Higher Education for Sustainability in Mexico

The state of environmental education for sustainability in Mexican higher education institutions was analyzed through a case study of one such institution. An exploratory research approach combining quantitative and qualitative methods was employed to diagnose the level of environmental culture among students and the type of environmental education they receive. The results indicate that students have a low level of environmental culture and lack the knowledge and skills needed to make environmentally friendly changes in their lifestyles. It is highlighted that the institutional context acts as a factor inhibiting environmental education. There is a need to move beyond the type of environmental education that focuses on providing decontextualized, fragmented information aimed at raising awareness without a systemic vision that allows young people to understand deeply the complexity and interdependence between natural and socio-economic systems.