Sport in the context of sustainable change on university campuses: A PRISMA scoping review

Two remarkable elements in the formation of environmental values and knowledge have emerged in recent years: higher education and sport. Therefore, their joint action could be an important tool for the development of a sustainable society. This study aims to conduct a PRISMA Scoping Review of the current state of the relationship between environmental sustainability, higher education, and university sport. A systematic search was conducted in Web of Science, SciELO, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and Latindex. Following title, abstract, and keyword screening, 74 records were retained. After removal of 20 duplicate records, 54 unique records underwent full-text assessment; 25 were excluded because they did not directly address the review question, resulting in 29 studies included in the review. The review included quantitative and qualitative studies published in published in peer-reviewed journals. 29 articles were selected and grouped into five topics: Environmental Modules in Sport Science (20.69%), Environmental Awareness, Knowledge and Behaviour of Sport Science Students (13.79%), Environmental Policy of the Department of Sport Science (17.24%), Sustainable University Sport Events (34.49%), and Sustainable University Sport Facilities (13.79%). Sustainable sport events and green departmental policies emerged as the main approaches through which higher education sport implemented sustainability interventions. The findings reveal the heterogeneous ways in which sport in higher education contributes to environmental sustainability and vice versa. Although this diversity may limit more specific conclusions, it highlights the complexity and variety of sustainable expressions in sport and higher education. The present study was conducted within the framework of the Green CAMPUS project, funded by the Erasmus + Programme under identification number 101089776.