Individual-level characteristics of environmental sustainability among students in a higher education institution: the role of happiness and academic performance
Purpose Students play an unequivocal role in sustainable universities as they are theorized to embody the mission of a sustainable university through a sustainable lifestyle and spread sustainability practices during their professional careers. Despite this, it is not well known how or why students...
Gespeichert in:
| Veröffentlicht in: | International journal of sustainability in higher education 2021-11, Vol.22 (7), p.1664-1690 |
|---|---|
| Hauptverfasser: | , , , , , , , , |
| Format: | Artikel |
| Sprache: | eng |
| Schlagworte: | |
| Online-Zugang: | Volltext |
| Tags: |
Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
|
| container_end_page | 1690 |
|---|---|
| container_issue | 7 |
| container_start_page | 1664 |
| container_title | International journal of sustainability in higher education |
| container_volume | 22 |
| creator | Giannetti, Biagio F Velazquez, Luis Perkins, Krystal M Trillas-Ortiz, Marisela Anaya-Eredias, Carlos Agostinho, Feni Almeida, Cecilia M.V.B Alves Pinto, Marcos Jose Munguia, Nora |
| description | Purpose
Students play an unequivocal role in sustainable universities as they are theorized to embody the mission of a sustainable university through a sustainable lifestyle and spread sustainability practices during their professional careers. Despite this, it is not well known how or why students come to embody a sustainable lifestyle. This study aims to better understand the relationship between happiness, academic achievement and sustainability behaviors among the student population in a Mexican higher education institution.
Design/methodology/approach
In a questionnaire study, engineering and psychology university students at a large public university in northwestern Mexico answered questions regarding their environmental sustainability behaviors, happiness and academic performance. A stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain the sample population that best represents the entire population. After chi-square tests, it was confirmed that the three variables were independent of one another. Therefore, a series of correspondence analyses were conducted to examine clusters or patterns that could indicate relationships among the three variables.
Findings
The main finding from this work was that the happiest and most academically astute participants were only slightly environmentally sustainable or not sustainable at all. The lack of environmental sustainability in students from one of the most top-rank sustainable universities in Mexico does not align with previous sustainability reports. External factors to the university, such as cultural values and extreme weather conditions, may have influenced students’ sustainability behaviors.
Research limitations/implications
As with any other questionnaire study, the provided data is subject to interpretation, judgment and bias. In addition, the environmental and happiness index used in this study are not free of criticizing, and some author had disputed its efficacy. Finally, this study’s findings did not determine any causality or directionality between any of the latent variables. However, causality and directionally between environmental sustainability-happiness and happiness-academic performance have to be found in both directions.
Practical implications
Despite the unsustainability of students in this study, this study has several contributions. First, it provides an evaluation of a sustainable university from the perspectives and behaviors of students. The views of students as they relate to th |
| doi_str_mv | 10.1108/IJSHE-10-2020-0368 |
| format | Article |
| fullrecord | <record><control><sourceid>proquest_eric_</sourceid><recordid>TN_cdi_eric_primary_EJ1316025</recordid><sourceformat>XML</sourceformat><sourcesystem>PC</sourcesystem><ericid>EJ1316025</ericid><sourcerecordid>2586948146</sourcerecordid><originalsourceid>FETCH-LOGICAL-c339t-75a87ec554043fbfaaeac0b4e5ddff975ce2174909583da6623738f6d48ea3a63</originalsourceid><addsrcrecordid>eNptkc1q3TAQhU1poWnaFygUBF27lSzrx92VcNPcEOgiydrMlUaxgi27knwhj9M3jdwbCoWuZkZnzhHMV1UfGf3CGNVf99e3V7ua0bqhDa0pl_pVdcaU0LVUvHtd-laqWnJF31bvUnqklAnK-Vn1ex-sP3q7wliPeMSRmAEimIzRp-xNIrMjGI4-zmHCkGEkaU0ZfICDH31-IjDN4YGkvNoiJ-IDATL4hwEjQbsayH4O5bWE5XXrv5E8IInziFv0AMviA6ZEIFgCBixO3pAFo5vjBMHg--qNgzHhh5d6Xt1f7u4uruqbnz_2F99vasN5l2slQCs0QrS05e7gABAMPbQorHWuU8Jgw1Tb0U5obkHKhiuunbStRuAg-Xn1-ZS7xPnXiin3j_MaQ_myb4SWXavLDctWc9oycU4pouuX6CeITz2j_Yai_4NimzYU_YaimD6dTOWo5q9hd804k7QRRWcv-oQRRvv_zH_w8mdd4ZmQ</addsrcrecordid><sourcetype>Aggregation Database</sourcetype><iscdi>true</iscdi><recordtype>article</recordtype><pqid>2586948146</pqid></control><display><type>article</type><title>Individual-level characteristics of environmental sustainability among students in a higher education institution: the role of happiness and academic performance</title><source>Emerald Journals</source><source>Standard: Emerald eJournal Premier Collection</source><creator>Giannetti, Biagio F ; Velazquez, Luis ; Perkins, Krystal M ; Trillas-Ortiz, Marisela ; Anaya-Eredias, Carlos ; Agostinho, Feni ; Almeida, Cecilia M.V.B ; Alves Pinto, Marcos Jose ; Munguia, Nora</creator><creatorcontrib>Giannetti, Biagio F ; Velazquez, Luis ; Perkins, Krystal M ; Trillas-Ortiz, Marisela ; Anaya-Eredias, Carlos ; Agostinho, Feni ; Almeida, Cecilia M.V.B ; Alves Pinto, Marcos Jose ; Munguia, Nora</creatorcontrib><description>Purpose
Students play an unequivocal role in sustainable universities as they are theorized to embody the mission of a sustainable university through a sustainable lifestyle and spread sustainability practices during their professional careers. Despite this, it is not well known how or why students come to embody a sustainable lifestyle. This study aims to better understand the relationship between happiness, academic achievement and sustainability behaviors among the student population in a Mexican higher education institution.
Design/methodology/approach
In a questionnaire study, engineering and psychology university students at a large public university in northwestern Mexico answered questions regarding their environmental sustainability behaviors, happiness and academic performance. A stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain the sample population that best represents the entire population. After chi-square tests, it was confirmed that the three variables were independent of one another. Therefore, a series of correspondence analyses were conducted to examine clusters or patterns that could indicate relationships among the three variables.
Findings
The main finding from this work was that the happiest and most academically astute participants were only slightly environmentally sustainable or not sustainable at all. The lack of environmental sustainability in students from one of the most top-rank sustainable universities in Mexico does not align with previous sustainability reports. External factors to the university, such as cultural values and extreme weather conditions, may have influenced students’ sustainability behaviors.
Research limitations/implications
As with any other questionnaire study, the provided data is subject to interpretation, judgment and bias. In addition, the environmental and happiness index used in this study are not free of criticizing, and some author had disputed its efficacy. Finally, this study’s findings did not determine any causality or directionality between any of the latent variables. However, causality and directionally between environmental sustainability-happiness and happiness-academic performance have to be found in both directions.
Practical implications
Despite the unsustainability of students in this study, this study has several contributions. First, it provides an evaluation of a sustainable university from the perspectives and behaviors of students. The views of students as they relate to the complexities and visions of a sustainable university have remained relatively underexamined. Second, these analyses point to specific sustainability-oriented challenges and inadvertent barriers (e.g. extreme weather patterns) toward the embodiment of a sustainable lifestyle. These challenges and barriers suggest that sustainable universities need to address the dynamic changes inherent in sustainable development. Finally, this study indicates that the link between happiness, academic performance and sustainability may be more complicated and driven by cultural and structural barriers. The issue of barriers, as they relate to sustainability behaviors, is highly relevant and presents important opportunities and questions for future research.
Originality/value
This study provides an evaluation of a sustainable university from the perspectives and behaviors of students. Students’ views as they relate to the complexities and visions of a sustainable university have remained relatively underexamined. Second, these analyses point to specific sustainability-oriented challenges and barriers as they relate to the embodiment of a sustainable lifestyle. These challenges and barriers suggest that sustainable universities need to address the dynamic changes inherent in sustainable development. Finally, this study indicates that the link between happiness, academic performance and sustainability may be more complicated and driven by cultural and structural barriers.</description><identifier>ISSN: 1467-6370</identifier><identifier>EISSN: 1758-6739</identifier><identifier>DOI: 10.1108/IJSHE-10-2020-0368</identifier><language>eng</language><publisher>Bradford: Emerald Publishing Limited</publisher><subject>Academic Achievement ; Beliefs ; Climate ; Climate change ; College campuses ; Colleges & universities ; Community Relations ; Conservation (Environment) ; Correlation ; Cultural values ; Ecological Factors ; Education ; Energy ; Engineering education ; Extreme values ; Extreme weather ; Foreign Countries ; Games ; Grade Point Average ; Happiness ; Higher Education ; Higher education institutions ; Ideology ; Independent variables ; Individual Characteristics ; Life Style ; Positive Attitudes ; Psychological Patterns ; Psychology ; Public Colleges ; Questionnaires ; Questions ; Random sampling ; Sampling methods ; Scientific Literacy ; Statistical sampling ; Student Characteristics ; Student Evaluation ; Student Motivation ; Students ; Sustainability ; Sustainability reporting ; Sustainable Development ; Sustainable practices ; Undergraduate Students ; Weather ; Weather patterns</subject><ispartof>International journal of sustainability in higher education, 2021-11, Vol.22 (7), p.1664-1690</ispartof><rights>Emerald Publishing Limited</rights><rights>Emerald Publishing Limited.</rights><lds50>peer_reviewed</lds50><woscitedreferencessubscribed>false</woscitedreferencessubscribed><citedby>FETCH-LOGICAL-c339t-75a87ec554043fbfaaeac0b4e5ddff975ce2174909583da6623738f6d48ea3a63</citedby><cites>FETCH-LOGICAL-c339t-75a87ec554043fbfaaeac0b4e5ddff975ce2174909583da6623738f6d48ea3a63</cites></display><links><openurl>$$Topenurl_article</openurl><openurlfulltext>$$Topenurlfull_article</openurlfulltext><thumbnail>$$Tsyndetics_thumb_exl</thumbnail><linktohtml>$$Uhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJSHE-10-2020-0368/full/html$$EHTML$$P50$$Gemerald$$H</linktohtml><link.rule.ids>314,780,784,966,11634,21694,27923,27924,52688,53243</link.rule.ids><backlink>$$Uhttp://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/detail?accno=EJ1316025$$DView record in ERIC$$Hfree_for_read</backlink></links><search><creatorcontrib>Giannetti, Biagio F</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Velazquez, Luis</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Perkins, Krystal M</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Trillas-Ortiz, Marisela</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Anaya-Eredias, Carlos</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Agostinho, Feni</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Almeida, Cecilia M.V.B</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Alves Pinto, Marcos Jose</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Munguia, Nora</creatorcontrib><title>Individual-level characteristics of environmental sustainability among students in a higher education institution: the role of happiness and academic performance</title><title>International journal of sustainability in higher education</title><description>Purpose
Students play an unequivocal role in sustainable universities as they are theorized to embody the mission of a sustainable university through a sustainable lifestyle and spread sustainability practices during their professional careers. Despite this, it is not well known how or why students come to embody a sustainable lifestyle. This study aims to better understand the relationship between happiness, academic achievement and sustainability behaviors among the student population in a Mexican higher education institution.
Design/methodology/approach
In a questionnaire study, engineering and psychology university students at a large public university in northwestern Mexico answered questions regarding their environmental sustainability behaviors, happiness and academic performance. A stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain the sample population that best represents the entire population. After chi-square tests, it was confirmed that the three variables were independent of one another. Therefore, a series of correspondence analyses were conducted to examine clusters or patterns that could indicate relationships among the three variables.
Findings
The main finding from this work was that the happiest and most academically astute participants were only slightly environmentally sustainable or not sustainable at all. The lack of environmental sustainability in students from one of the most top-rank sustainable universities in Mexico does not align with previous sustainability reports. External factors to the university, such as cultural values and extreme weather conditions, may have influenced students’ sustainability behaviors.
Research limitations/implications
As with any other questionnaire study, the provided data is subject to interpretation, judgment and bias. In addition, the environmental and happiness index used in this study are not free of criticizing, and some author had disputed its efficacy. Finally, this study’s findings did not determine any causality or directionality between any of the latent variables. However, causality and directionally between environmental sustainability-happiness and happiness-academic performance have to be found in both directions.
Practical implications
Despite the unsustainability of students in this study, this study has several contributions. First, it provides an evaluation of a sustainable university from the perspectives and behaviors of students. The views of students as they relate to the complexities and visions of a sustainable university have remained relatively underexamined. Second, these analyses point to specific sustainability-oriented challenges and inadvertent barriers (e.g. extreme weather patterns) toward the embodiment of a sustainable lifestyle. These challenges and barriers suggest that sustainable universities need to address the dynamic changes inherent in sustainable development. Finally, this study indicates that the link between happiness, academic performance and sustainability may be more complicated and driven by cultural and structural barriers. The issue of barriers, as they relate to sustainability behaviors, is highly relevant and presents important opportunities and questions for future research.
Originality/value
This study provides an evaluation of a sustainable university from the perspectives and behaviors of students. Students’ views as they relate to the complexities and visions of a sustainable university have remained relatively underexamined. Second, these analyses point to specific sustainability-oriented challenges and barriers as they relate to the embodiment of a sustainable lifestyle. These challenges and barriers suggest that sustainable universities need to address the dynamic changes inherent in sustainable development. Finally, this study indicates that the link between happiness, academic performance and sustainability may be more complicated and driven by cultural and structural barriers.</description><subject>Academic Achievement</subject><subject>Beliefs</subject><subject>Climate</subject><subject>Climate change</subject><subject>College campuses</subject><subject>Colleges & universities</subject><subject>Community Relations</subject><subject>Conservation (Environment)</subject><subject>Correlation</subject><subject>Cultural values</subject><subject>Ecological Factors</subject><subject>Education</subject><subject>Energy</subject><subject>Engineering education</subject><subject>Extreme values</subject><subject>Extreme weather</subject><subject>Foreign Countries</subject><subject>Games</subject><subject>Grade Point Average</subject><subject>Happiness</subject><subject>Higher Education</subject><subject>Higher education institutions</subject><subject>Ideology</subject><subject>Independent variables</subject><subject>Individual Characteristics</subject><subject>Life Style</subject><subject>Positive Attitudes</subject><subject>Psychological Patterns</subject><subject>Psychology</subject><subject>Public Colleges</subject><subject>Questionnaires</subject><subject>Questions</subject><subject>Random sampling</subject><subject>Sampling methods</subject><subject>Scientific Literacy</subject><subject>Statistical sampling</subject><subject>Student Characteristics</subject><subject>Student Evaluation</subject><subject>Student Motivation</subject><subject>Students</subject><subject>Sustainability</subject><subject>Sustainability reporting</subject><subject>Sustainable Development</subject><subject>Sustainable practices</subject><subject>Undergraduate Students</subject><subject>Weather</subject><subject>Weather patterns</subject><issn>1467-6370</issn><issn>1758-6739</issn><fulltext>true</fulltext><rsrctype>article</rsrctype><creationdate>2021</creationdate><recordtype>article</recordtype><sourceid>AFKRA</sourceid><sourceid>AZQEC</sourceid><sourceid>BENPR</sourceid><sourceid>CCPQU</sourceid><sourceid>DWQXO</sourceid><sourceid>GNUQQ</sourceid><sourceid>GUQSH</sourceid><sourceid>M2O</sourceid><recordid>eNptkc1q3TAQhU1poWnaFygUBF27lSzrx92VcNPcEOgiydrMlUaxgi27knwhj9M3jdwbCoWuZkZnzhHMV1UfGf3CGNVf99e3V7ua0bqhDa0pl_pVdcaU0LVUvHtd-laqWnJF31bvUnqklAnK-Vn1ex-sP3q7wliPeMSRmAEimIzRp-xNIrMjGI4-zmHCkGEkaU0ZfICDH31-IjDN4YGkvNoiJ-IDATL4hwEjQbsayH4O5bWE5XXrv5E8IInziFv0AMviA6ZEIFgCBixO3pAFo5vjBMHg--qNgzHhh5d6Xt1f7u4uruqbnz_2F99vasN5l2slQCs0QrS05e7gABAMPbQorHWuU8Jgw1Tb0U5obkHKhiuunbStRuAg-Xn1-ZS7xPnXiin3j_MaQ_myb4SWXavLDctWc9oycU4pouuX6CeITz2j_Yai_4NimzYU_YaimD6dTOWo5q9hd804k7QRRWcv-oQRRvv_zH_w8mdd4ZmQ</recordid><startdate>20211101</startdate><enddate>20211101</enddate><creator>Giannetti, Biagio F</creator><creator>Velazquez, Luis</creator><creator>Perkins, Krystal M</creator><creator>Trillas-Ortiz, Marisela</creator><creator>Anaya-Eredias, Carlos</creator><creator>Agostinho, Feni</creator><creator>Almeida, Cecilia M.V.B</creator><creator>Alves Pinto, Marcos Jose</creator><creator>Munguia, Nora</creator><general>Emerald Publishing Limited</general><general>Emerald Group Publishing Limited</general><scope>7SW</scope><scope>BJH</scope><scope>BNH</scope><scope>BNI</scope><scope>BNJ</scope><scope>BNO</scope><scope>ERI</scope><scope>PET</scope><scope>REK</scope><scope>WWN</scope><scope>AAYXX</scope><scope>CITATION</scope><scope>0-V</scope><scope>7ST</scope><scope>7TA</scope><scope>7U6</scope><scope>7XB</scope><scope>8FD</scope><scope>AEUYN</scope><scope>AFKRA</scope><scope>ALSLI</scope><scope>AZQEC</scope><scope>BENPR</scope><scope>C1K</scope><scope>CCPQU</scope><scope>CJNVE</scope><scope>DWQXO</scope><scope>GNUQQ</scope><scope>GUQSH</scope><scope>JG9</scope><scope>M0P</scope><scope>M2O</scope><scope>MBDVC</scope><scope>PQEDU</scope><scope>PQEST</scope><scope>PQQKQ</scope><scope>PQUKI</scope><scope>Q9U</scope></search><sort><creationdate>20211101</creationdate><title>Individual-level characteristics of environmental sustainability among students in a higher education institution: the role of happiness and academic performance</title><author>Giannetti, Biagio F ; Velazquez, Luis ; Perkins, Krystal M ; Trillas-Ortiz, Marisela ; Anaya-Eredias, Carlos ; Agostinho, Feni ; Almeida, Cecilia M.V.B ; Alves Pinto, Marcos Jose ; Munguia, Nora</author></sort><facets><frbrtype>5</frbrtype><frbrgroupid>cdi_FETCH-LOGICAL-c339t-75a87ec554043fbfaaeac0b4e5ddff975ce2174909583da6623738f6d48ea3a63</frbrgroupid><rsrctype>articles</rsrctype><prefilter>articles</prefilter><language>eng</language><creationdate>2021</creationdate><topic>Academic Achievement</topic><topic>Beliefs</topic><topic>Climate</topic><topic>Climate change</topic><topic>College campuses</topic><topic>Colleges & universities</topic><topic>Community Relations</topic><topic>Conservation (Environment)</topic><topic>Correlation</topic><topic>Cultural values</topic><topic>Ecological Factors</topic><topic>Education</topic><topic>Energy</topic><topic>Engineering education</topic><topic>Extreme values</topic><topic>Extreme weather</topic><topic>Foreign Countries</topic><topic>Games</topic><topic>Grade Point Average</topic><topic>Happiness</topic><topic>Higher Education</topic><topic>Higher education institutions</topic><topic>Ideology</topic><topic>Independent variables</topic><topic>Individual Characteristics</topic><topic>Life Style</topic><topic>Positive Attitudes</topic><topic>Psychological Patterns</topic><topic>Psychology</topic><topic>Public Colleges</topic><topic>Questionnaires</topic><topic>Questions</topic><topic>Random sampling</topic><topic>Sampling methods</topic><topic>Scientific Literacy</topic><topic>Statistical sampling</topic><topic>Student Characteristics</topic><topic>Student Evaluation</topic><topic>Student Motivation</topic><topic>Students</topic><topic>Sustainability</topic><topic>Sustainability reporting</topic><topic>Sustainable Development</topic><topic>Sustainable practices</topic><topic>Undergraduate Students</topic><topic>Weather</topic><topic>Weather patterns</topic><toplevel>peer_reviewed</toplevel><toplevel>online_resources</toplevel><creatorcontrib>Giannetti, Biagio F</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Velazquez, Luis</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Perkins, Krystal M</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Trillas-Ortiz, Marisela</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Anaya-Eredias, Carlos</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Agostinho, Feni</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Almeida, Cecilia M.V.B</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Alves Pinto, Marcos Jose</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Munguia, Nora</creatorcontrib><collection>ERIC</collection><collection>ERIC (Ovid)</collection><collection>ERIC</collection><collection>ERIC</collection><collection>ERIC (Legacy Platform)</collection><collection>ERIC( SilverPlatter )</collection><collection>ERIC</collection><collection>ERIC PlusText (Legacy Platform)</collection><collection>Education Resources Information Center (ERIC)</collection><collection>ERIC</collection><collection>CrossRef</collection><collection>ProQuest Social Sciences Premium Collection</collection><collection>Environment Abstracts</collection><collection>Materials Business File</collection><collection>Sustainability Science Abstracts</collection><collection>ProQuest Central (purchase pre-March 2016)</collection><collection>Technology Research Database</collection><collection>ProQuest One Sustainability</collection><collection>ProQuest Central UK/Ireland</collection><collection>Social Science Premium Collection</collection><collection>ProQuest Central Essentials</collection><collection>ProQuest Central</collection><collection>Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management</collection><collection>ProQuest One Community College</collection><collection>Education Collection</collection><collection>ProQuest Central Korea</collection><collection>ProQuest Central Student</collection><collection>Research Library Prep</collection><collection>Materials Research Database</collection><collection>Education Database</collection><collection>Research Library</collection><collection>Research Library (Corporate)</collection><collection>ProQuest One Education</collection><collection>ProQuest One Academic Eastern Edition (DO NOT USE)</collection><collection>ProQuest One Academic</collection><collection>ProQuest One Academic UKI Edition</collection><collection>ProQuest Central Basic</collection><jtitle>International journal of sustainability in higher education</jtitle></facets><delivery><delcategory>Remote Search Resource</delcategory><fulltext>fulltext</fulltext></delivery><addata><au>Giannetti, Biagio F</au><au>Velazquez, Luis</au><au>Perkins, Krystal M</au><au>Trillas-Ortiz, Marisela</au><au>Anaya-Eredias, Carlos</au><au>Agostinho, Feni</au><au>Almeida, Cecilia M.V.B</au><au>Alves Pinto, Marcos Jose</au><au>Munguia, Nora</au><format>journal</format><genre>article</genre><ristype>JOUR</ristype><ericid>EJ1316025</ericid><atitle>Individual-level characteristics of environmental sustainability among students in a higher education institution: the role of happiness and academic performance</atitle><jtitle>International journal of sustainability in higher education</jtitle><date>2021-11-01</date><risdate>2021</risdate><volume>22</volume><issue>7</issue><spage>1664</spage><epage>1690</epage><pages>1664-1690</pages><issn>1467-6370</issn><eissn>1758-6739</eissn><abstract>Purpose
Students play an unequivocal role in sustainable universities as they are theorized to embody the mission of a sustainable university through a sustainable lifestyle and spread sustainability practices during their professional careers. Despite this, it is not well known how or why students come to embody a sustainable lifestyle. This study aims to better understand the relationship between happiness, academic achievement and sustainability behaviors among the student population in a Mexican higher education institution.
Design/methodology/approach
In a questionnaire study, engineering and psychology university students at a large public university in northwestern Mexico answered questions regarding their environmental sustainability behaviors, happiness and academic performance. A stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain the sample population that best represents the entire population. After chi-square tests, it was confirmed that the three variables were independent of one another. Therefore, a series of correspondence analyses were conducted to examine clusters or patterns that could indicate relationships among the three variables.
Findings
The main finding from this work was that the happiest and most academically astute participants were only slightly environmentally sustainable or not sustainable at all. The lack of environmental sustainability in students from one of the most top-rank sustainable universities in Mexico does not align with previous sustainability reports. External factors to the university, such as cultural values and extreme weather conditions, may have influenced students’ sustainability behaviors.
Research limitations/implications
As with any other questionnaire study, the provided data is subject to interpretation, judgment and bias. In addition, the environmental and happiness index used in this study are not free of criticizing, and some author had disputed its efficacy. Finally, this study’s findings did not determine any causality or directionality between any of the latent variables. However, causality and directionally between environmental sustainability-happiness and happiness-academic performance have to be found in both directions.
Practical implications
Despite the unsustainability of students in this study, this study has several contributions. First, it provides an evaluation of a sustainable university from the perspectives and behaviors of students. The views of students as they relate to the complexities and visions of a sustainable university have remained relatively underexamined. Second, these analyses point to specific sustainability-oriented challenges and inadvertent barriers (e.g. extreme weather patterns) toward the embodiment of a sustainable lifestyle. These challenges and barriers suggest that sustainable universities need to address the dynamic changes inherent in sustainable development. Finally, this study indicates that the link between happiness, academic performance and sustainability may be more complicated and driven by cultural and structural barriers. The issue of barriers, as they relate to sustainability behaviors, is highly relevant and presents important opportunities and questions for future research.
Originality/value
This study provides an evaluation of a sustainable university from the perspectives and behaviors of students. Students’ views as they relate to the complexities and visions of a sustainable university have remained relatively underexamined. Second, these analyses point to specific sustainability-oriented challenges and barriers as they relate to the embodiment of a sustainable lifestyle. These challenges and barriers suggest that sustainable universities need to address the dynamic changes inherent in sustainable development. Finally, this study indicates that the link between happiness, academic performance and sustainability may be more complicated and driven by cultural and structural barriers.</abstract><cop>Bradford</cop><pub>Emerald Publishing Limited</pub><doi>10.1108/IJSHE-10-2020-0368</doi><tpages>27</tpages></addata></record> |
| fulltext | fulltext |
| identifier | ISSN: 1467-6370 |
| ispartof | International journal of sustainability in higher education, 2021-11, Vol.22 (7), p.1664-1690 |
| issn | 1467-6370 1758-6739 |
| language | eng |
| recordid | cdi_eric_primary_EJ1316025 |
| source | Emerald Journals; Standard: Emerald eJournal Premier Collection |
| subjects | Academic Achievement Beliefs Climate Climate change College campuses Colleges & universities Community Relations Conservation (Environment) Correlation Cultural values Ecological Factors Education Energy Engineering education Extreme values Extreme weather Foreign Countries Games Grade Point Average Happiness Higher Education Higher education institutions Ideology Independent variables Individual Characteristics Life Style Positive Attitudes Psychological Patterns Psychology Public Colleges Questionnaires Questions Random sampling Sampling methods Scientific Literacy Statistical sampling Student Characteristics Student Evaluation Student Motivation Students Sustainability Sustainability reporting Sustainable Development Sustainable practices Undergraduate Students Weather Weather patterns |
| title | Individual-level characteristics of environmental sustainability among students in a higher education institution: the role of happiness and academic performance |
| url | https://sfx.bib-bvb.de/sfx_tum?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_tim=2025-01-12T09%3A16%3A26IST&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=infofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com:primo3-Article-proquest_eric_&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Individual-level%20characteristics%20of%20environmental%20sustainability%20among%20students%20in%20a%20higher%20education%20institution:%20the%20role%20of%20happiness%20and%20academic%20performance&rft.jtitle=International%20journal%20of%20sustainability%20in%20higher%20education&rft.au=Giannetti,%20Biagio%20F&rft.date=2021-11-01&rft.volume=22&rft.issue=7&rft.spage=1664&rft.epage=1690&rft.pages=1664-1690&rft.issn=1467-6370&rft.eissn=1758-6739&rft_id=info:doi/10.1108/IJSHE-10-2020-0368&rft_dat=%3Cproquest_eric_%3E2586948146%3C/proquest_eric_%3E%3Curl%3E%3C/url%3E&disable_directlink=true&sfx.directlink=off&sfx.report_link=0&rft_id=info:oai/&rft_pqid=2586948146&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_ericid=EJ1316025&rfr_iscdi=true |