Assessment of Sustainability Literacy for Students at UNS
Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) implements an institutional assessment tool to evaluate students’ sustainability literacy, awareness, and engagement as part of its Green Campus initiative.
The assessment is conducted through a structured digital survey instrument developed within the research framework titled “Economic Valuation of Green Campus Management.” The instrument is designed based on internationally recognized sustainability indicators, particularly those aligned with UI GreenMetric categories, including:
- Setting and Infrastructure
- Energy and Climate Change
- Waste
- Water
- Transportation
- Education and Research
The instrument uses a standardized Likert scale (1–5) to ensure consistent measurement of students’ levels of understanding, agreement, and engagement. It is designed as a multi-dimensional assessment tool that captures sustainability literacy in the context of student learning and experience, including:
- Conceptual understanding of sustainability and Green Campus principles
- Awareness and knowledge of institutional sustainability programs and initiatives
- Integration of sustainability into learning, including curriculum, coursework, and academic projects
- Exposure to sustainability-related activities, such as seminars, workshops, fieldwork, and community engagement
- Critical thinking and analytical skills related to environmental and sustainability issues
- Student engagement and participation in sustainability initiatives and innovation activities
The survey instrument includes structured statements that assess, among others:
- students’ understanding of the Green Campus vision and programs
- the integration of sustainability concepts into courses, teaching methods, and academic assignments
- the availability and use of sustainability-related learning resources (e.g., case studies, videos, and reading materials)
- opportunities for students to engage in sustainability-focused research, projects, and extracurricular activities
- the role of technology and innovation in supporting sustainability education
- the extent to which learning approaches encourage critical thinking on environmental issues
Data collection is conducted through a digital platform (Google Form), ensuring accessibility for a wide range of students across different study programs and levels.
In 2025, the assessment involved respondents from student and alumni groups as part of a broader evaluation of sustainability implementation at UNS. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, One-Way ANOVA, and post hoc tests to identify differences in sustainability literacy, awareness, and engagement across respondent groups.
The results indicate that students generally demonstrate a relatively high level of awareness and a positive perception of sustainability initiatives, while also highlighting areas that require further strengthening, particularly in integrating sustainability into learning experiences and in fostering active student involvement.
The findings are used as evidence-based input to:
- improve curriculum design and integration of sustainability concepts
- enhance student-centered sustainability learning experiences
- strengthen student engagement in sustainability programs and innovation projects
- support continuous improvement of Green Campus implementation
This assessment demonstrates UNS’s commitment to systematically measuring and enhancing sustainability literacy among students as part of its broader educational mission and institutional sustainability strategy.
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