Environmental knowledge, attitude, and behaviour of tertiary education students in Malta

Abstract

This study investigated and assessed the environmental knowledge, attitude, and behaviour of students pursuing tertiary education in Malta. There is a growing body of research on primary, secondary, and post-secondary students. However, there are few studies on tertiary education students. The research involved a quantitative methodology, and the data collection occurred through an online survey of students attending the University of Malta, the Institute of Tourism Studies, and the Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology. Questionnaires were collected through stratified random sampling based on the institute, so that all the students and institutions in Malta had the same opportunity to be chosen. The study investigated the students’ knowledge of environmental issues, the students' attitudes towards the environment, and their behaviour towards the environment. This study aimed to determine the level of awareness and contribution to environmental issues among tertiary education students. The results of this study suggest that current levels of environmental knowledge and behaviour must be improved. In fact, there is a disparity between their knowledge of human activities that contribute to global warming and their knowledge of global warming's effects. Moreover, the Internet plays a crucial role as the primary source of environmental knowledge, and various socio-demographic factors influence students' knowledge, attitude, and behaviour. University students appear to have a more optimistic view of the environment, while students in the field of science appear to have greater knowledge, more positive dispositions, and considerably greater environmental awareness. Males tend to be more environmentally conscious than females, even though females are more knowledgeable and have more environmentally positive attitudes. Urban respondents are more knowledgeable, have more positive views of the environment, and act more responsibly towards the environment than their rural counterparts. This study also indicates that respondents' environmental knowledge and behaviour are also positively impacted by their mother's level of education.