The Power of Metaphors in Understanding 'sustainable Campus': University Students' Perceptions Based on Interviews

Abstract A sustainable campus is a campus where universities implement environmental, social and economic principles within the framework of sustainability. In the current era, it is vital that campuses that serve as small cities aiming to leave a more sustainable and livable world to future generations are managed with a sustainable mindset. Therefore, educational institutions should implement sustainable practices on campuses in order to fulfill their responsibilities towards society and contribute to a sustainable future. In this context, it is aimed to reveal how the concepts of sustainability and sustainable campus are perceived in educational institutions and to provide a theoretical basis on how these concepts can be taught more effectively in the education system. The research was conducted to measure the perceptions of students studying in different departments of two state universities located in Konya province in Turkey regarding the concept of "sustainable campus". For this purpose, metaphor analysis and semi-structured interview methods were preferred among qualitative research methods. These methods were used because they allow for a more in-depth and comprehensive understanding to be developed by combining different data sources. As a result of the research, it was seen that sustainability practices and education in universities were inadequate. According to the results obtained from the metaphor and interview data, the sustainable campus perception of the students of the two universities is generally associated with "continuity". The students, who are more sensitive in the areas of environmental awareness and social responsibility, also admitted that they do not have enough knowledge about the concept of sustainable campus.