The Contribution of the Circular Economy to the Fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda in Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have a critical role to play supporting the transition to circular economy (CE). Being a knowledge source for young people and a key place of cultural development, there is great potential for starting a chain reaction towards a more sustainable community. Although little is known about applying CE framework in sustainable campus management, initiatives related to CE are developing in a number of HEI, including changes in academic curriculum, increased research capacity, and wider outreach activities. This research work describes CE as a strategic tool towards fulfilling the sustainable development goals proposed in the 2030 Agenda for HEI, with benefits from environmental, social, and economic perspectives. The analysis came as a conclusion of a bibliographic review of Latin American experiences. The main revelations of this study were the diverse repercussions of CE at HEIs, since CE framework is being incorporated at HEIs even when they do not recognize it. There is a strong presence of CE in the research pillar above campus management and academic training. In this pillar, CE topics are mostly included in postgraduate careers. According to this research, SDGs achieved by analyzed HEIs are mainly SDG 17, SDG 11, and SDG 12. Although this research is a first approach to the topic, it is an important contribution since no other study on matters related to CE at HEIs have been performed in Latin America.