https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/21230 2026-04-28T00:32:26Z 2026-04-28T00:32:26Z Filho, Walter Leal Ayal, Desalegn Yayeh Wall, Tony Shiel, Chris Paco, Arminda Pace, Paul J. Mifsud, Mark C. Lange Salvia, Amanda Skouloudis, Antonis Moggi, Sara LeVasseur, Todd Garcia Vinuesa, Antonio Azeiteiro, Ulisses M. Ioannis, Nikolaou Kovaleva, Marina https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145841 2026-04-23T07:21:19Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: An assessment of attitudes and perceptions of international university students on climate change Authors: Filho, Walter Leal; Ayal, Desalegn Yayeh; Wall, Tony; Shiel, Chris; Paco, Arminda; Pace, Paul J.; Mifsud, Mark C.; Lange Salvia, Amanda; Skouloudis, Antonis; Moggi, Sara; LeVasseur, Todd; Garcia Vinuesa, Antonio; Azeiteiro, Ulisses M.; Ioannis, Nikolaou; Kovaleva, Marina Abstract: Universities have an unrivaled potential to educate students on climate change issues and to actively engage them in climate affairs, both as citizens and influencers of future professions. Despite this potential and the many advantages of university student engagement in climate change, less emphasis has been given to understanding their attitude and perceptions towards climate change, in a way that may guide changes in the curriculum and teaching practices. Based on the need to address the existing literature gap, this article assesses university students’ attitudes and perceptions toward climate change at the international level. This study comprises a survey of a sample of universities across the world and uses statistical analysis to identify the most important trends across geographical locations of the universities. The study revealed that university students are aware of climate change and associated risks. The university students believe that climate change education is a means to shape their attitude and equip them with relevant skills and knowledge so as to influent others. The awareness of university students is inextricably linked to their field of study and participation in various climate change events. Furthermore, the student’s knowledge of climate change risks varies across gender, age, and academic education. The study provides recommended universities to include climate change issues in their curricular and extracurricular programs so as to prepare future professionals to cope with the far reaching challenges of a climate change.

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z Ates, Muradiye Caruana, Censu https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/140412 2025-10-21T11:52:20Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Profeedback policy brief : towards a sustainable future for youth : green employment policies and enabling digital skills in the EU Authors: Ates, Muradiye; Caruana, Censu Abstract: The European Union is at a critical juncture, navigating a dual green and digital transition that is fundamentally reshaping its labour markets. This policy brief, "Towards a Sustainable Future for Youth," highlights the immense opportunities for inclusive and sustainable job creation for young people within this transformation, particularly in sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, circular economy practices, building renovation, and low- carbon transport. The brief's core emphasis is on fostering green-specific skills and successfully integrating youth into the green economy, with digital skills serving as essential enabling tools rather than standalone objectives. While the potential for green job growth is substantial – with projections indicating millions of new jobs by 2030 across the EU – the analysis reveals persistent challenges. These include uneven policy implementation across Member States, leading to disparities in access to opportunities (e.g., only 42% of youth in a global survey found accessible green jobs locally). Significant skills mismatches exist, with education systems often failing to equip young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with the necessary skills and mindsets for the new green economy. Furthermore, structural barriers disproportionately affect marginalized youth, such as young women who report greater skill deficits and a lack of awareness regarding green opportunities. Crucially, robust policy evaluation, vital for understanding actual impact and ensuring equitable opportunities, is often hindered by a lack of universally agreed-upon definitions for 'green jobs' and sparse or contradictory empirical evidence on policy effectiveness. Therefore, these brief underscores the critical need for a more coherent framework to facilitate such evaluations by both national and international bodies, leveraging insights from existing (though fragmented) assessments to refine policy approaches. [extract]

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/139440 2025-10-01T13:01:42Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Agroecological transitions for a sustainable food system in Sicily : monitoring and evaluation Abstract: Sicily is undergoing a critical agroecological transition to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation (FAO, 2022; IPES-Food, 2021). This shift aims to establish sustainable, biodiverse and resilient agricultural systems (Tittonell, 2022). The objective is to develop a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework that assesses the biodiversity, resilience, and sustainability impacts of agroecological practices to move toward a sustainable food system in Sicily (FAO, 2020). The M&E is one of four Critical Success Factors embedded within the “Proposal of a Bioregional Strategic Framework for a Sustainable Food System in Sicily” (Guarnaccia, P., et al., 2020).

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/139439 2025-10-01T13:00:07Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Agroecological transitions for a sustainable food system in Sicily : establishing a programme management office Abstract: Sustainable agriculture requires effective coordination of public and private sector programs to achieve environmental and economic resilience. The creation of a Program Management Office (PMO) is a critical step in aligning development projects, budgets, and resources with regenerative agricultural practices. The PMO will provide administrative and technical support, while ensuring stakeholder collaboration for effective program implementation. The PMO is one of four Critical Success Factors embedded within the “Proposal of a Bioregional Strategic Framework for a Sustainable Food System in Sicily” (Guarnaccia, P., et al., 2020).

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z