SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

Higher education institutions are, in principle, generators of knowledge, and trainers of professionals and citizens for all communities. In this era of environmental crisis, are universities and colleges training professionals and citizens who are aware, and prepared to understand, manage and present solutions for the environmental crisis we are going through? This paper presents the results of an international survey developed at the State University of West Paraná - UNIOESTE, Cascavel, Paraná, called the RISU Project - “Definition of indicators and evaluation of the commitment to sustainability in Latin American Universities”. The study showed that although the University is closely involved with the society in the region, developing more than a hundred projects on sustainability, environmental education and the environment, its strategic plan does not have an integrated policy for the institutional development of the University. A restructuring of policies in the areas of sustainability, environmental education and environment is therefore needed.