Students' Perception of Sustainable Development in Higher Education in Saudi Arabia

Students' Perception of Sustainable Development in Higher Education in Saudi Arabia

9 February 2024 | Eman S. Abowardah, Wafa Labib, Hadeer Aboelnagah and Mohammad Nurunnabi
This study explores the awareness and perception of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among students in Saudi universities. The research aims to measure students' understanding of sustainable development, its implementation, and practices, and to evaluate the adequacy of current information about sustainable development in influencing students' lives. The study uses an online survey and SPSS for statistical analysis. The findings indicate that most students associate sustainability primarily with environmental aspects, while fewer mention social and economic dimensions. Prince Sultan University (PSU) students showed higher awareness of the SDGs compared to students from other universities. The study also found that university facilities, teaching, research, and extracurricular activities significantly impact students' awareness of the SDGs. Recycling facilities were found to have a negative impact on students' awareness of the SDGs. The study highlights the importance of integrating sustainability into the curriculum and extracurricular activities to enhance students' awareness and understanding of the SDGs. The results suggest that sustainability education should be interdisciplinary and include practical activities to promote sustainable behavior and awareness among students. The study also found that sustainability pillars, particularly the environmental aspect, significantly influence students' awareness of the SDGs. The study recommends that universities incorporate sustainability into their curricula and activities to enhance students' understanding and application of the SDGs.This study explores the awareness and perception of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among students in Saudi universities. The research aims to measure students' understanding of sustainable development, its implementation, and practices, and to evaluate the adequacy of current information about sustainable development in influencing students' lives. The study uses an online survey and SPSS for statistical analysis. The findings indicate that most students associate sustainability primarily with environmental aspects, while fewer mention social and economic dimensions. Prince Sultan University (PSU) students showed higher awareness of the SDGs compared to students from other universities. The study also found that university facilities, teaching, research, and extracurricular activities significantly impact students' awareness of the SDGs. Recycling facilities were found to have a negative impact on students' awareness of the SDGs. The study highlights the importance of integrating sustainability into the curriculum and extracurricular activities to enhance students' awareness and understanding of the SDGs. The results suggest that sustainability education should be interdisciplinary and include practical activities to promote sustainable behavior and awareness among students. The study also found that sustainability pillars, particularly the environmental aspect, significantly influence students' awareness of the SDGs. The study recommends that universities incorporate sustainability into their curricula and activities to enhance students' understanding and application of the SDGs.
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