{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,30]],"date-time":"2025-12-30T05:30:56Z","timestamp":1767072656858,"version":"3.48.0"},"publisher-location":"Cham","reference-count":9,"publisher":"Springer Nature Switzerland","isbn-type":[{"type":"print","value":"9783031997129"},{"type":"electronic","value":"9783031997136"}],"license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,16]],"date-time":"2025-11-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763251200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,16]],"date-time":"2025-11-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763251200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"name":"various funders"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an educational approach that emphasizes learning through active engagement in real-world projects. It involves students working collaboratively on projects that are relevant and meaningful, allowing them to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. PBL promotes inquiry, research, and application of knowledge in a practical context, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Supporting developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity is crucial for their sustainable development. By enhancing their capabilities in science and technology, these countries can address challenges related to sustainable patterns of consumption, production, and transportation. This support can involve various aspects such as knowledge transfer, technology transfer, capacity building programmes, research collaborations, and financial assistance. The authors believe that one of the most efficient ways to achieve societal change and sustainable actions that may perdure is through education. Therefore, by empowering students in scientific and technological fields, they can adopt more sustainable practices, innovate solutions, and contribute to global efforts in achieving sustainable development goals wherever they will work and be. The addressed problem presented in this chapter deals with solid waste transportation logistics, optimizing routes, and ensuring the use of environmentally friendly modes of solid waste transportation management through the utilization of multi-criteria decisions. Addressing these problems requires a holistic approach that includes investment in sustainable infrastructure, collaboration with transportation providers, adoption of new technologies, policy support, and employee engagement initiatives. By overcoming these challenges, companies can contribute to reducing the environmental impact of transportation and move towards more sustainable practices. At the same time, students involved in their solution proposals acquire competencies that they might apply in their future working careers. These projects are developed by young master students at the Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Coimbra Engineering Institute and the methodology used was a study case approach. These students belong to Gen Z, meaning those born since 1995. This generation is characterised by hyper-connected, agile, individualistic, simple, tolerant individuals who embrace diversity. Named after alpha, the first letter in the Greek alphabet, Generation Alpha is the first to be born entirely in the twenty-first century and the third millennium. Generation Alpha will confront unique circumstances, particularly environmental challenges such as extreme weather events, which are projected to increase in prevalence during their lifetimes. This problem-based project proposal was immediately accepted by them and at its conclusion. In conclusion, we believe that the students have gained experience and a desire to continue to study these subjects and are more aware of how their knowledge can make a difference in people\u2019s daily lives and practices. Stakeholders will be informed, and new improvements can be made collaboratively.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-031-99713-6_12","type":"book-chapter","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,15]],"date-time":"2025-11-15T06:21:13Z","timestamp":1763187673000},"page":"175-193","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: Using PBL to Foster Engagement and Empower Students with Sustainable Practices"],"prefix":"10.1007","author":[{"given":"Brenda","family":"Sousa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Daniele","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Apura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1228-6072","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Deolinda M.L.D.","family":"Rasteiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6213-386X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eduardo","family":"Natividade","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2334-7280","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"In\u00eas","family":"Domingues","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4713-2759","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isabel","family":"Pedrosa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5442-2589","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Madalena","family":"Abreu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,16]]},"reference":[{"issue":"2","key":"12_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"172","DOI":"10.1287\/opre.2.2.172","volume":"2","author":"CW Churchman","year":"1954","unstructured":"Churchman, C. W., & Ackoff, R. L. (1954). An appropriate measure of value. Journal of Operations Research Society of America, 2(2), 172\u2013187.","journal-title":"Journal of Operations Research Society of America"},{"key":"12_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Dial, R., Glover, F., Karney, D., & Klingman, D. (1979). A computational analysis of alternative algorithms and labeling techniques for finding shortest path trees. Networks, 9(3), 215\u2013248. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/net.v9:3, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/net.3230090304","DOI":"10.1002\/net.v9:3"},{"key":"12_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-12-817210-0.00016-3","volume-title":"Mathematics in science and engineering, calculus for engineering students","author":"DML Dias Rasteiro","year":"2020","unstructured":"Dias Rasteiro, D. M. L. (2020). Shortest path problem and computer algorithms. In J. Mart\u00edn-Vaquero, M. Carr, A. Queiruga-Dios, & D. Richt\u00e1rikov\u00e1 (Eds.), Mathematics in science and engineering, calculus for engineering students (pp. 179\u2013195). Academic Press. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/B978-0-12-817210-0.00016-3. ISSN 00765392, ISBN 9780128172100. (https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/B9780128172100000163)"},{"key":"12_CR3","volume-title":"Decisions with multiple objectives","author":"RL Keeney","year":"1976","unstructured":"Keeney, R. L., & Raiffa, H. (1976). Decisions with multiple objectives. Wiley."},{"issue":"1","key":"12_CR4","first-page":"43","volume":"19","author":"E Martins","year":"1999","unstructured":"Martins, E., Pascoal, M., Rasteiro, D. D., & Santos, J. (1999). The optimal path problem. Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Operacional, 19(1), 43\u201360.","journal-title":"Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Operacional"},{"key":"12_CR5","volume-title":"The analytic hierarchy process: Planning, priority setting, resource allocation","author":"TL Saaty","year":"1980","unstructured":"Saaty, T. L. (1980). The analytic hierarchy process: Planning, priority setting, resource allocation. McGraw-Hill."},{"issue":"3\u20135","key":"12_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.1016\/0270-0255(87)90473-8","volume":"9","author":"RW Saaty","year":"1987","unstructured":"Saaty, R. W. (1987). The analytic hierarchy process\u2014what it is and how it is used. Mathematical Modelling, 9(3\u20135), 161\u2013176., ISSN 0270-0255. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/0270-0255(87)90473-8","journal-title":"Mathematical Modelling"},{"issue":"1","key":"12_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1504\/IJSSCI.2008.017590","volume":"1","author":"TL Saaty","year":"2008","unstructured":"Saaty, T. L. (2008). Decision making with the analytic hierarchy process. International Journal of Services Sciences, 1(1), 83\u201398.","journal-title":"International Journal of Services Sciences"},{"key":"12_CR8","first-page":"07","volume-title":"Sage University papers, series on quantitative applications in the social sciences","author":"KP Yoon","year":"1995","unstructured":"Yoon, K. P., & Hwang, C. L. (1995). Multiple attribute decision-making: An introduction. In Sage University papers, series on quantitative applications in the social sciences (pp. 07\u2013104). Sage."}],"container-title":["Innovation, Resilience, Leadership and Sustainability in Higher Education"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/978-3-031-99713-6_12","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,30]],"date-time":"2025-12-30T05:27:11Z","timestamp":1767072431000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/978-3-031-99713-6_12"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,16]]},"ISBN":["9783031997129","9783031997136"],"references-count":9,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-3-031-99713-6_12","relation":{},"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,16]]},"assertion":[{"value":"16 November 2025","order":1,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ChapterHistory","label":"Chapter History"}}]}}