sustainability

Article
Students’ Assessment of Campus Sustainability at the
University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Ismaila R. Abubakar *, Faez S. Al-Shihri and Sayed M. Ahmed
Received: 15 November 2015; Accepted: 6 January 2016; Published: 8 January 2016
Academic Editor: Ian Thomas

College of Architecture and Planning, University of Dammam, P.O. Box 2397, Dammam 31451, Saudi Arabia;
fshihri@uod.edu.sa (F.S.A.-S.); smsahmed@uod.edu.sa (S.M.A.)
* Correspondence: irabubakar@uod.edu.sa; Tel.: +966-53-6755650

Abstract: Higher education institutions are major drivers of change in achieving environmental
sustainability both within college campuses and beyond campuses in communities at large. However,
achieving campus sustainability is not possible without the involvement of students as one of the
major stakeholders of a university. Based on survey of 152 students of the College of Architecture
and Planning, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, this study explores students’ assessment of
campus sustainability components: curriculum and research; campus operations; and community
involvement. The results show that even though the students indicate a great deal of awareness and
concern about campus environmental sustainability, they lack interest and willingness to participate
in initiatives towards achieving sustainability. Apart from some sustainable landscaping and waste
recycling practices, there are few sustainability initiatives in transportation and energy and water
conservation on the campus. Offered courses and student projects have also been reported to have
modest focus on sustainability. The article concludes by highlighting the roles of incorporating
sustainability into campus operations, and training university students in promoting environmental
sustainability in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

Keywords: sustainability; environment; Dammam; university students; education; campus

1. Background
As a result of the realization of the importance of higher education institutions (HEIs) in promoting
environmental sustainability, numerous universities around the world have within the last two
decades been implementing initiatives to become sustainable. Universities are now restructuring
their curriculum, research agenda and community services to focus more on sustainable development
(SD) and have incorporated sustainability into campus development and daily operations [1–3].
This is based on the realization of the need to reduce the impacts of campus activities and operations
on the environment and to train students to gain sustainability literacy and embrace sustainable
behaviors [4,5]. In the US alone, over 300 HEIs have conducted campus sustainability assessments
within the period of five years and hundreds more have planned to do so [6]. Commitments to
sustainability by HEIs also resulted from voluntary decisions by university management (through
pledges and signing of declarations) as well as from pressure mounted by regulatory agencies, funding
organizations, student activism, NGOs, and parents [7,8].
Nevertheless, few universities in the developing countries, especially in the Middle East,
are making the necessary adjustments to reduce the negative impact of campus operations on the
environment and incorporate sustainability into their systems. Even in the few cases where attempts
are being made to implement some sustainability initiatives, the efforts are highly centralized without
students’ and other stakeholders’ involvements, which render the initiatives insufficient to insufficient

Sustainability 2016, 8, 59; doi:10.3390/su8010059 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability

Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 2 of 14

to contribute to the transition to a sustainable society [9]. Thus, several scholars have called for a more
inclusive and “whole-of-university” approach to achieving sustainability and to rethink how higher
education can address sustainability issues not only within the curriculum and research, but also via
community outreach, collaboration, as well as through the participation of the various university
stakeholders [10–12].
Indeed, achieving campus sustainability more effectively is not possible without the cooperation
and involvement of all stakeholders such as students, faculty and staff, university management,
funding agencies, and the community [13,14]. In developing countries the training and involvement
of university students in environmental education have been largely neglected, leading to some
scholars criticizing higher education for producing graduates who are ill-equipped to tackle the
serious sustainability problems humanity now faces [15,16]. Given that students are among
the key university stakeholders, understanding their perceptions about and their involvement in
environmental sustainability may give insight into whether or not and how a university is likely to
employ sustainable practices [17,18]. The importance of students’ involvement in “campus greening”
has led to interesting initiatives such as the “Platform Information, Awareness, and Assessment of
Sustainability at the University” and the “Sustainability Test”, which originated from a cooperation
project between the Autonomous University of Madrid and the University of São Paulo in Brazil
(http://www.projetosustentabilidade.sc.usp.br/index.php/eng).
Previous studies that investigated college students’ perception and assessment of environmental
sustainability or their roles in promoting campus sustainability are largely concentrated in the West
and developing countries outside the Middle East. Examples of such studies were conducted in
several universities in USA [4,17,19], Europe—such as in Germany [15] and UK [13,20]—and in
Australia [21]. In all these studies, students are quite aware about and are willing to support and
participate in sustainable initiatives at their colleages/universities. The studies also reported that
the HEIs have implemented sustainability issues related to campus operations that include energy
efficiency and waste recycling, building construction and renovation based on green design principles,
and have promoted sustainable transport for students. Whereas in the developing countries, similar
studies include an assessment of students’ perceptions of some factors contributing towards higher
education for SD in a university in China [9], research about the perceptions of students of a Malaysian
university towards factors of a sustainable university [22,23], and a survey of students’ perceptions of
sustainability and changing life styles of a technical university in Turkey [24].
Despite the importance of university campuses in promoting environmental sustainability, there is
no known study in Saudi Arabia that explores students’ perception about environmental sustainability
or their involvement in campus sustainability efforts. As such, this study attempts to fill this gap
using University of Dammam as a case study. This study is very important because of the ongoing
ambitious projects of establishing HEIs to cater for the country’s rapidly growing younger population
that constitute more than half of the national population. Given that most of these Saudi HEIs are
in infancy, it is high time to utilize the educational sector to play a key role in realizing the goals of
achieving SD and protecting the environment and natural resources as part of the ninth five-year
National Development Plan. Further, given that the education system and campus sustainability
efforts in the country are largely top-down without sufficient regards for students’ involvement in
sustainability decision making, this study thus presents an opportunity to convey the best practices of
universities in more developed countries into the Saudi Arabian context.
The article has been organized in the following way. The next section reviews the role of HEIs in
promoting environmental sustainability and presents a brief overview of the Saudi Arabian university
system. This is followed by the methodology and then the results and discussion sections. The paper
concludes by highlighting the role universities in Saudi Arabia could play in training future decision
makers to confront the environmental challenges of the 21st century.
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 3 of 14

2. Higher Education for Sustainable Development (SD)

The 1987 Brundtland Report defines the term sustainable development (SD) as the development
that “meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their needs” [25]. The concept is often used interchangeably with that of sustainability,
which strives to promote the continuity of ecological, economic, institutional, and socio-cultural
aspects of our societies. Sustainability is envisioned to be an avenue for preserving natural ecosystems
and biodiversity while meeting our material needs, transforming cultures and solving some of our
society’s complex problems while collectively planning and acting to maintain the societal aspects far
into the future [26]. Sustainability affects every level of organization, from the local neighborhood to
the entire planet.
Not just for cities and towns, incorporating sustainability into university systems has become
a necessity given the significant environmental impacts of complex and large-scale activities and
operations taking place on campuses, whose costs need to be avoided, hence universities are no
longer overlooked in terms of environmental responsibility [8]. The specific roles of universities
in promoting SD have been highlighted in several significant declarations such as the Talloires
Declaration in 1990, Agenda 21 in 1992, the Kyoto Declaration in 1993, Global Higher Education
for Sustainability Partnership in 2000, the Luneburg Declaration in 2001, the Sapporo declaration
in 2002, Graz Declaration in 2005, Abuja Declaration on Sustainable Development in Africa in 2009,
the Rio+20 Higher Education Sustainability Initiative, as well as the UN Decade for Education for
Sustainable Development. According to UNESCO, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
fosters a process of learning how to make decisions that consider the long-term future of the economy,
ecology, and equity of all communities [27]. As such, universities worldwide are now becoming
more proactive in becoming sustainable and in promoting sustainability via teaching and research,
community outreach, and in campus operations [28,29].
A sustainable campus according to Cole and Wright is a community that “acts upon its local and
global responsibilities to protect and enhance the health and wellbeing of humans and ecosystems” and
advances some ways of addressing our present and future ecological and social challenges ([14] p. 30).
Other scholars consider a sustainable campus as a healthy environment with an efficient environmental
management and prosperous economy based on energy and resource conservation and waste reduction,
and promoting equity and social justice in its affairs and exporting these values at community, national,
and global levels [30]. These definitions indicate that campus sustainability requires inclusion of
key SD principles not only in the curricula, but also in research and community services. Campus
sustainability is also unachievable without incorporating such principles as sustainable water use,
energy efficiency in buildings and operations, green transportation, efficient waste management,
resource conservation, equity, and minimizing environmental pollution into campus operations [31].
It also requires participatory teaching and learning methods that motivate and empower students and
the community to change their behavior and take action for SD [4,28].
The literature review indicates that universities that are committed to becoming sustainable
have undertaken several initiatives, which include: (a) formulating and implementing policies
and strategies to ensure that environmental issues are managed consistently and systematically
throughout the campus in order to reduce environmental impacts and increase operations’ efficiency;
(b) greening the curricula and restructuring research such that both focus more on key SD principles
such as environmental protection, pollution and climate change, global warming, biodiversity, equity,
and poverty reduction, and sustainable energy and resource consumption and training of students
to acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values necessary to shape a sustainable future;
(c) community outreach and partnering/collaborating with SD stakeholders (students, employees,
other universities, public and private sectors, NGOs) so as to motivate and empower the entire society
to change their behavior and take action for environmental sustainability; and (d) sustainability
assessments and reporting [8,14].
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 4 of 14

As highlighted above, higher education is a major driver of change to achieve environmental

sustainability, sustainable living, economic opportunities, health ,and equity as well as in instilling
students with a sense of being responsible global citizens not only on their campuses but also at the
societal level [2]. Universities world-wide have been significantly contributing to the promotion of
sustainability in many ways. First, they play a leading role as agents of change by preparing most
of the professionals that develop, teach, work in, manage, lead and influence society’s institutions.
Future leaders, entrepreneurs, and decision makers are also educated and prepared by universities.
Hence, university campuses are effective avenues for “communicating the value of environmental
sustainability to a wide variety of audience” ([30] p. 43). Second, they help coordinate, promote,
and enhance the engagement of local authorities, the private sector, NGOs and the public to design
and implement local and regional sustainability plans by acting as sources of technical expertise [32].
Lastly, universities contribute to environmental sustainability by implementing sound environmental
management systems that reduce the negative environmental impacts of campus operations and
improve the efficiency of their systems (transportation, buildings, energy, utilities, etc.).
Therefore, developing countries can utilize the ample opportunity presented by HEIs to train
their youth and guide their population to understand the importance of sustainability and take action
towards a more sustainable future. In Saudi Arabia, there are currently 25 public and 8 private
universities, which are supervised and coordinated by the Ministry of Education. As of 2013 a
total of 669,271 students, comprised of 62.9% females and 37.1% males, were enrolled in the public
universities [33]. The growth of universities, as indicated in Table 1, from just seven about two and
half decades ago to the present 33 is a response to the population that is increasing at the rate of 2.9%
per annum since the era of oil boom (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/ retrieved 22 February 2015).
Between 2000 and 2010, the number of universities increased by 230% (from 10 to 33), unlike in
the preceding decade where the increased was by about 50% (7 to 10). This dramatic increase
can be attributed largely to the government’s efforts to develop higher education and promote
knowledge-based economy in the country as stipulated in the seventh and eighth Saudi Arabia’s
National Development Plans, coupled with increased national revenue from high oil prices. Thus,
the funds earmarked for higher studies, mainly in constructing new and expanding the existing HEIs,
have also jumped from approximately 10 billion Saudi Riyals (US$ 2.67 billion) in 2005 to about SR32
billion (US$ 8.53 billion) in 2009 ([34] p. 110).

Table 1. Growth of universities and colleges in Saudi Arabia, 1990–2010 [33].

Universities Colleges
Year
Public Private Total Public Private Total
1990 7 0 7 83 0 83
2000 8 2 10 203 6 209
2010 25 8 33 495 45 540

The consequences of rapid and low-density urban growth that Saudi Arabia is experiencing
is increasing demand for shelter, energy, and means of livelihood, which calls for the need for
sustainable urban development that would not only be harmonious but advances energy efficiency,
waste reduction, and intergenerational equity and minimizes natural resource depletion, environmental
pollution, and degradation of ecosystem [35]. Hence, one of the ways of achieving environmental
sustainability of cities and regions in the country is by integrating sustainability learning opportunities
across all higher education subject areas, so that students can be better equipped to deal with
sustainability issues in all aspects of life and participate in practices that have widespread influence
on global-local futures [36,37]. However, the task of integrating sustainability into HEIs will not
succeed without involving the students. Thus, this study aims to use University of Dammam as a case
study to explore (a) University students’ awareness and concern about environmental sustainability;
(b) the extent to which the offered courses are related to sustainability; (c) students’ assessments of
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 5 of 14

whether campus operations and practices are moving toward sustainability; and (d) the availability of
on-campus sustainability opportunities to students. The research methods in the following section
outlines the way in which this study was undertaken.

3. Methods
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59  5 of 14 

3. Methods 
3.1. Study Area
Founded in 2009, University of Dammam, with a total student population of 34,278
3.1. Study Area 
studying in 21 colleges, is the seventh largest university in Saudi Arabia and it is contributing
Founded in 2009, University of Dammam, with a total student population of 34,278 studying in 
in training about 5.1% of the country’s total college graduates [33]. The main campus of the
21 colleges, is the seventh largest university in Saudi Arabia and it is contributing in training about 
University, covering about 353.69 hectares, is located in Dammam city (Figure 1), the capital of
5.1% of the country’s total college graduates [33]. The main campus of the University, covering about 
Eastern Province
353.69  and
hectares,  at a distance
is  located  of about
in  Dammam  5 kilometers
city  (Figure  from the
1),  the  capital  Arabian
of  Eastern  Gulf. and 
Province  In its
at  a effort
to promote campus sustainability, the university has established a Deanship of Community
distance of about 5 kilometers from the Arabian Gulf. In its effort to promote campus sustainability, 
the university has established a Deanship of Community Services and Sustainable Development in 
Services and Sustainable Development in 2012. The Deanship is responsible for realizing the
2012. 
University’sThe vision
Deanship  is  responsible 
of improving thefor campus
realizing environmental
the  University’s  vision  of  improving 
sustainability; the  campus 
motivating faculty
environmental sustainability; motivating faculty members to direct their research towards SD issues; 
members to direct their research towards SD issues; supporting community service; and building
supporting  community  service;  and  building  strategic  partnerships  with  government  bodies 
strategic partnerships with government bodies organizations and the private sector to foster SD
organizations  and  the  private  sector  to  foster  SD  (http://www.ud.edu.sa/en/administration/ 
(http://www.ud.edu.sa/en/administration/deanships/deanship-of-community-services-and-sustain
deanships/deanship‐of‐community‐services‐and‐sustainable‐development/about,  retrieved:  2 
able-development/about,
October 2014).  retrieved: 2 October 2014).

 
Figure 1. Location of University of Dammam in Dammam Metropolitan Area (DMA). 
Figure 1. Location of University of Dammam in Dammam Metropolitan Area (DMA).
Similarly,  the  College  of  Architecture  and  Planning  in  the  University  aims  to  promote 
Similarly, the by 
sustainability  College of Architecture
educating  students  to and Planning
confront  in the University
the  environmental  aims to promote
challenges  facing  the sustainability
rapidly 
growing  urban  centers  in  the  country.  The  specific  vision  of  the  College 
by educating students to confront the environmental challenges facing the rapidly growing in  this  regard  is  to  train 
urban
“competent professionals in the areas of planning, design and construction of sustainable built and 
centers in the country. The specific vision of the College in this regard is to train “competent
urban environments…” as well as to encourage research in these areas (http://www.uod.edu.sa/en/ 
professionals in the areas of planning, design and construction of sustainable built and urban
colleges/college‐of‐architecture‐and‐planning/about, retrieved 12 February 2015). 
environments . . . ” as well as to encourage research in these areas (http://www.uod.edu.sa/en/
colleges/college-of-architecture-and-planning/about,
3.2. Data Collection and Analysis  retrieved 12 February 2015).

In  order  to  investigate  students’  awareness/perceptions  about  sustainability  issues  and 
students’  involvement  in  campus  sustainability  efforts,  a  survey  using  a  self‐administered 
questionnaire in Arabic was conducted between April and May 2014 in the College of Architecture 
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 6 of 14

3.2. Data Collection and Analysis

In order to investigate students’ awareness/perceptions about sustainability issues and students’
involvement in campus sustainability efforts, a survey using a self-administered questionnaire in
Arabic was conducted between April and May 2014 in the College of Architecture and Planning of
the University. We restricted the study to this college because courses related to sustainability are
mainly taught there and the specific attitudes and skills which students of the college are expected
to develop are related to planning and designing a sustainably built environment, as highlighted in
the college’s vision above. Thus, the students of this College are supposed to be more aware about
and more willing to participate in campus sustainability initiatives than students from other colleges.
This makes this College an exemplary case, and its students worthy of being studied. Another reason
for focusing on this college is that a review of implementation of SD in higher education from a survey
found that among the least implemented campus sustainability initiative worldwide is the integration
of sustainability into courses offered at colleges [8].
The instrument used in the survey is based on the Sustainability Assessment Questionnaire
(SAQ) [38], modified in order to remove questions not related to students and to optimize its validity
for the Saudi context. The questionnaire assesses students’ perception about their university’s
achievements on some important dimensions of campus sustainability. Apart from the section on
demographic information, the modified questionnaire consisted of four main sections. After presenting
our working definition of environmental sustainability, the first section explored students’ awareness of
and concern about environmental sustainability in general (four items). The second section, consisting
of three items, investigated the aspect of offered courses and learning that address the issue of
environmental sustainability. The third section (five items) examined the perception of students on
the extent to which campus operations and practices conform to sustainability principles—garbage
recycling, energy conservation, water conservation, landscaping, and transportation. The questions in
sections 1–3 were close-ended, requiring responses on a five-point Likert scale (from none to a great
deal). The last section (five dichotomous items requiring a “yes” or “no” responses) explored the
availability of opportunities of involving students, as stakeholders, in campus sustainability efforts.
Indeed, the SAQ questionnaire is an efficient data-collection mechanism when the researcher identifies
exactly what is required and how to analyze the variables of interest [39].
Before conducting the survey, the questionnaire was revised by colleagues in the college for
suggestions that helped improve the instruments. Also a pilot survey was done with a small sample to
check the validity of the questionnaire, which resulted in modifying some of the questions for better
clarity. Given a total of 434 students in the college, we intended to cover as many students as possible.
Therefore, questionnaires were administered to students by a trained research assistant during their
classes to take home, complete, and return to the same assistant or the college secretary. We decided to
use classes for distributing the questionnaires because classes are the best avenues for getting access to
the students. A total of 271 questionnaires were distributed but only 152 completed the survey and
returned the filled questionnaires, resulting in a 56% response rate. The possible reason why only a
little over a half of the administered questionnaires were returned is lack of incentives, the need to
send reminders, and people’s lax attitudes when it comes responding to surveys. The voluntary nature
of participation in the study and respondents’ confidentiality had been assured.
The survey data were coded (0—don’t know; 1—none; 2—a little; 3—quite a bit; 4—a great
deal; and 77—missing) and entered into SPSS software for analyses. The ordinal data were analyzed
using descriptive statistics, which provided not only explanation of the key variables of the research,
but also allowed further analyses. Frequency distributions were converted to percentages to provide a
standardized way for comparison between and among the categories.
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 7 of 14

4. Results and Discussion

4.1. Demographic Characteristics of Respondents

About 26% of the survey respondents are from the department of Landscape Architecture, 23% are
from Urban and Regional Planning, 21% from Building Technology, 16% from Interior Architecture
and 14% from Architecture (Table 2). The participants are largely third year (41%), followed by fourth
year (39%), and final year undergraduate students (12%). While master’s students constitute 9% of the
sample, we could not find a PhD student to participate in the survey.

Table 2. Distribution of students by departments in the college.

Department Student Population Survey Sample

Urban and Regional Planning 104 (24.0%) 35 (23.0%)
Building Technology 93 (21.4%) 32 (21.1%)
Landscape Architecture 61 (14.1%) 40 (26.3%)
Architecture 133 (30.6%) 24 (15.8%)
Interior Architecture 43 (9.9%) 21 (13.8%)
Total 434 152

The distribution of the samples in the college as shown in Table 2 conforms, to some extent,
to the population distribution of the students except in the case of Architecture department where the
students constitute about 31% of students in the college but form only 16% of our sample. Interior
Architecture students also comprise about 14% of the sample though they amount to 10% of the
students’ population. Lack of representation from PhD students is not surprising given that only
the Department of Urban and Regional Planning offers PhD program, the students are very few in
numbers and they have individualized schedules.

4.2. Students’ Awareness and Concern about Environmental Sustainability

This section asked questions about environmental sustainability in general. This is important
because appreciating students’ awareness, concern, interest and willingness to contribute to
sustainability initiatives may give some perspective into the extent to which a university and
its students are likely engaged in sustainable practices. The results in Table 3 showed that a
large proportion of the respondents (65.0%) expressed quite a bit or a great deal of concern about
environmental sustainability. Also, nearly three-quarters (71.5%) and over half of the respondents
(57.1%) have reported from a little to a great deal of knowledge about and interest in environmental
sustainability respectively. These findings support earlier studies such as a survey of students of a
Turkish university that found general awareness of the meaning of SD and some 75% of the respondents
perceived that environmental sustainability should be given the highest priority [24].

Table 3. Students’ awareness and concern about environmental sustainability.

Sustainability Awareness Responses

and Concern Don’t Know None a Little Quite a Bit a Great Deal
Knowledge about
14.4% 9.2% 30.3% 35.5% 10.5%
environmental sustainability
Concern about environmental
6.6% 1.3% 17.1% 29.0% 46.0%
sustainability
Interest about environmental
16.3% 14.3% 22.8% 18.6% 15.7%
sustainability
Willingness to participate in
18.4% 30.3% 25.0% 17.1% 9.2%
sustainability initiatives

The most striking result to emerge from the data, and which has never been reported by any
previous studies, is when the students were asked about their willingness to participate in planning
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 8 of 14

and implementing sustainability initiatives, about a third of the respondents (30.3%) answered in the
negative, while only about a quarter (26.3%) indicated quite a bit or a great deal of willingness to do so.
Possible reason for this finding is the top-down system of decision-making that results in less citizen
participation in planning and implementation of urban development projects. Therefore, in essence
there seems to be little “knowledge gap” or lack of concern among the respondents when it comes to
environmental sustainability, but there is apparently less interest (as only 34.3% of the respondents
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59  8 of 14 
indicated quite a bit or a great deal of interest in the issue) and less willingness to participate in
respondents 
sustainability indicated 
efforts quite  a The
on campus. bit  or  a  great  deal 
implication of  interest 
of this is thatin  the 
any issue) 
effort and  less promoting
towards willingness campus
to 
participate  in  sustainability  efforts  on  campus.  The  implication  of  this  is 
sustainability should aim to disabuse the minds of the students to be more active in participating in that  any  effort  towards 
issuespromoting campus sustainability should aim to disabuse the minds of the students to be more active 
affecting not only the HEIs they are attending but also the communities they live in. Contrary to
in  participating  in  issues affecting  not only  the  HEIs  they  are  attending  but also  the  communities 
our findings, a comparative study of two USA universities found that students showed willingness
they  live  in.  Contrary  to  our  findings,  a  comparative  study  of  two  USA  universities  found  that 
to support and participate in sustainable initiatives [17]. This differing result is not surprising given
students showed willingness to support and participate in sustainable initiatives [17]. This differing 
the top-down system of campus administration and lack of students’ involvement in campus affairs
result is not surprising given the top‐down system of campus administration and lack of students’ 
in theinvolvement 
developingin  countries, more especially
campus  affairs  the Middle
in  the  developing  East. Cultural
countries,  differences
more  especially  may also
the  Middle  play a
East. 
role because
Cultural differences may also play a role because some students might say they will do something, some
some students might say they will do something, while not doing it in practice, but
mightwhile not doing it in practice, but some might feel more obliged to do something after saying they 
feel more obliged to do something after saying they would do so.
would do so. 
Most of the survey respondents also appeared to place the responsibility for sustainability on
mainly the Most of the survey respondents also appeared to place the responsibility for sustainability on 
private sector among the stakeholders of the built environment (Figure 2). Surprisingly,
mainly the private sector among the stakeholders of the built environment (Figure 2). Surprisingly, 
about (51%) believe that the private sector should be responsible for promoting environmental
about  (51%)  believe  that  the  private  sector  should  be  responsible  for  promoting  environmental 
sustainability, followed by the government (22.4%), then everyone (15.8%), and universities (9.2%).
sustainability, followed by the government (22.4%), then everyone (15.8%), and universities (9.2%). 
About 2.6% of them answered that they “don’t know”. This finding contrast with a comparable
About  2.6%  of  them  answered  that  they  “don’t  know”.  This  finding  contrast  with  a  comparable 
studystudy [17] of two U.S. States (Alabama and Hawaii) where more than half of the surveyed college 
[17] of two U.S. States (Alabama and Hawaii) where more than half of the surveyed college
students statedstated 
students  that they
that agreed or strongly
they  agreed  agreed agreed 
or  strongly  that HEIs and
that  every
HEIs  oneevery 
and  shouldone take responsibility
should  take 
for sustainability.
responsibility for sustainability. 

 
Figure 2. Responsibility for Promoting Environmental Sustainability. 
Figure 2. Responsibility for Promoting Environmental Sustainability.

A  possible  reason  for  this  contradictory  result  is  the  dominance  of  the  private  sector  in  real 
A possible
estate,  reason forconstruction, 
infrastructure  this contradictory result
and  other  is engineering, 
civil  the dominance of the and 
planning,  private sector in works 
architectural  real estate,
infrastructure
going  on construction, and other
in  the  study  area.  civil engineering,
This  might  planning,
be  due  to  a  narrow  and
view  of architectural
sustainability works going
that  does  not on in
acknowledge 
the study area. Thisthe might
role  of 
bepublic 
due toparticipation 
a narrow viewin  promoting  sustainability 
of sustainability that and 
doesexcludes  social  and  the
not acknowledge
role ofinstitutional issues that the private sector has less role to play compared to the public sector. 
public participation in promoting sustainability and excludes social and institutional issues that
the private sector has less role to play compared to the public sector.
4.3. Teaching and Research Related to Sustainability 
4.3. Teaching and Research Related to Sustainability
HEIs aim to educate students to assist in finding solutions for our unsustainable ways of living 
by  embedding  environmental  education  into  their  system  [40].  As  such,  in  order  to  investigate 
HEIs aim to educate students to assist in finding solutions for our unsustainable ways of living
respondents’ perception about the extent to which teaching and research in the college are related to 
by embedding environmental education into their system [40]. As such, in order to investigate
sustainability issues, three questions were asked. The results in Table 4 indicate that a little over a 
respondents’ perception about the extent to which teaching and research in the college are related to
third of the respondents (36.7%) believed that “quite a bit” or “a great deal” of courses they are being 
sustainability issues,topics 
taught  address  three related 
questions were asked. The
to  sustainability.  results in Table
An  interesting  4 indicate
finding  that a little
is  the  perception  over to 
of  close  a third
of thehalf 
respondents (36.7%) believed that “quite a bit” or “a great deal” of courses they are being
of  the  students  (45.2%)  that  research  and  projects  in  their  colleges  and  departments  do  not  taught
contribute to the practices of sustainability, while only 22.6% of the respondents believe that quite a 
address topics related to sustainability. An interesting finding is the perception of close to half of the
bit or a great deal of the research and projects do so. 
students (45.2%) that research and projects in their colleges and departments do not contribute to the
practices of sustainability, while only   22.6% of the respondents believe that quite a bit or a great deal of
the research and projects do so.
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 9 of 14

Table 4. Curriculum and research covering sustainability.

Responses
Sustainability in Curriculum and Research
Don’t Quite a a Great
None a Little
Know Bit Deal
The extent to which your college/department offers
18.4% 13.2% 31.6% 30.1% 6.6%
courses which address topics related to sustainability
The extent to which sustainability is a focus integrated
15.8% 6.6% 35.5% 30.3% 11.8%
into your Bachelor/Master’s/PhD program
Involvement of your college/department in research
6.8% 45.2% 25.4% 9.7% 12.9%
and projects related to environmental sustainability

In terms of the extent to which sustainability is a focus integrated into students’ individual degree
programs, over three-quarter (77.6%) of respondents acknowledged that “a little” or “a great deal”
of sustainability issues have been integrated into their degree programs (Table 4). The implication
of these results suggest that there is the need to adjust the curricula of the Bachelor and Master’s
programs offered in the College to focus more on sustainability by integrating more sustainability
courses into the programs [13] and as Chapter 36 of Agenda 21 recommends “reorienting education
towards sustainable development” [41]. This is very vital because an educated public is required to
carry out informed sustainability decisions that would affect the entire society. There is empirical
evidence that even a single course, that encourages more active learning and involves an inquiry based
approach, has been effective in positively changing students’ perceptions of sustainability [21]. Also,
courses must be not only instruments of delivering ESD, but instructors must be centrally involved in
developing the concepts, content, pedagogy, evaluation, and research that will support the creation
of ESD [7]. Another effective way of implementing sustainability in education at the college and the
university levels is to allow students to take elective classes on sustainability, inviting sustainability
guest lecturers, fostering the link between the natural sciences, and the social sciences and providing
sustainability education to educators [8]. On the area of research, given that the University has
established a Deanship of Scientific Research that sponsors research by providing grants, the Deanship
should promote more research in the area of environmental sustainability since less than half (45.2%)
of the respondents reported that research and projects at college/departmental levels contribute to
sustainability practices.

4.4. Campus Operations and Practices Moving toward Sustainability

Students’ perception of the extent to which six campus operations and practices (garbage recycling,
energy conservation, water conservation, landscaping, and transportation) are moving towards
sustainability is reported in Table 5.

Table 5. Campus operations and practices moving toward sustainability.

Responses
Campus Operational Practices
Don’t Quite a a Great
None a Little
Know Bit Deal
Energy conservation practices (including lighting,
9.9% 32.2% 23.7% 21.7% 12.5%
heating, cooling, ventilation, windows)
Recycling of solid waste (including paper, glass,
23.0% 26.3% 20.4% 13.8% 16.5%
plastic, metal)
Water conservation practices (including efficient
21.7% 30.9% 19.7% 18.4% 9.2%
toilets, minimal irrigation, harvested rainwater)
Sustainable landscaping (e.g., emphasizing native
plants, biodiversity, minimizing lawn, integrated 7.9% 14.5% 26.3% 27.6% 23.7%
pest management)
Sustainable transportation program (such as bicycle
and pedestrian friendly systems, car pools, 9.9% 43.4% 21.1% 17.8% 5.3%
bus programs, biodiesel projects)
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 10 of 14

Landscaping got the highest assessment score of 23.7% and even after merging the percentages
for “quite a bit” and “a great deal” responses, landscaping still ranks at the top with 51.3%. This is
not surprising given the visibility of landscaping projects implemented throughout the campus and
the daily watering of lawns. A more sustainable approach is landscaping with native plants adapted
to arid environment. On the other hand, 43.4% of the students indicated that there is no sustainable
transportation program on the university campus, as they commute to the university and move around
the campus using their private automobiles. About a third (34.2%) of the respondents agreed that
renewable energy generation and utilization is absent on campus. After combining campus operations
ranked as moving towards sustainability “a little” or “none” at all, campus transportation still came
at the top with 64.5%, followed by waste recycling (59.2%) and then energy conservation practices
(55.9%). In contrast with this study, a survey [8] found that energy efficiency and waste recycling are
among the main campus operations issues implemented in campuses of most (80%) European HEIs.
The major implication of these findings is the need for the University to improve its operational
sustainability performance by designing and implementing interventions that could reduce its
institutional ecological footprint [10]. First, based on the survey response about sustainable
transportation and authors’ observation, the University management should create a “green”
transportation system in the campus. Provision of bus services and pedestrian walkways within
the campus, encouraging carpooling and bicycling (when the weather is mild) among the university
community and charging for on-campus parking are some of the features of green transportation
system that the University should implement. This could mitigate the traffic jam experienced around
7–9 AM around the University campus, and could reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the
atmosphere and the demand for land to provide more parking spaces as students, staff, and faculty
travel to the campus by car.
Also, since very few respondents reported that garbage recycling, as a means of fostering
environmental sustainability, exist on campus, the university could promote recycling or reuse of
everything from paper and plastic bottles to student furniture. Strategically placing bins in residence
halls, academic buildings, and along sidewalks to collect recyclable materials, and end-of-semester
events for students to pass on used books and furniture to future students are efforts reported to
not only promote environmental sustainability but to also inculcate sustainable behaviors among
students [18].
Similarly, as participants stated that building construction and renovation are not adequately
based on green design principles and that there exists little energy conservation practices on campus,
there is the need for investment to improve on these areas. This is because these issues have been
identified as key factors of a sustainable university [23]. Another way to move campus operations and
practices closer to sustainability is for the University to create opportunities where students could
participate in greening of campus initiatives such as recycling by themselves [16].

4.5. Sustainability Opportunities Available to Students

Given that a university that is committed to sustainability provides students with specific
on-campus opportunities and experience to participate and contribute in making the institution
more sustainable [20], this section reports students’ assessment of these issues. Out of the six listed
sustainability opportunities the only opportunity that more than half of the respondents (61.8%)
reported being available to them is job fairs and career counseling focusing on sustainable enterprises
(Table 6). A possible reason for this finding is that based on authors’ observations the job fairs
organized annually by the University are dominated by private sector companies that deal with green
buildings construction.
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 11 of 14

Table 6. Sustainability opportunities available to students.

Response
Sustainability Opportunities Available to Students
Yes No
Student Environmental Center 26.3% 73.7%
Ecology Hostel/House or Sustainable Dormitory 28.3% 72.7%
Orientation program(s) on sustainability 39.5% 60.5%
Student Group(s) with an environmental or sustainability focus 25.0% 75.0%
Job fairs and career counseling focused on work in sustainable enterprises 61.8% 38.2%

Conversely, the survey results show that more than two out of three of the respondents revealed
that none of the five other opportunities exist on the University campus. Specifically, three-quarters
(75.0%) indicated that there is no student group(s) with an environmental or sustainability focus,
73.7% indicated that there is no student environmental center and 72.7% agreed that there is no
ecology/sustainable hostel in the University. This is not surprising given that student organizations
are generally not encouraged on campus in the country and orientation program are ceremonial events
that mainly introduce the principal officers of the University and colleges and their responsibilities.
Also, the higher education system in the country is highly centralized with mainly top-down decision
making process, similar to the situation in some universities in China [9].
Based on the findings about lack of sustainability opportunities, which is corroborated by the
authors’ experience, the University should formulate effective and culturally situated strategies to
encourage the engagement of students in environmental sustainability, such as sustainable dormitories
and orientation programs on sustainability for all new students, given that students indicate a
lack of interest in participating in sustainability efforts on campus, one way of getting around this
apparent disconnect between importance and interest is to use the campus as a “living learning
laboratory”—a kind of sustainability education tool. In this way, the campus could be more sustainable
and the students get to work on “real world” projects [42]. Other strategies are on-campus life
experiences for students, as suggested by Lozano [8], which include: student workshops and groups
on energy efficiency; waste reduction and sensitization actions; and promotion of sustainable transport
for students. These activities could help build the foundations of a sustainable university (and society),
in which socioeconomic development incorporates the principles of biodiversity conservation and
promote social justice.

5. Conclusions and Recommendations

This study set out to explore students’ perceptions about, and their involvement in environmental
sustainability at the College of Architecture and Planning, University of Dammam in Saudi Arabia.
The noteworthy findings are that while there is greater concern and substantial knowledge about
environmental sustainability among the respondents, they generally indicated lack of interest and
willingness to participate in initiatives towards achieving sustainability. On the issue of curriculum,
students were largely of the opinion that offered courses, research and student projects have little focus
on sustainability. In terms of campus practices for fostering environmental sustainability, respondents
reported that, apart from limited sustainable landscaping and waste recycling, there exist very few
initiatives in sustainable transportation, and energy and water conservation. Lastly, only job fairs were
reported to provide the students with an opportunity to partake in sustainability issues.
Therefore, in trying to achieve the third and tenth goals of the country’s ninth five-year national
development plan (sustainable development and protecting of the environment and natural resources
respectively), there is the urgent need to transform Saudi universities into sustainable campuses so
that they can become role models and play a leading role in promoting sustainable urbanization in the
Arabian Gulf region. In order for Saudi universities to become more sustainable, the following key
recommendations should be followed:
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 12 of 14

(a) The Ministry of Education should mandate university managements to commit to sustainability
by integrating sustainability into the HEI’s policies and strategies and to establish office/center
for SD, with qualified personnel and budgetary provisions. The sustainability office should
conduct campus sustainability assessments in collaboration with other stakeholders so as to
establish the extent to which the university is moving towards sustainability in terms of campus
environmental management, infrastructure and transportation, campus operations and services,
energy and resource consumptions and waste management as well as the extent to which teaching
and research relate to sustainability issues. This will ascertain the existing strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats in embedding sustainability in the institution.
(b) The ministry should establish a set of indicators, standards, best practices, and policy guidelines
required for the universities to become more sustainable and to increase the efficiency of campus
environmental management practices, and to promote sustainability in teaching and research.
A road map that would allow their universities to become more sustainable and play a leading
role in promoting sustainable urban development in the country and at the regional level should
be established and followed.
(c) Saudi Universities should be utilized to also serve as laboratories for teaching environmental
sustainability to students as well as for enlightening the entire society about the importance of
and contributing towards achieving sustainability. This can be achieved by focusing more on
training and educating the youth who are the country’s future decision makers on how to think
strategically and act sustainably that would allow them to design and plan more sustainable
cities. Training students to design for energy and water conservations, waste reduction, and green
transportation is also highly recommended.
(d) Universities should also realize the need for more inclusive campus management and
decentralized decision making because ESD is an important mechanism in achieving strategic
goals of higher education. It is a dynamic concept that involves students’ training and public
awareness and capacity building to assume responsibility for creating and enjoying a sustainable
future. It also seeks to empower students, faculty, and staff and the wider society to act for
positive environmental change, implying a participatory and action-oriented approach.

In conclusion, as Saudi Arabia is rapidly urbanizing with increasing demand for shelter, energy,
and means of livelihood and with increasing investment in building new universities there is the need
for developing sustainable campuses so that they can help create a pattern of urban development that
would be compatible with a safe environment, energy efficiency, waste reduction, and intergenerational
equity. Saudi universities could learn from the campus sustainability initiatives and best practices of
the universities of more-advanced countries. However cultural and environmental implications of any
proposed sustainability initiatives must be taken into account.
This is the first study of this sort to be conducted in Saudi Arabia, which would not only assist in
making cross-cultural comparative studies, but it could also be influential with respect to real-world
decision-making at the university level in the country. Given that the study looks only at perceptions
of students from a single college, it can be regarded as a first stepping-stone along a path towards
campus sustainability. Future research covering other disciplines and universities could show whether
students’ awareness and attitudes towards sustainability varies for different disciplines and between
campuses. There is also need for a study with wider scope of sustainability program and best practices
such as economic health and equity, and sustainable living opportunities in Saudi Universities. Further
research is also needed to explore the role of faculty and staff (involved in campus operations) in
promoting campus sustainability in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

Acknowledgment: The authors acknowledge the Deanship of Scientific Research, University of Dammam
(project #2013248) for funding this study. Abdulrahman Al-Sayel contributed in the distribution of
the questionnaire.
Sustainability 2016, 8, 59 13 of 14

Author Contributions: Ismaila R. Abubakar was PI for the project. He, Faez S. Al-Shihri and Sayed M. Ahmed
developed the questionnaires and collected the data. Ismaila R. Abubakar did the statistical analyses and all three
authors contributed in writing the paper.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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