Abstract:

The authors started the research based on the implication of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) has over education for sustainable development. The OECD developed an ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) teaching framework for knowledge competencies which progresses from giving students a solid understanding of basic economic, environmental, and social concepts (primary level), to explaining interdisciplinary concepts and the need for integrated approaches (secondary level), to studying the state-of-the-art in sustainable development governance, measurement, assessments and practices (tertiary level). Several OECD countries have implemented national strategies for Education for Sustainable Development or are developing such plans like Australia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, and United Kingdom.

This paper aims to analyze the ESD environmental framework of green factors (optimize current use of fossil fuels, waste, recycle, recover energy, and reduce pollution) that can contribute to achieving environmental sustainability, with applicability in the university environment. Universities have a key role to play in understanding global environmental challenges through education, research, and community involvement. By offering good practices in their organizations, research, and teaching, universities have multiplier effects on the community. This research brought together the factors that influence the integration of sustainability in the institutional, teaching, and research activities of Romanian universities. To carry out this study, we analyzed the strategies of 6 universities from different regions of Romania. The research noted that institutions dedicated to the goal of a more sustainable world play a vital role in successfully integrating environmental sustainability into universities. Key factors in enabling universities to undertake the transformational changes needed to integrate environmental sustainability into all academic areas included: a strong policy environment, strategy resources, and encouraging leaders on environmental sustainability. The key to a successful strategy is to educate and raise the awareness of university staff about the importance of environmental sustainability. In this context, education for environmental sustainability brings at the same time a new motivation of the actors in the educational activities, to participate creatively in finding variants and evaluating alternatives for a sustainable future. Education for environmental sustainability offers a critical approach, increased awareness, and the power to explore and develop new concepts, visions, methods, and tools.

Education for environmental sustainability develops and improves the capacity of individuals, groups, communities, organizations, and countries to think and act in favor of sustainable development. It can generate a change in people's mindsets, enhancing their ability to create a safer, healthier, and more prosperous world, thus improving the quality of life. Education for environmental sustainability requires a reorientation of the current system, based only on providing information, to one based on dealing with problems and identifying workable solutions.

Keywords:

Environmental sustainability, factors, university, education, framework.