Universities for Sustainability

The Universities for Sustainability collection aims to present research that evaluate and enhance the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in promoting sustainability, with a particular focus on the unique contributions of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts (SSH&A). The collection is a result of an initiative by the COST Action CA21166 SHIFT (Home | Shift Cost).

The articles of this collection investigate how SSH&A disciplines support transformative sustainability efforts by fostering critical thinking, cultural engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

By examining HEIs’ strategies, research outputs, and community initiatives, the collection seeks to highlight best practices and develop actionable recommendations. The collection is also aimed at emphasizing the integration of sustainability literacy and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring that SSH&A remain central to HEIs’ efforts to address global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss.

Through this comprehensive approach, the collection contributes to show how to empower HEIs as pivotal agents of sustainable development while amplifying the societal impact of SSH&A.

Collection advisors: Maria Fernanda Rollo (Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciencias Sociais e Humanas, Portugal), Andrea Catellani (Universite catholique de Louvain, Belgium), Joana Ralao (Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal), Ivo Veiga (Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal), Fatima Alves (Universidade Aberta, Portugal)