Education for Sustainable Development at Manitoba Colleges and Universities

The report examines the state of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Manitoba's post-secondary institutions through presidential interviews and surveys. It identifies five primary institutional orientations toward ESD: community embeddedness, principles-and-values-infused, industry-based focus, strategic innovation, and responsiveness to stakeholders. While many institutions have implemented waste reduction, sustainable purchasing, and energy management programs, significant barriers remain, including financial constraints and the challenge of integrating sustainability into curricula due to academic freedom. The report concludes that Manitoba's higher education sector is more active in ESD than previously anticipated, providing a foundation to support the province's transition to a green economy.

• Post-secondary institutions in Manitoba exhibit five distinct orientations toward ESD: community embeddedness (linked to community success), principles- and values-infused (common in faith-based institutions), industry-based focus (meeting green skill demands), strategic innovation (using ESD for organizational development), and responsiveness to stakeholders (driven by student and faculty interest).
• Most surveyed institutions have established foundational sustainability structures, including multistakeholder task forces, waste-reduction plans, sustainable-purchasing strategies, and sustainable-foods strategies.
• Campus operations show significant progress in environmental management: 89% of institutions have implemented efficiency standards for new buildings or retrofits, and over half have introduced new energy management programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the last three years.
• Waste management performance at these institutions exceeds local municipal levels; the average diversion rate for institutions with waste reduction plans is 37%, compared to 15% for the City of Winnipeg.
• Integration of sustainability into the curriculum is hindered by the tradition of academic freedom and the decentralized nature of university departments, though some institutions report that 15% to 20% of their courses are sustainability-focused or related.
• There is a gap between academic attainment and career guidance; while nearly 25% of graduates from reporting institutions hold degrees with sustainability learning outcomes, only two institutions provide specific career guidance for 'green jobs'.
• Sustainability research is not systematically tracked at most institutions, although on average, 27% of faculty engaged in research are involved in sustainability-related work.
• The primary barriers to advancing ESD in Manitoba's post-secondary sector are financial constraints, a lack of dedicated personnel, and a lack of shared understanding regarding terminology like 'Green Economy' and 'Education for Sustainable Development'.

APA

Huppé, G. A., Creech, H., & Buckler, C. (2013). Education for Sustainable Development at Manitoba Colleges and Universities. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/education_sd_mb_colleges_universities.pdf

Chicago

Huppé, Gabriel A., Heather Creech, and Carolee Buckler. Education for Sustainable Development at Manitoba Colleges and Universities. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2013. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/education_sd_mb_colleges_universities.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Huppé |first1=Gabriel A. |last2=Creech |first2=Heather |last3=Buckler |first3=Carolee |title=Education for Sustainable Development at Manitoba Colleges and Universities |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=April 2013 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/education_sd_mb_colleges_universities.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hupp2013education, author = {Huppé, Gabriel A. and Creech, Heather and Buckler, Carolee}, title = {{Education for Sustainable Development at Manitoba Colleges and Universities}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2013}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/education_sd_mb_colleges_universities.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }