Innovative Community Care and the Sustainable Development of University Social Responsibility in the Post-Pandemic Era

The aim of this research is to identify the components and practices of university social responsibility (USR) – a concept based on corporate social responsibility - and its impact on development and sustainability. Here, it is necessary to develop a new perception of universities, in which we learn, develop and act. This work results from an exploratory approach based on a literature review and observations at Qassim University. The first stage of this research will adopt a qualitative approach, to identify and understand how USR is defined by the university community. The main goal of this stage is the development of items which will be used to measure USR at Qassim University. The second stage is a quantitative approach applied through administration of a questionnaire. A hypothesis test is elaborated by LISREL 8.52 according to a structural equation model (SEM) in which corporate social responsibility is considered a mediating variable between development and sustainability. From this research, a critical path for USR can be defined based on practices. We will also be able to recommend a pathway for sustainable development based on USR.

The <scp>SDGs</scp>: A change agenda shaping the future of business and humanity at large

PurposeThe university social responsibility (USR) is still in embryonic stage compared to corporate social responsibility (CSR) which is still debatable by researchers. The purpose of this paper is to propose the contemporary dimension (on top of teaching and research dimensions) of USR in most educational institutes. Based on this new definition, a proposal of a mechanism to quantify USR sustainability was presented.Design/methodology/approachBased on a review of the theme of the CSR with the inter-related recent research on USR with researchers perspectives, characteristics of USR were identified and incorporated in the proposed newly definition of USR. The new definition takes into account the interrelationship of university–corporate communication and create shared value (CSV) principle, as well as the knowledgeability and sustainability.FindingsBased on the review of most active research in the USR development and the concluded contemporary definition of USR, this paper proposes a new extended version of sustainability suitable for educational institutes, where it is composed of different zones, and each zone was defined in terms of value of sustainability with associated knowledgeability in each zone. The Green Cloud project was taken as a vehicle to demonstrate collaboration between a university and cloud service provider located in Middle East (Dubai). Sustainability quantification was provided with hypothetical numbers to illustrate the technique.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper is focused on University-specific social responsibility rather than general CSR. The proposed contemporary definition of the USR is a hybrid of a mutated latest research on CSR as well as cascaded recent development on USR. The view of this new definition can have different arguments depending on the ideology (communitarianism as opposed to individualism) adopted by specific university admiration of the objective of social responsibility which is sometimes driven by the political and strategic views of countries and the regions. However, the proposed sustainability zone-split between the CSV type of projects and the reputation values (described via hypothetical example) can minimize the gap between the two ideologies.Originality/valueThis paper attempts to provide a universally acceptable definition of the USR based on different points of views of researchers and tries to accommodate both ideologies toward social responsibility into one coherent framework. The sustainability Venn diagram was extended and made suitable for educational institutes. This approach facilitates the mechanism of quantifying the value of sustainability of a university or educational institutes. Hypothetical “Green Cloud” project was used as a mechanism to show the quantification process.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the self-regulation adopted by business organisations compatible with the law, ethical principles and international practices. CSR is fundamentally an ethical concept intended to serve society in general and secure the financial interests of shareholders and stakeholders in particular. The core of CSR is “बहुमुख विकासो गंतव्यः” (Multi-dimensional Development) and “society at large should be served.” Adopting a robust and coherent CSR strategy is integral to sustainability and sustainable development. In the changing global business landscape, integrating CSR and sustainability is a prerequisite towards creating a sustainable and socially responsible business. For enabling businesses to satisfy, social expectations in today’s business landscape. The interconnection between CSR and sustainability is essential, focal and crucial. In a fast-changing business environment, sustainability and stability are as much needed as reform, perform and transform. Sustainability brings out stability in the requirements of the environment and aims at conserving the resources provided by nature. CSR strategies contribute to sustainability and assist business organisations to achieve social, economic and environmental performance. In the above context, the present study makes a modest attempt to conceptualise CSR, sustainability, and sustainable development as well as interpret and analyse the connection and interdependence between CSR and sustainability. This study finds that CSR practices can more meaningfully contribute towards the accomplishment of sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) if business organisations adopt a long-term comprehensive approach to yield productive results. The scholar finds that CSR needs to align with an organisation’s objectives and values to operate socially and sustainably

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the self-regulation adopted by business organisations compatible with the law, ethical principles and international practices. CSR is fundamentally an ethical concept intended to serve society in general and secure the financial interests of shareholders and stakeholders in particular. The core of CSR is “बहुमुख विकासो गंतव्यः” (Multi-dimensional Development) and “society at large should be served.” Adopting a robust and coherent CSR strategy is integral to sustainability and sustainable development. In the changing global business landscape, integrating CSR and sustainability is a prerequisite towards creating a sustainable and socially responsible business. For enabling businesses to satisfy, social expectations in today’s business landscape. The interconnection between CSR and sustainability is essential, focal and crucial. In a fast-changing business environment, sustainability and stability are as much needed as reform, perform and transform. Sustainability brings out stability in the requirements of the environment and aims at conserving the resources provided by nature. CSR strategies contribute to sustainability and assist business organisations to achieve social, economic and environmental performance. In the above context, the present study makes a modest attempt to conceptualise CSR, sustainability, and sustainable development as well as interpret and analyse the connection and interdependence between CSR and sustainability. This study finds that CSR practices can more meaningfully contribute towards the accomplishment of sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) if business organisations adopt a long-term comprehensive approach to yield productive results. The scholar finds that CSR needs to align with an organisation’s objectives and values to operate socially and sustainably

PurposeThis study aims to examine the efforts of two universities in Taiwan, particularly their engagement in coastal rural communities, and provides insights into the substantial contributions of University Social Responsibility (USR) projects toward achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in rural settings. The objective of this research is to analyze the outcomes of these case projects on the SDGs and, consequently, to propose a theoretical model aimed at enhancing student participation in achieving SDGs through USR programs.Design/methodology/approachThis study adapted the methodology comprising SDGs contribution analysis and participant observation. The SDGs contribution analysis unfolds in three steps. First, the authors conducted evaluation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This step involved a thorough analysis of all 17 SDGs and their respective targets to establish a foundational understanding. Second, analyzed the outcomes of the case projects to examine the specific contributions of case projects toward achieving the SDGs. Third, the information from the preceding steps is analyzed to determine the extent of the case projects’ contributions to the SDGs.FindingsThe study proposes a theoretical model to enhance student engagement in achieving SDGs, emphasizing student empowerment, community partnership and robust evaluation methods aligned with SDGs and social impacts. This model could offer guidance for higher education institutions (HEIs) globally on utilizing USR programs to contribute to the SDGs, while simultaneously enriching student learning experiences through practical engagement and empowerment.Research limitations/implicationsThis model can be enhanced and validated by applying more rigorous scientific methods. For instance, conducting surveys on students and community participants of events and activities, utilizing a statistically rigorous approach such as pre-post testing, can analyze the effectiveness of these programs on various SDG-related variables (e.g. awareness of SDGs). Additionally, exploring the relationships between the tested variables can be a potential research direction. For instance, examining whether community engagement can positively increase the social impacts of USR projects, or whether student empowerment can enhance community capacity building, are important issues worthy of discovery.Practical implicationsThis model emphasizes the pivotal role of student empowerment, advocating for an educational approach that not only enhances students’ proficiency in community development but also potentially shapes their career trajectories, as evidenced by the case projects examined in this study. In essence, this model offers HEIs a structured pathway to enrich student engagement in realizing SDGs through USR initiatives. It posits student empowerment as the foundational element, fostering a learning environment where students gain valuable skills and insights into community development, potentially guiding their future professional endeavors. This research provides practical direction for those HEIs implementing USR projects, which will increase the positive impacts brought by HEIs, especially for the students and local community.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous studies have proposed a theoretical model specifically designed to engage students in achieving SDGs through USR programs in a rural context. The significance of this study lies in its potential to serve as a guide for higher education institutions globally, enabling them to effectively leverage USR programs to contribute toward SDGs. This makes the study an invaluable resource for researchers, policymakers and educators who are committed to fostering sustainability.

Implementing Green Accounting based on the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) begins tobe rapidly implemented in Indonesia. The shift of paradigm and company’s orientation to paymore attention to all stakeholders gives impacts on the company’s social role and responsibilitieswhich is commonly called as the Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR). In higher education,the University’s responsibilities for society is called University Social Responsibility(USR), is basically an ethical policy which influences the quality of university’s communityperformance that consists of students, officers, lecturers and all the university’s staffs throughthe management that responsible toward education, cognitive, employment and environmentwhich are produced by university through some interactive dialogue with society aiming forproducing and developing sustainable human resources. So is Semarang State University as aconservation university which implements University Social Responsibility (USR) to achieve theGood University Governance (GUG). Based on the above statement of problems, this researchaims to gain proofs and investigate, measure and examine the performance of Semarang StateUniversity’s management board whether or not they have conducted the USR well. Beside that,this research also aims to compare the performance and social responsibility between SemarangState University as a Conservation University and other University in Semarang. Has SemarangState University as a conservation university which indeed possesses more conservation valuescompare to the other universities been able to successfully carry out its social responsibilitybetter? In this research, the population used were all universities located in Semarang. In testingthe hypothesis the research used the Independent Sample T Test as confirmation, that is as atesting tool which is used to analyze the comparison by using T Test for two samples whichmatched because the data distributed normally. It aims to find out whether both group have thesame average or significantly different. The research result shows that simultaneously there is nosignificant difference in terms of performance and and social responsibility between SemarangState University as a conservation university compare to the other universities in Semarang.Partially, from four variables used to conduct the test, there is only one variable, that is theEnvironmental Involvement which is statistically has a significant dofference between SemarangState University to the other universities in Semarnag. Meanwhile the other three variables, theyare Environmental Awareness, Environmental Reporting and Environmental Audit, do not showany significant difference. Suggestion for Semarang State University as a conservation universityis to improve the performance and responsibility especially in terms of Environmental Reportingand Environmental Audit.

Purpose Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the sustainable development goals (SDGs) have multiple interactions with higher education institutions (HEIs), and CSR strategies present a remarkable importance for companies and society, being necessary for universities to provide teaching and research within this topic. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the practical implications of the implementation of sustainability concepts in HEIs and, by extension, in society. Design/methodology/approach A sample formed by papers obtained from WoS (Web of Science) and Scopus databases was used (34 papers from WoS and 30 papers from Scopus). Both bibliometric and content analysis were performed to better understand the main characteristics of the sample, such as the most prolific countries and universities, as well as the main practical implications of each of the 64 papers analyzed. Findings The findings show the state of the art of the literature about sustainability and responsible management education published between 2014 and 2023. This paper also reports results like the most prolific authors and universities, the most cited papers and authors and the yearly production of papers, among other data. Implementing CSR and sustainability courses in HEIs curricula has a plurality of practical implications for businesses, the academic institutions and for society. Research limitations/implications The sample is limited because it is formed of papers written in English only, and that affects the productivity figures of both Spanish and Latin American universities. Having used a single piece of software for bibliometric analysis also limits the scope and depth of the results. Practical implications By analyzing a sample of 64 papers with different practical implications, this paper offers important data and practical ideas for HEIs to implement sustainability and responsible management education in their curricula, as well as of University Social Responsibility (USR) practices implementation. The paper also offers some insight into practical experiences with sustainability education for both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as advice for policymakers. Originality/value The paper’s originality and value are trifold: First, it links CSR and the SDGs with HEIs. Second, it combines a bibliometric analysis with a content analysis, creating added value for the research. And third, this paper studies the effect of the impact of CSR both in HEIs and in society.

The concept of university social responsibility (USR) is getting increasingly interrelated with the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) because universities are key institutions for promoting private sector businesses, creating social capital, and supporting innovations. Since USR is important in promoting economic development, any CSR program that is supported by USR, the effectiveness of CSR programs gets higher because of its support for the society and environment becomes more sustainable by making the support more ethical, resourceful, and responsible. Furthermore, the incorporation of USR into CSR will lead to more profitable companies because the brand images of these companies will be stronger. This chapter first introduces the concept of USR, and it then explains the relationships between USR and CSR by utilizing the comparative case study method. The case of Saudi Arabia revealed that there is a healthy USR-CSR cooperation in the country, promising a better future for the development in Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, the case for Türkiye depicted that the support for USR-CSR cooperation is decreasing, indicating the possibility of negative impacts on the society in the near future.

Purpose The role of higher education institutions is paramount in creating social and cultural conditions for sustainability. Several studies show universities play an important role in promoting public understanding and awareness about sustainability. The purpose of this study is to analyze the application of university social responsibility (USR) on green and nongreen campuses and how it affects the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of students' self-consciousness (SSC), especially in accounting undergraduate programs by looking at how the undergraduate programs shape their curriculum and can build student awareness related to CSR. Design/methodology/approach A total of 704 accounting undergraduate programs students from eight different universities in Indonesia were surveyed to test the CSR SSC. Eight participating universities were included in the green campus based on Universitas Indonesia Green Metric (UI GreenMetric) and nongreen campus. Each university was analyzed regarding the application of USR. Findings The results of this study show that universities included in the green campus at the UI GreenMetric do not necessarily have a higher USR than the nongreen campus. Overall, there is evidence that graduates from universities with high USR implementation have better CSR SSC than graduates from universities with low USR implementation. Furthermore, the findings of this study show that there is a high value of ethic and CSR knowledge coming from university students with high USR implementation but not so with character. The findings show the same results from students between the two university groups. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to examine the effect of USR implementation on CSR SSC in Indonesia, by putting students’ CSR knowledge as a part of CSR SSC.

The emerging global consensus is that businesses are the engine of economic growth and international development and that they should play an indispensable role alongside government and communities to solve complex, global challenges like poverty, inequality, unemployment, and climate change. In terms of education or tertiary education to be precise, sustainability is gradually integrated into the curriculum in which corporate social responsibility (CSR) evolves into university social responsibility (USR). This research employs the content analysis as the main research methodology to retrieve and analyze the curriculum of top 10 Japanese universities. The coding instrument was developed considering five dimensions of CSR including environmental, economic, social, stakeholder, and voluntariness. The aims are to (1) examine the USR’s current situation of top universities in Japan and (2) assess the strengths and weaknesses of USR in these above universities. The analysis undertaken shows that to date, Japanese universities, to some extents, have engaged properly in social responsibility and sustainable development. Moreover, these activities, projects, research, and implementations have also been announced and reported in their website contents.

This study explores university social responsibility codes, strategies, and reports by higher education institutions that show their role in building socially responsible organisations to integrate a sustainability paradigm into research, teaching, and governance. The paper applies the content analysis method that systematically examines and interprets data to extract meaningful insights and understand patterns. The authors reviewed the codes of ethics, strategies, and social responsibility reports of 160 universities that have joined the Polish Declaration of University Social Responsibility. The research effort shows that sustainable development is a common aim among Polish higher education institutions. However, codes of ethics, social responsibility strategies, and sustainable development and social responsibility reports are not widespread practices among them. Polish higher education institutions are only beginning to professionalise their approach to social responsibility. This qualitative analysis only examined 160 Polish universities that have joined the Declaration of University Social Responsibility (USR). Because the selection of the sample is subjective, it is essential to cautiously assess the generalisability of the findings of this study. The article organises and systematises knowledge about the USR concept, which currently plays an important role in higher education institutions. Higher education institutions, such as universities, formulate strategies and codes of ethics and undertake initiatives to support sustainable development (SD). These results provide new insights into the possibilities of developing these documents. In practical terms, this study offers suggestions to higher educational institutions on improving their USR strategies, reports, and ethical codes, primarily focusing on adopting an approach centred around sustainable development goals.

PurposeThis research examined the direct and indirect effect of university social responsibility (USR) on student loyalty through the mediation of service quality and university image.Design/methodology/approachThe sample includes 35 students from Universitas Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa, a private university, and 74 respondents from Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta, a state university, totaling 109 respondents. The data were obtained by sending a questionnaire in the form of Google Docs through the student WhatsApp groups at the universities. Furthermore, the four variable constructs were tested with loading factors to determine reliability, and Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine the construct validity. The research hypotheses were tested via path analysis using the WarpPLS 8.0 statistical tool.FindingsThe results showed that the image of the university mediates the relationship between USR and student loyalty. Meanwhile, service quality does not mediate the relationship. The USR had a direct relationship with service quality, university image and student loyalty. The image of the university also had a direct effect on student loyalty, while service quality had an insignificant effect on student loyalty. Therefore, based on the coefficient value, the indirect effect between USR and student loyalty through the image of the university is stronger than the direct effect between USR and student loyalty.Originality/valueSeveral previous models examined the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and consumer loyalty in general, but this research has applications in the education sector with a different concept, namely USR with different measurements.

The practice of social responsibility does not limit only to corporations, companies or NGOs, universities are also responsible for all the impacts that cause their operations towards their publics, the society at large and the environment. University social responsibility (USR) is a recent concept and practice developed in Hispanic America which has not been explored and studied extensively in other parts of the world (Nejati et al. 2011; Gomez and Vargas-Preciado 2013). USR differs from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) because it presents specific impacts, which are related to learning and research production that only concerns to educational institutions. This chapter has the purpose to identify and analyze social responsibility attitudes and perceptions among some internal publics of a private university in Puerto Rico. This exploratory study takes into consideration the methodology of Vallaeys et al. (2009), which published the first guideline for advising universities in engaging in social responsibility practices. On one hand, educational impacts refer to the process of teaching–learning and how the curriculum is developed. On the other hand, cognitive impacts include all the theoretical approaches, research lines and production and dissemination of knowledge and how it contributes to the quality of life of society. This study uses a quantitative methodology, through the implementation of surveys to identify internal public perceptions and attitudes. Surveys were administered among the most important internal group of publics of universities: students. The sample consists of 356 students and has an error margin of 5% and confidence level of 95%. Higher educational institutions are a key organizational citizen in the promotion of social responsibility and sustainable development among future professionals. The practice of USR centres in a mutual relationship between universities and its internal and external publics. Internal publics are important pieces in a responsible learning process that includes the involvement of external publics like local communities, government, alumni. In other words, curriculum, learning, teaching and research are improved thanks to the feedback and involvement of external publics. This is fundamental because universities must contribute in the sustainable development of society, improving the quality of life of all the publics they served.

Can we learn survival and success in isolation? Can Luxury Companies afford to think of Corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an optional aspect? This paper discusses pioneering steps towards CSR in the context of the rapidly expanding luxury market. This further impels these brands to tradeoff between Profit-Planet, revisiting the initiatives and impediments pragmatically. The scholars have advocated the inspirational forces behind CSR contributions varying from the environment's need to strengthen goodwill to serve sustainability/existential crisis to institutional expectations. The stakeholders have augmented expectations from luxury brands towards society with each passing year in proportion to the revenue. This shift not only bags goodwill and promotes positive word-of-mouth in the industry but also enhances the brand's reputation. Luxury brands, often seen as symbols of opulence and exclusivity, are inherently expected to demonstrate social and environmental responsibility. Additionally, there is a growing awareness among consumers who seek brands that align with their values, making CSR a strategic imperative for luxury companies to maintain their brand reputation and customer loyalty. CSR is crucial for luxury companies, especially from a long-term sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) perspective. These market giants are at par with the SDG goals: SDG 1(No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth), SDG 10 (Reducing inequalities), SDG 12(Responsible Consumption and Production), etc. In essence, CSR is not just a moral imperative for luxury companies, it is a strategic necessity that aligns their business objectives with the global agenda for sustainable development, ensuring long-term viability and relevance in a rapidly evolving world.