the(Sub-)Contractors,and the Investors desire more pronounced flexibility than the General Contractors.All stakeholders desire a cultural change from highly competitive behaviors toward more cooperation.Changes in terms of clear procedures or more flexibility are only desired by the Designers.Defining both the current and an ideal partnering project culture enables academics and project managers to compare their actual project cultures to an ideal situation.With such an approach,academics and project managers could measure whether new tools or changes in resources affect their project cultures toward a partnering project culture.