Campus Sustainability Discourse of Universities – A Critical Review

Abstract

The concept of sustainability has not been established enough to gain the status of a scientific model and worldwide acceptance as a unified signifier with the same semantics. Institutions, especially higher education institutions, have been redefining it to achieve their goals. A democratic ecological and social order is the main connotation of all the definitions. There is a risk of becoming merely a new term devoid of substantive meaning in the discourse of sustainable development. This article aims to explore the diverse connotations it holds via various studies to illustrate the mammoth significance it embraces. There is a lack of specific criteria and incisive discussions within the higher education institutions seeking sustainability in Pakistan. This research article circumspectly examines the fundamental role in both developed and developing countries such as Pakistan through the qualitative method of narrative review of previously written articles, book chapters, web links and conference papers. After the discussion and critique, certain gaps were identified and suggestions are given to foster a clear discourse of campus sustainability in general as well as in the context of Pakistan.