How can higher education become climate-proof?

Abstract

adaptation and mitigation measures with a global online survey of 404 respondents from 83 countries, making it one of the largest studies on the topic undertaken to date. The case studies show three main typologies of institutional response, i.e., comprehensive integration, operational emphasis, and social – educational engagement, illustrating varying levels of maturity and coordination. The survey findings reveal that although more than half of assessed institutions have initiated inventories or decarbonisation strategies, implementation remains fragmented. Operational measures concentrate on energy systems and waste management, while systemic integration across curricula, governance, and community engagement is less common. Key barriers include limited financial capacity, fragmented institutional priorities, and insufficient stakeholder participation. The study shows that climate-proofing higher education requires transformative and cross-sectoral governance, aligning decarbonisation, education, governance and equity objectives.