ESP-3732

Published

2025-06-18

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 6 (2025): Published

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Zhangmin Liu, A gemo

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The journal adopts the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), which means that anyone can reuse and redistribute the materials for non-commercial purposes as long as you follow the license terms and the original source is properly cited.

Author(s) shall retain the copyright of their work and grant the Journal/Publisher rights for the first publication with the work concurrently licensed since 2023 Vol.8 No.2.

Under this license, author(s) will allow third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content under the condition that the authors are given credit. No permission is required from the authors or the publisher.

This broad license intends to facilitate free access, as well as the unrestricted use of original works of all types. This ensures that the published work is freely and openly available in perpetuity.

By providing open access, the following benefits are brought about:

  • Higher Visibility, Availability and Citations-free and unlimited accessibility of the publication over the internet without any restrictions increases citation of the article.
  • Ease of search-publications are easily searchable in search engines and indexing databases.
  • Rapid Publication – accepted papers are immediately published online.
  • Available for free download immediately after publication at https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP

 

Copyright Statement

1.The authors certify that the submitted manuscripts are original works, do not infringe the rights of others, are free from academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, and that there are no disputes over the authorship scheme of the collaborative articles. In case of infringement, academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, as well as disputes over the authorship scheme, all responsibilities will be borne by the authors.

2. The author agrees to grant the Editorial Office of Environment and Social Psychology a licence to use the reproduction right, distribution right, information network dissemination right, performance right, translation right, and compilation right of the submitted manuscript, including the work as a whole, as well as the diagrams, tables, abstracts, and any other parts that can be extracted from the work and used in accordance with the characteristics of the journal. The Editorial Board of Environment and Social Psychology has the right to use and sub-licence the above mentioned works for wide dissemination in print, electronic and online versions, and, in accordance with the characteristics of the periodical, for the period of legal protection of the property right of the copyright in the work, and for the territorial scope of the work throughout the world.

3. The authors are entitled to the copyright of their works under the relevant laws of Singapore, provided that they do not exercise their rights in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Journal.

About Licence

Environment and Social Psychology is an open access journal and all published work is available under the Creative Commons Licence, Authors shall retain copyright of their work and grant the journal/publisher the right of first publication, and their work shall be licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Under this licence, the author grants permission to third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content with attribution to the author. No permission from the author or publisher is required.

This broad licence is intended to facilitate free access to and unrestricted use of original works of all kinds. This ensures that published works remain free and accessible in perpetuity. Submitted manuscripts, once accepted, are immediately available to the public and permanently accessible free of charge on the journal’s official website (https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP). Allowing users to read, download, copy, print, search for or link to the full text of the article, or use it for other legal purposes. However, the use of the work must retain the author's signature, be limited to non-commercial purposes, and not be interpretative.

Click to download <Agreement on the Licence for the Use of Copyright on Environmental and Social Psychology>.

How to Cite

Liu, Z., & gemo, A. (2025). Integrating ecological civilization into higher education: Frameworks, practices, and pedagogical pathways. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(6), ESP-3732. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i6.3732

Integrating ecological civilization into higher education: Frameworks, practices, and pedagogical pathways

Zhangmin Liu

Sichuan International Studies University, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400031

A gemo

Sichuan Minzu College, Kangding City, Sichuan Province, 626001, China


DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i6.3732


Keywords: ecological civilization; college education; interdisciplinary curriculum; active learning; sustainability education

Abstract

The integration of ecological civilization into higher education has become a crucial step in addressing the global ecological crisis. Ecological civilization, a concept that emphasizes the harmonious coexistence of human society with nature, has gained significant attention in recent years, particularly within China, as part of national policy efforts toward sustainability. This review article presents strategies for teaching college students about ecological civilization so they can support sustainable growth and care for the ecology. It deals with obstacles such as disjointed lessons, insufficient learning for teachers, and difficulty within institutions by thoroughly examining available literature. The study recommends using curriculum from different subjects, encouraging active learning, including traditional wisdom, and forming links with ecological groups as effective ways to proceed. The usefulness of these ideas is confirmed by research that reveals improved student involvement, greater ecological awareness, and more ecologically friendly habits. The article recommends that evaluation and feedback are necessary to keep the system evolving. The study found that significant improvements within higher education institutions are vital for promoting ecological civilization. This research helps colleges to encourage ecologically friendly and responsible graduates, benefiting the process of creating an ecological civilization in society.

References

[1]. 1.R. (Kevin) Zhou, “From Education for a Sustainable Development to Ecological Civilization in China: A Just Transition?,” SI, vol. 12, p. 7421, Feb. 2024, doi: 10.17645/si.7421.

[2]. 2.K. Wang and L. Zhang, “The impact of ecological civilization theory on university students’ pro-ecological behavior: an application of knowledge-attitude-practice theoretical model,” Front. Psychol., vol. 12, p. 681409, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.681409.

[3]. 3.Q. Yu, “Comment on ‘Research on countermeasures for the development of ecological civilization education in schools in the context of cultural diversity,’” Trans/Form/Ação, vol. 46, no. spe, pp. 37–46, 2023, doi: 10.1590/0101-3173.2023.v46esp.p37.

[4]. 4.A. Le Duc, “Promoting Ecological Civilization through Religious Prophetic Communication: An Interreligious Framework,” Ecological Civilization, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 10010–10010, 2024, doi: 10.35534/ecolciviliz.2024.10010.

[5]. 5.I. Montiel, A. Cuervo-Cazurra, J. Park, R. Antolín-López, and B. W. Husted, “Implementing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in international business,” J Int Bus Stud, vol. 52, no. 5, pp. 999–1030, Jul. 2021, doi: 10.1057/s41267-021-00445-y.

[6]. 6.P. Kirtunia, “Harmony In Progress: The Imperative Of Ecological Ethical Guidelines For Sustainable Development,” Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, vol. 17, no. 3, Jan. 2024, Accessed: Jun. 20, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.jlls.org/index.php/jlls/article/view/5500

[7]. 7.C. I. Damsa and A. Jornet, “Revisiting learning in higher education—Framing notions redefined through an ecological perspective,” FLR, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 39–47, Jul. 2017, doi: 10.14786/flr.v4i4.208.

[8]. 8.[8] S. Priolo Filho et al., “The path to ‘Integral Protection’: The evolution and challenges of child protection in Brazil,” Child Protection and Practice, vol. 5, p. 100179, Jul. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100179.

[9]. 9.[9] F. Liu, E. Dai, and J. Yin, “A Review of Social–Ecological System Research and Geographical Applications,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 8, p. 6930, Apr. 2023, doi: 10.3390/su15086930.

[10]. 10.Y. Li, D. Yang, and S. Liu, “The impact of ecological education at Chinese Universities on college students’ ecological attitudes,” PLoS ONE, vol. 19, no. 2, p. e0299231, Feb. 2024, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299231.

[11]. 11.V. Hnatyuk, N. Pshenychna, S. Kara, V. Kolodii, and L. Yaroshchuk, “Education’s role in fostering ecological awareness and advancing sustainable development within a holistic framework,” Multidiscip. Rev., vol. 7, p. 2024spe012, Jun. 2024, doi: 10.31893/multirev.2024spe012.

[12]. 12.D. Benjamin and E. Adu, “Challenges teachers face in the integration of Ecological Education into the South African curriculum,” Ajhssr Journal, vol. 3, no. 10, pp. 157–166, 2019, Accessed: May 17, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.academia.edu/40815515/Challenges_teachers_face_in_the_integration_of_Ecological_Education_into_the_South_African_curriculum

[13]. 13.K. G. Tidball and M. E. Krasny, “Toward an ecology of ecological education and learning,” Ecosphere, vol. 2, no. 2, p. art21, Feb. 2011, doi: 10.1890/ES10-00153.1.

[14]. 14.A. Shutaleva, “Experiential learning as principle of ecological education,” E3S Web Conf., vol. 420, p. 10010, 2023, doi: 10.1051/e3sconf/202342010010.

[15]. 15.J. Cooke et al., “Teaching and learning in ecology: a horizon scan of emerging challenges and solutions,” Oikos, vol. 130, no. 1, pp. 15–28, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.1111/oik.07847.

[16]. 16.X. Zhou, F. Zhang, L. Shan, and C. Lin, “Research on the Current Situation and Problems of Ecological Civilization Education for Contemporary College Students—An Empirical Analysis Based on Structural Equation Modeling,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 22, p. 16051, Nov. 2023, doi: 10.3390/su152216051.

[17]. 17.C. Ha, G. Huang, J. Zhang, and S. Dong, “Assessing ecological literacy and its application based on linguistic ecology: a case study of Guiyang City, China,” Environ Sci Pollut Res, vol. 29, no. 13, pp. 18741–18754, Mar. 2022, doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-16753-7.

[18]. 18.L. Mi et al., “Evaluating the Effectiveness of Regional Ecological Civilization Policy: Evidence from Jiangsu Province, China,” IJERPH, vol. 19, no. 1, p. 388, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.3390/ijerph19010388.

[19]. 19.G. Sun, R. Gao, Y. Liu, Y. Liu, and C. Li, “Studying regional low-carbon development: A case study of Sichuan Province in China,” PLoS ONE, vol. 19, no. 5, p. e0302733, May 2024, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302733.

[20]. 20.J. E. Van Dijk-Wesselius, A. E. Van Den Berg, J. Maas, and D. Hovinga, “Green schoolyards as outdoor learning ecologys: barriers and solutions as experienced by primary school teachers,” Front. Psychol., vol. 10, p. 2919, Jan. 2020, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02919.

[21]. 21.B. Li and Y. Han, “Policy effects and mechanisms of ecological civilization demonstration area on carbon efficiency in resource-based cities,” Ecological Indicators, vol. 155, p. 111055, Nov. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111055.

[22]. 22.Q. Geng and K. Lo, “Global ecological civilization: An analysis of macro-level policies of the Belt and Road Initiative,” Research in Globalization, vol. 7, p. 100141, Dec. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.resglo.2023.100141.



21 Woodlands Close #02-10, Primz Bizhub,Postal 737854, Singapore

Email:editorial_office@as-pub.com