Rethinking of higher education institutions as complex adaptive systems for enabling sustainability governance

Abstract

Education in particular Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are considered pivotal in promoting and implementing the targets of the United Nations-Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs). However, frameworks, curriculums, pedagogies and governance policies best suited for promoting sustainability through HEIs are still widely debated. The present letter, therefore emphasises on imagining HEIs as Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) instead of rigid units that are capable of adaptation and evolution based on the ‘feedbacks and demands’ of the society to which they cater. The article attempts to define the basic attributes of CAS and how can they prove beneficial in transitioning HEIs towards sustainability by fostering governance and policy changes. • Integrating sustainability competencies in higher education is essential for global sustainable development. • However, there is a lack of comprehensive frameworks for enabling such integration. • We propose suitable frameworks for integrating sustainability competencies in higher education.