Sustainability in Higher Education

Navigating a Geography of Sustainability Worldviews: A Developmental Map

by Abigail Lynam

The need for a ‘sustainability curriculum’ and for the curriculum to reflect Education for Sustainability (EfS) principles

by Benny Goodman

Sustainability in hospitality and tourism education: Towards an integrated curriculum

by B. Bynum Boley

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education

Boley, B. (2011) Sustainability in hospitality and tourism education: Towards an integrated curriculum. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education. 23(4): 22-30.

The growing importance of sustainability to the hospitality and tourism industry has resulted in an increased... more The growing importance of sustainability to the hospitality and tourism industry has resulted in an increased pedagogical discussion pertaining to how to incorporate sustainability into the undergraduate curriculum. The previous discussion has largely focused on the need to teach sustainability within the hospitality and tourism curriculum (Deale et al., 2009), and determining hospitality and tourism stakeholders’ attitudes towards teaching sustainability in the curriculum (Barber et al., 2011). Despite the strong interest in sustainability, Deale et al. (2009) article reveals that sustainability is rarely taught within the curriculum. This study moves the discussion away from should sustainability be taught within the hospitality and tourism curriculum towards a discussion of how to best teach sustainability within the curriculum. This article suggests that an integrated sustainability curriculum will provide students with a better education and better preparation for the hospitality and tourism profession than limiting its inclusion to specific classes or majors. Part of this recommendation for integration of sustainability into the hospitality and tourism curriculum is a proposed model that demonstrates the need to view sustainability as the ultimate context of focus and hospitality and tourism as a subcomponent of this focus. Having sustainability as the end goal of hospitality and tourism will result in natural integration of sustainability into the curriculum because sustainability is the main context of interest. The difficulties and challenges of integrating sustainability into the curriculum are also discussed, as well as, suggestions to help facilitate the process

Afterword -- Occupy Education: Learning and Living Sustainability by Tina Lynn Evans (Peter Lang, 2012)

by Richard Kahn

Forthcoming book. Order one today!

A kind of manifesto statement on the current state of the so-called socio-cultural turn in environmental education and... more A kind of manifesto statement on the current state of the so-called socio-cultural turn in environmental education and the ecological turn in critical pedagogy, as both move to frameworks of decolonization and hopeful dialogue and solidarity with sovereignty activists and indigenous scholars/educators. A call for hope in the form of the "wild jeremiad" is issued.

Today becomes tomorrow: Re-thinking business practice, education and learning in the context of sustainability

by Daniella Tilbury

Living change: documenting good practice in education for sustainability in NSW| Macquarie University ResearchOnline

by Daniella Tilbury

Planning for Success: Factors Influencing Change in Teacher Education.

by Daniella Tilbury

Higher Education for Sustainability: A Global Overview of Commitment and Progress.

by Daniella Tilbury

Embedding Sustainability within the DNA of Universities

by Daniella Tilbury

Education about and for sustainability in Australian Business Schools

by Daniella Tilbury

The global challenge of sustainability

by Daniella Tilbury

Strategies for sustainability and success: The Role and Impact of Strategic Thinking in the Development of Sustainable Enterprise: Conference Agenda

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (2000). Conference Agenda. Strategies for sustainability and success: The Role and Impact of Strategic Thinking in the Development of Sustainable Enterprise:, Proceedings of the 8th Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society (Vol. 1, pp. 5–7). Auckland: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/NZSMS/Publications/Entries/2000/2/3_Entry_1.html

How can we achieve both strategic success and contribute towards sustainable use of the Earth’s resources?
more How can we achieve both strategic success and contribute towards sustainable use of the Earth’s resources?

Is care for the environment one of the top strategic issues that we face as we enter the new millennium - or are there more pressing challenges?

Why have we seen such ineffective government policy development and such little action in regards to achieving sustainable development?

Is care for the environment just a subset of the task of caring for human culture and diversity? Or is should we ask the question the other way around?

How do market-led companies generate the investment funds required to establish products for a ‘green’ world - when the market dominance of existing product suppliers is so great?

Is globalisation a contributor to the environmental crisis - and if so, is it possible for a company or nation to distance itself from the process of globalisation?

Is business really a battlefield? If so, then how do you fight most effectively for survival, let alone for success and eco-sustainability?

How can we develop strategic leaders - general managers, consultants, policy makers, and educators - who can move forward wisely to meet the challenges of our ‘world to come’?
These are just some of the questions that are addressed in the Proceedings of the 8th Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society as conference attendees focussed on the issue of developing strategies for both eco-sustainability and enterprise success.

Conference aims
The aims of the NZSMS conference were to:
•Share the results of current professional practice, research, teaching, and consulting projects, especially those projects relating to themes of significant strategic relevance to New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific Basin.
•Deepen our shared understanding of the interests and talents of our professional colleagues as a basis for developing collaborative research, consulting, publishing, or teaching initiatives
•Discuss and critique proposals for future research, publishing, teaching, and policy development initiatives
•Report on the results of contributions made at relevant international conferences and related forums
•Develop professional skills and confidence in preparing and communicating the results of our professional works
•Identify professional development issues of significance to strategic managers, directors, educators, consultants, and trainers.
Download the complete document to read a more detailed overview of the conference themes and proceedings.

For all the conference papers, visit:
Mellalieu, P. J. (Ed.). (2000). Strategies for sustainability and success: The Role and Impact of Strategic Thinking in the Development of Sustainable Enterprise. Proceedings of the 8th Annual Educators Conference of the New Zealand Strategic Management Society (Vol. 1). Auckland: New Zealand Strategic Management Society. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/NZSMS/Welcome.html


Conference website:

Greening your business with Enterprise GreenWorks™

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (2011, July 1). Greening your business with Enterprise GreenWorks™. Department of Management and Marketing. Retrieved April 17, 2012, from http://thedomm.com/2011/07/01/greening-your-business-with-enterprise-greenworks%e2%84%a2/

Unitec students and staff have embarked on an innovative programme focussed on helping medium and small enterprise... more Unitec students and staff have embarked on an innovative programme focussed on helping medium and small enterprise owners advance their journey towards ‘greening the business’. Every two weeks from August, business owners from Rosebank Business Association are invited to participate in an Enterprise GreenWorks™  (EGW) session focussed exclusively on developing promising pathways to guide a ‘guest’ business towards environmentally sustainable business processes and products. During the half-day Enterprise GreenWorks session, a new venture project team is established involving staff from the business and members from Unitec. Think of the reality TV show ‘The Apprentice’ adapted so that no one gets fired, but the earth gets saved … and a better profit is made compared with ‘business-as-usual’!

Shifting frontiers, new priorities, creating pathways: elevating the case for tertiary education for sustainable development in New Zealand

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (2009). Shifting frontiers, new priorities, creating pathways: elevating the case for tertiary education for sustainable development in New Zealand. New Zealand Tertiary Education Summit 2009 (TES). Presented at the New Zealand Tertiary Education Summit 2009, Wellington, New Zealand: Bright*Star Conferences & Training Ltd. Retrieved from http://preview.tinyurl.com/tes2009

The announcement for the 2009 New Zealand Tertiary Education Summit asserts that “Tertiary education and research... more The announcement for the 2009 New Zealand Tertiary Education Summit asserts that “Tertiary education and research underpin the realisation of New Zealanders’ goals and aspirations, and the sustainable development of New Zealand’s economy and society.... Daunting new challenges ... identify the need for tertiary education to assume new responsibilities” (Brightstar, 2009).

This paper addresses two of New Zealand’s challenges:

• Building national capacity for long-term wealth-creating innovation, and

• Responding to business’ and society’s concerns about sustainable development.

The paper argues that education for sustainable development - appropriately implemented - contributes strongly to establishing:

• Valuable foundations for the emerging ‘sixth wave’ of innovations that underpin the creation of a nation’s distinctive core competencies, and

• The trans-disciplinary academic literacies required to support competitive success in the 21st century.

See related and subsequent papers:
Mellalieu, P. J. (2008). Preparing to engage in education for sustainability: A critique of the New Zealand tertiary education strategy. Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia conference proceedings. Presented at the Engaging Communities: HERDSA 2008 conference, Rotorua: HERDSA. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/UBSpublications/Projects/Entries/2008/3/3_Travels_through_the_east.html

Mellalieu, P. J. (2011). The Rise and Fall of Education for Sustainability in New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Strategies: An Orchestrated Conspiracy of Ignorance? XXIX International Conference of the International Council for Higher Education (Vol. 24). Presented at the Innovation and Development in Higher Education, Miami/Ft Lauderdale: International Council for Higher Education. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/4935qol


Mellalieu, P. J. (2008). Investing in education for eco-sustainability: A “fast follower” strategic posture for Unitec Institute of Technology. Unitec Business School Working Paper Series. Auckland: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/pjm-efs

Into the Wall of a Hurricane: Report of Staff Exchange to Florida Gulf Coast University

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (2006, February). Into the Wall of a Hurricane: Report of Staff Exchange to Florida Gulf Coast University. NZ Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology.

In August 2005, I travelled to work at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)... more In August 2005, I travelled to work at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FGCU and Unitec New Zealand. This report reflects on my experiences teaching at FGCU, my visits to several sites of techno- logical innovation such as the NASA Kennedy Space Centre, and my experience of two extreme weather events: Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Wilma.
FGCU is a state university, recently established, and located between Fort Myers and Naples, Southwest Florida. The Southwest Florida region is growing at a very fast rate, on account of its attractive (warm and sunny) climate, and the recreational resources (fishing, water sports, The Everglades) of the Gulf of Mexico. Accordingly, the university is developing at a fast rate. FGCU is planning for an enrollment of 15,000 students within the next 10 years. There is a substantial building programme, funded partly by the state of Florida, and partly through donors. The multi-million dollar donations seem to me extraordinary generous given the young age of the university: the donations do not come from wealthy retiring alumni - there are none yet!

Investing in education for sustainability: An exploratory strategic audit of a tertiary educational organisation

by Peter Mellalieu

Superseded by: Mellalieu, P. J. (2008). Investing in education for eco-sustainability: A “fast follower” strategic posture for Unitec Institute of Technology. Unitec Business School Working Paper Series. Auckland: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/pjm-efs

Engaging for sustainability: An Enterprise GreenWorks master class

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (2008). Engaging for sustainability: An Enterprise GreenWorks™ master class. Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) network conference. Presented at the Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) network conference, Christchurch, N.Z.

According to historian Arnold Toynbee (1978) "Man is the first species of living being in our biosphere that has... more According to historian Arnold Toynbee (1978) "Man is the first species of living being in our biosphere that has acquired the power to wreck the biosphere and, in wrecking it, to liquidate himself". Furthermore, commentators such as Geering (1999, 2000), Gore (2006), and Oram (2007) argue for urgent implementation of effective national policy for taking care of the natural environment for current and future generations.


However, the New Zealand Ministry of Education - the principal funder of many TEOs - has established tertiary investment policies that lack stated priority for investing in sustainable practice and Education for Sustainability (EfS) ( PCE, 2004; MOE, 2007; Mellalieu, 2008a,b).


This dilemma raises the question: How can Tertiary Educational Organisations (TEOs) establish strategies, policies, and operations that lead to exemplary sustainable practice and education for sustainability throughout their communities?


The session will explore the barriers, drivers, and tactics required to transition EfS beyond the enthusiasts and early adopters across the 'chasm' (Moore, 1991, 1999) into the mainstream of a TEO's strategy, policy, and operations.


The session employs an educational leadership master class format (Caldwell, 2006) informed by the Enterprise MasterWorks™ learning adventure format first deployed to create an iconoclastic learning environment for innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship for the Enterprise Development programme at Massey University (Mellalieu, 1998a,b).


The Enterprise GreenWorks (EGW) format involves several stages. EGW engages participants in a 'reality TV'-like experience in conjunction with a master class. (Think of The Apprentice - but with the aim of generating insights, ideas, and shared learning - rather than firing someone!). The sequence of a typical EGW 'episode' is: Introduction; Presentation of the dilemma (as posed earlier in this abstract); Background information; Fishbowl discussion; Breakout task groups to devise solutions to the dilemma; Report back of solutions; Critical feedback from the expert master(s); General discussion; Summary of key insights, ideas, and new learning; Action planning for implementing solutions and sharing insights. The proceedings are video recorded for subsequent use in teaching and publication in multimedia formats.


Possible reasons for the dilemma have been indicated in Mellalieu (2008a,b), drawing strongly on the work of Boven (2000) who identifies fundamental flaws in the dominant paradigm that underlies economic policy making. In consequence of the Ministry of Education's investment policy there is at least one instance in which a TEO is allowing its previous commitments to sustainability to lapse. Other TEOs could take similar decisions. Yet it is opinion leaders and professional - such as designers, managers, engineers, and teachers - who hold the key to changing the values of customers, employees, and voters so that we all make informed choices about taking action to towards environmental sustainability. Since professionals are educated through TEOs, it is necessary to debate the proposition that "ALL tertiary graduates leaving TEOs should possess a core understanding of ... environmental sustainability as a result of institutes encouraging EfS throughout their organisations", a recommendation made by the New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in 2004 (PCE, 2004, 2007).

Investing in education for eco-sustainability: A ʻfast followerʼ strategic posture for Unitec Institute of Technology

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (2008). Investing in education for eco-sustainability: A “fast follower” strategic posture for Unitec Institute of Technology. Unitec Business School Working Paper Series. Auckland: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology.

Conducts an exploratory Programme Evaluation of Unitec Institute of Technology focussed on assessing the state of... more Conducts an exploratory Programme Evaluation of Unitec Institute of Technology focussed on assessing the state of Unitec’s capability for eco-sustainable development and delivering programmes of education for sustainability.


Identifies key strategic issues:

•Unitec’s absence of a strategy, policy, and culture for eco-sustainability;

•the foundering of sustainability initiatives established from the late 1990s; and

•the rising recognition by senior managers that eco-sustainability issues are of increasing importance and should be supported by the institution.


One key reason for for Unitec’s situation is identified as the failure of Unitec’s key funder - the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) - to make an explicit funding priority for sustainability, despite government’s espoused aims for balancing economic progress with care for the environment.


Drawing on the arguments of Oram, Boven and Geering, argues for Unitec adopting a posture significantly more proactive that the increasingly laggard posture that is emerging through its failure to consider eco-sustainability issues at top level strategy-making.


Presents recommendations for identifying, developing, and implementing an appropriate strategic posture of ‘fast follower’ for Unitec.

Successful implementation of a Community of Practice for Eco-sustainability at Unitec Institute of Technology

by Peter Mellalieu

Mellalieu, P. J. (2008). Successful implementation of a community of practice for eco-sustainability at Unitec Institute of Technology. Unitec Business School Working Paper Series. Auckland: New Zealand Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Unitec Institute of Technology.

As part of its financial turnaround strategy, Unitec strategists have proposed the establishment of three Communities... more As part of its financial turnaround strategy, Unitec strategists have proposed the establishment of three Communities of Practice (COP) to promote cross-campus interdisciplinary outcomes (Unitec, 2008, ‘Towards a sustainable future’, Section 11.2, pp. 44-45). A ⅔ majority of staff in one Unitec school agreed that establishing a COP for eco-sustainability was an insufficient response to the increasing signals that Unitec should take a more proactive role in responding to the issues of eco-sustainability. The document ‘Towards a sustainable future’ provides a lukewarm justification for the choice of the theme of ‘eco-sustainability’ as the basis for establishing a COP. However, for COPs to affect organisational performance significantly, they require organisational funding, support, and a focus on SMART goals. Accordingly, the document ‘Towards a sustainable future’ requires several enhancements to signal the importance of eco-sustainability as a key strategic theme underlying Unitec’s turnaround strategy and vision for its future. The proposal to establish a COP for eco-sustainability at Unitec is a necessary - but insufficient - step that Unitec requires.

The Mueller Report: Moving Beyond Sustainability Indicators to Sustainability Action

by Joshua Pearce

Joshua Pearce, Christopher Uhl, Austin Mandryk, Dennis Matalavage, Christie Vischer, Loren Byrne, and Sara Eisenfeld, "The Mueller Report: Moving Beyond Sustainability Indicators to Sustainability Action", The Green Destiny Council of The Pennsylvania State University, Fall 2001.

The assignment that we gave ourselves was: Cut the ecological impact of Mueller Building in half while creating... more The assignment that we gave ourselves was: Cut the ecological impact of Mueller Building in half while creating healthier working conditions for all building occupants. The analysis on the following pages reveals that it is, indeed, possible to reduce significantly Mueller's aggregate impacts in many areas. The majority of environmental improvements that Mueller could make would actually save money! For example, by following the suggestions outlined in the energy portions of this study Mueller building could reap more than $45,000 per year in energy savings alone.