Assessment of sustainable development in technical higher education institutes of India

Abstract

This paper assesses the sustainability related performance of Indian Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) based on the parameters and indicators listed under the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS), and the University of Indonesia GreenMetric World University Ranking (UI GreenMetric WUR). Qualitative assessment of Indian HEIs based on the two selected frameworks is provided. Data were collected for parameters pertaining to sustainable development (SD) at nine Indian HEIs through surveys, documentation, direct observations, and interviews with professors, research scholars, students, and employees. The study shows that although Indian campuses are implementing SD strategies, the approach is not comprehensive and systematic, as almost 50% of the STARS and UI GreenMetric framework parameters are not currently being complied with. Out of the two selected assessment frameworks, Indian HEIs showed greater compliance with the UI GreenMetric, which can be attributed to its Asian origin. A lack of policies, monitoring and reporting mechanisms were common across all the HEIs. This study highlights the need to report specific rating parameters that are widely present on Indian campuses and those which are not currently being emphasised. The findings contribute to developing a contextualised rating system for assessing Indian HEIs that can help boost SD. This study can further help other developing countries aiming to progress along similar lines. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd