Assessment of environmental awareness and educational practices for sustainability in the Venezuelan university context

Abstract

The development of ecological awareness constitutes a decisive pillar for the sustainability of life within the community of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the University of Carabobo (FACE-UC). This research is based on a diagnostic assessment that reveals the urgency of transforming traditional educational praxis, predominantly anthropocentric, toward an interdisciplinary and context-based paradigm. The central objective was to propose a comprehensive Environmental Education model that goes beyond mere information transfer, fostering the internalization of values and critical thinking oriented toward transformative praxis. Methodologically, the study is grounded in an analysis of the institutional context and social engagement to identify awareness gaps on the Campus de Bárbula. The results suggest that the implementation of this model will enable faculty, students, and administrative staff to develop pro-environmental attitudes, motivations, and competencies necessary for the prevention and resolution of local issues. It is concluded that the formulation of an educational praxis based on constant reflection and civic responsibility ensures the conservation of life-supporting systems. By integrating sustainability as a cross-cutting axis in academic training, future generations are ensured an understanding of the ecological crisis while acting as agents of change. This approach promotes an organizational culture in which environmental ethics become the core of university identity, enabling an effective transition toward a model of human development that respects the biophysical limits of the environment and strengthens community resilience in the FACE of contemporary global challenges.