Speaker
Description
Chukwuma, O. A.
Anambra State Polytechnic Mgbakwu
ogochukwujoy93@gmail.com
Track: Sustainability and the Future
Higher education institutions are vital catalysts for societal transformation, yet the pathways to embedding global sustainability into local university ecosystems remain uneven and deeply complex. This study investigates the Alignment of Higher Education Practices with Sustainable Development Goals in Public and Private Universities in Anambra State, Nigeria. The research is driven by two specific objectives: To evaluate the extent to which sustainable development goals have been integrated into academic curricula and institutional practices, and, to examine the relationship between students’ participation in sustainability-focused courses and their engagement in campus green initiatives.
Data were gathered through questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to analyze the data generated. The study found that a significant positive relationship exists between the integration of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into academic curricula and their implementation in institutional practices, and that students’ participation in sustainability-focused courses is positively related to their involvement in campus green initiatives. The study concluded that integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into higher education curricula is an important step towards preparing students and institutions to respond effectively to social, economic and environmental challenges of the present and future. That students’ participation in sustainability-focused courses is related to their engagement in campus green initiatives. The study recommended that: Universities should give greater attention to sustainability-related issues in their academic curricula, Lecturers should be encouraged to connect sustainability concepts with real-life situations and use practical examples, discussions, projects and assignments that enable students to understand how sustainable development relates to their everyday lives. Finally, that University management should create more opportunities for students to participate in practical green initiatives such as recycling programmes, tree planting, waste reduction campaigns, and linked to relevant courses in order to cultivate a university culture where sustainable development is not merely taught, but actively lived.