Citation:

Ardiaz Ajie Aryandika. "Design Thinking Approach to Waste Management in Higher Education" International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies, Vol. 4, No. 11, pp. 16-22, 2025. Crossref. http://doi.org/10.56472/25835238/IRJEMS-V4I11P103

Abstract:

Social problems, including environmental ones, are pressing issues across all levels of society, including university campuses. Universities should serve as role models in implementing poverty-alleviation concepts. However, the reality on the ground shows that environmental problems persist, including massive single-use plastic consumption, excessive paper use due to suboptimal digitalization, and poor waste management and sorting systems. These conditions, as experienced at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at Diponegoro University, negatively impact the environment and hinder campus efforts. The approaches used often fail to address the root causes of behavioral problems. This study aims to design and implement an effective, sustainable waste management solution in a university environment using the Design Thinking Approach. This research focuses on behavioral change, increasing awareness of desires, and designing a user-centred waste management system (students and staff). The results of this study are expected to be a prototype of an integrated waste management solution, including a recycling incentive system, a narrative-based awareness campaign, and an ergonomic, attractive redesign of waste sorting facilities. The main contribution of this research is to offer an innovative framework based on Design Thinking as an alternative approach to address environmental and social issues on campus, one that is transformative and grounded in user empathy, thereby encouraging sustainable behavioral changes among the academic community.

References:

[1] Calvin Lakhan. (2017). The garbage gospel: Using the theory of planned behavior to explain the role of religious institutions in affecting pro-environmental behavior among ethnic minorities. The Journal of Environmental Education.
[2] Carmen Vallis, P. R. (2021). Introducing design thinking online to large business education courses for twenty-first-century learning. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice.
[3] Danielle Lake (2024). Design Thinking in Higher Education: Opportunities and Challenges for Decolonized Learning. Teaching and Learning Inquiry.
[4] Ernest Baba Ali,(2020). Towards environmental sustainability in Russia: evidence from green universities. Heliyon.
[5] Gregory Cogut, (2019). Links between sustainability-related awareness and behaviour. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education.
[6] Jeongsoo Yu, (2022). New Terahertz Wave Sorting Technology to Improve Plastic Containers and Packaging Waste Recycling in Japan. Recycling.
[7] Julia Von Thienen, (2017). Design Thinking in Higher Education.
[8] Kathryn Bruchmann, (2021). Social Comparison Information Influences Intentions to Reduce Single-Use Plastic Water Bottle Consumption. . Frontiers in Psychology.
[9] Khairul Hisyam Kamarudin, (2022). Local Community Knowledge for Flood Resilience: A Case Study from East Coast Malaysia. International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability.
[10] Kimberly Mccoy, (2018). Nudging waste diversion at Western State Colorado University: application of behavioral insights. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education.
[11] Magdalena Radulescu, (2024). Do Emission Trading Systems, Green Technology, and Environmental Governance Matter for Environmental Quality? Evidence from the European Union . International Journal of Environmental Research.
[12] Prince Nnonyelu, (2024). Strategies for Enhancing Solid Waste Management Practices in Urban Secondary Schools in Developing Countries. European Journal of Theoretical and Applied Sciences.
[13] Roberto Verganti, (2021). Design thinking: Critical analysis and future evolution. Journal of Product Innovation Management.
[14] Saad Dahlawi, (2021). Assessment of solid waste management practice in the university campus. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education.
[15] Sergey Bespalyy, (2024). Sustainable development awareness and integration in higher education: a comparative analysis of universities in Central Asia, South Caucasus and the EU. Discover Sustainability.
[16] Siwaporn Tangwanichagapong, (2017). Greening of a campus through waste management initiatives. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education.
[17] Walter Leal Filho, (2024). Design thinking for sustainable development: A bibliometric analysis and case study research. Journal of Cleaner Production.

Keywords:

Design Thinking, Waste Management, Campus Sustainability, Higher Education, Behavior Change.