Higher education and sustainable development in the Arab Gulf states practical approaches and institutional strategies Khalaf Al'Abri, Elizabeth Buckner, editors

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Al'Abri Khalaf, editor.

Buckner, Elizabeth, editor.

Series:

Sustainable development goals series

Sustainable development goals series 2523-3092

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Education, Higher--Environmental aspects.

Universities and colleges.

Sustainable development.

Climate change mitigation.

Arabian Peninsula.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Cham, Switzerland Springer [2026]

Summary:

"This edited volume critically examines the role of higher education institutions in the Arab Gulf States in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of the region’s distinctive resource dependence, environmental vulnerability, and rapid socio-economic transformation. Drawing on original empirical research from across the region, the book analyses how universities are supporting sustainable development through teaching, research, and institutional governance. By combining system-level perspectives with institutional case studies, the volume offers insights into how sustainable development is being interpreted, implemented, and institutionalized within the region’s higher education systems and institutions. The book makes a distinctive contribution by focusing on the Arab Gulf as a highly developed yet under-researched region of the Global South, where universities operate within ambitious state-led sustainability frameworks and post-oil development transitions. Through detailed case studies, the chapters highlight innovative pedagogical and institutional approaches, including project-based learning, living laboratories, and interdisciplinary research collaborations that support progress toward the SDGs. The volume offers policy-relevant and practice-oriented insights for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners concerned with the role of higher education in advancing sustainable development in diverse national and regional contexts"-- Springer Nature Link

Contents:

Higher education and sustainable development in the GCC : An overview / Elizabeth Buckner, Karma Salloum, and Khalaf Al’Abri

Emirati students and climate change adaptation : Green activism in the UAE? / Tilde Rosmer

Universities as living laboratories in the Gulf region / Anna Grichting Solder

Using project-based learning to nurture sustainable competencies among university students in Kuwait / Sosil Somokian

Defining education for sustainable development in the GCC : The need for more holistic perspectives and approaches / Hajar Mahfoodh and Hessa AlAtawi

Faculty members’ perceptions of higher education for sustainable development : A study from the College of Education at Qatar University / Mayamin Altae

Connecting sustainability and global citizenship in universities in the Gulf Cooperation Council / Wendy A. Booth

Enhancing climate action through higher education : The role of GCC universities in advancing nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and SDG 13 / Quosay A. Ahmed, Tarig Z. Ahmed, Mawahib E. Ahmed, and Asia Mohamed

Green emissaries : The climate change leadership of branch campuses in the Arab Gulf States / Seungah Sarah Lee and Gabriela Reynell

The role of research centers in supporting higher education and sustainable development : Evidence from Sultan Qaboos University / Omer Hamad

The SDGs and universities : Promoting innovation and “living together” in the UAE / Salem Alhammadi and Abdeljalil Akkari

Omani universities’ engagement with the SDGs : Current practices and future opportunities / Munira Khalifa Ali Al Wahaibi

Urban sustainability education and the “othering” of the city : Exploring SDG 11 in the GCC context / Abdellatif Qamhaieh

Conclusion : Sustainability and transformation in Arabian Gulf higher education / Khalaf Al’Abri and Elizabeth Buckner

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references

Online resource; title from PDF title page (Springer Nature Link, viewed July 13, 2026)

Other Format:

Print version Higher education and sustainable development in the Arab Gulf states

ISBN:

9783032195593

3032195594

OCLC:

1602822140

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license