International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, with far-reaching consequences for the environment, economies, and human societies. Vietnam, a country in South-East Asia, is particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including rising sea levels, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, presenting a growing need for climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, particularly among young people who will bear the brunt of climate change impacts. Thuongmai University, Vietnam, is a key institution for higher education and research, with a large student population that could play crucial role in shaping the country's response to climate change. However, little is known about how students at Thuongmai University perceive the impacts of climate change and their role in mitigation efforts.
Objective: This study assessed the perceptions of students at Thuongmai University in Vietnam regarding climate change. Specifically, the research examined their views on the socio-economic and environmental impacts of climate change, as well as their personal mitigation behaviors.
Method: A survey via questionnaire design was employed, 350 students responded. Techniques, such as descriptive statistics, composite reliability, exploring factor analysis, and multiple linear regression, were adopted for data analysis. Results: The research results show that most students are familiar with and have a clear awareness of this issue. Students' perception of the causes of climate change, the impacts of climate change on the economy, society, people, and nature, all have positive impact on climate change mitigation activities.
Conclusion: Students' perceptions of climate change at Thuongmai University in Vietnam is quite adequate, including its impacts on nature, socio-economics, people, and its connection with readiness to take mitigation actions.
Unique Contribution: The article proposes research implications to help universities better equip students with knowledge about climate change and help them shape and adapt to actions to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the future.
Key Recommendation: Higher education institutions need to strengthen communication forms, make the most of social media channels to raise students' awareness of climate change, the impacts of climate change, and mitigation actions.