Sustainability and Universities: Their Contribution to Reach the 17th SDGs

Contributing to solving the problems raised by Agenda 2030 has pushed many universities to deploy their skills. The aim of this reprint is to provide a framework of how the topic of sustainability is treated in universities and higher education. This Special Issue contains empirical studies and systematic reviews divided into different topics: education, inclusivity, smart campuses, and public engagement. In the Education section, the awareness of environmental issues and the methodologies used to teach environmental education in universities and higher education and their effectiveness are covered, and in particular, the issues of the UN 2030 Agenda. The Inclusivity section mainly includes studies on gender equality in universities, the role of women in these institutions, and the methodologies used to measure the degree of inclusion. One study analyzes conflict management within the university community. The Smart and Sustainable Campuses section deals with different topics, and in particular, the tools used to improve and communicate the efforts made by universities to improve their environmental and social performance. Among these tools there are strategic planning, environmental and social reporting in universities, the use of rankings to determine the objectives to be achieved, the use of digital technologies to improve work efficiency, etc. The Public Engagement section contains contributions linked to the role of universities in contributing to economic development and the solution of environmental problems for the benefit of civil society.