Sustainability Literacy Survey

Assessing sustainability literacy and knowledge

The Sustainability Literacy and Knowledge Survey was our first-ever university-wide student survey on sustainability. The survey aimed to assess and understand our student's current knowledge levels, expanding across local and global sustainability topics such as climate action, circular economy, and gender equity. Participation was voluntary.

Student Literacy Survey Results

Our overall results showed that most of our Western Sydney University students (63.5%) had an “Advanced” level of understanding of core sustainability concepts (scoring a total between 15 - 20 marks)*, particularly our undergraduate students.

Looking across our 13 Schools, the scores varied across the four knowledge domains assessed. Students from Science were the top performers (Advanced level of sustainability understanding*), with students in the School of Business averaging the lowest total percentage (Basic level of sustainability understanding*). Of interest, Psychology, Humanities and Communication Arts and Social Science performed well in the Environmental Knowledge domain as these programs begin to explore environmental and climate justice. Both Nursing and Midwifery and Education scored highest in the socio-cultural domain, which is reflective of our programs being deeply grounded in our region.

_{* Acknowledging likely self-selection survey bias and the small student sample size for this pilot (n = 118), respondents were mostly undergraduates (72%) and predominately domestic students (67%). The survey had a 30% attrition rate.}

When asked to rank their Sustainability and Resilience 2030 priorities, Climate Action (1st) and First Nations Knowledges (2nd) were the students' top two priorities. These link to the university's decadal strategy and align with our strategic initiatives and priorities of Western Sydney University.

Download a high-quality report version of the results (PDF, 198.55 KB) (opens in a new window). Our staff can access the complete online dashboard (opens in a new window) via Tableau, with full demographics and assessed questions, using your Western Sydney Staff ID and password.

Teaching at Western and interested in working with us on your curriculum using our assessment tool? Feel free to contact us!

What was this Sustainability Literacy Survey for?

With these unique insights and responses from our students, it will help us:

• Learn more about what you (and the rest of our student community) already know about sustainability.
• Compare how different disciplines fare against social, cultural, economic and ecological knowledges to support further curriculum and academic professional development.
• Informing decisions on future sustainability education efforts and continuing to be global leaders in the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings. (opens in a new window)

Western Sydney University would like to acknowledge and thank the generosity of the University of Tasmania (opens in a new window) (using the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS®) resources) for the adaptation of their sustainability literacy survey for use at our university.

Sustainability: Think, Care, Do with Science

Complex Case Studies in Science (NATS3044) is a compulsory subject for over 400 students in the B. Science and B. Medical Science degrees, taught across multiple campuses. Its key objectives focus on enhancing awareness of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Indigenous perspectives through group case studies supervised by academics. This year, students participated in a 2-hour introductory lecture to assess their baseline understanding, followed by a 10-hour online microcredential course titled Sustainability: Think, Care, Do. This course, which accounts for 15% of their final grade, deepens their foundational knowledge of sustainability and connects their case studies to the SDGs. The final reflective assessment task, worth 25%, builds on this learning. This integrated and committed approach to sustainability education in the School of Science is evident in the literacy survey results.

"It's a course that gives insight in a meaningful way into the real challenges and solutions of sustainability, and into the ways in which they can be directly linked with the SDGs. I like the creative problem-solving it inspires within me, yet at the same time keeps my feet on the ground as to where the practical applications are concerned with impact. This focus on developing innovative solutions that match up with particular SDG targets in particularly complex cases has really helped me to begin to understand what, at least to me, sustainability is rather than as a concept but something a little more actionable." - Student reflection (post-completion of microcredential)

SDG Commitment

This survey is aligned to SDG 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.