Higher education institutes (HEI) face considerable challenges in navigating
how to respond to the escalating and intertwined socio-ecological
sustainability crises. Many dedicated individuals working in the sector
are already driving meaningful action through rigorous research, teaching,
knowledge sharing, and public engagement, while there is a growing
consensus that sector-wide change is needed to ensure that aspirational
declarations and positive individual actions translate into sustainable and
transformative change. This article seeks to contribute to such e􀀀orts by
illustrating a number of trends, examples, and reflections on how third-level
educational institutes can act sustainably. We highlight the potential of five
strategies HEI could employ to support the creation of a more sustainable
future namely, (i) innovative approaches to climate change education; (ii)
research agendas for societal transformations; (iii) providing climate change
education for professional development; (iv) supporting public intellectuals;
and (iv) investing in whole-systems approaches to greening the campus. The
insights are the product of an interdisciplinary working group with members
from across Europe, Australia, and the UK. These international examples
provide insight and a sense of possibility for future application.