Sustainability In Higher Education Research Articles

E-learning and sustainability of higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review and synthesis

Purpose This study aims to examine the state of literature on the role of e-learning in the sustainability of higher education institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa, with the goal of identifying explored thematic areas, finding out the deficiencies in extant literature and recommending areas of future research work. Design/methodology/approach The research used a systematic literature review, examining articles published between 2012 and 2022. In total, 52 publications were identified and subjected to analysis. Findings The findings reveal that few studies have explored the relationship between e-learning and the sustainability of higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa, with larger economies in the region dominating research output. In addition, traditional technology adoption and social learning theories dominate the theoretical frameworks in this area. Moreover, the authors observed limited adaptation of these theories to local contexts, leading to outcomes with limited contextual details or lack of the same. Despite its potential, e-learning has yet to be fully embraced as a strategic tool for the sustainability of higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa. Originality/value Although various systematic literature reviews exist in the field of sustainability in higher education, there seem to be no reviews specifically focused on e-learning within the context of Sub-Saharan Africa. This review sheds some light on potential future research paths regarding the theory, content and context of e-learning for the sustainability of higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa, and by extension, in developing countries worldwide.

Neoliberalism and sustainability of higher education in Australia

This paper critically examines the influence of neoliberal policies on the direction of Australian universities in recent years. By examining publicly available sources, including media, court, and parliamentary reports, we contend that the internationalization of higher education in Australia is a strategic response to these neoliberal policies, which have reduced government funding for the sector. However, the excessive application of neoliberalism in funding and cost management of universities has led to notable issues, such as a persistent decline in service quality, unfair treatment of international students, and insufficient pay for casual academics. The paper concludes with recommendations for policy improvements.

Sustaining and Reinforcing the Perceived Value of Higher Education: E-Learning with Micro-Credentials

An important aspect of sustaining higher education is to produce graduates prepared for careers with the expertise and experiences desired by prospective employers. Micro-credentials delivered by higher education can confirm the students’ mastery of demanded skills and knowledge. The use of micro-credentials as an e-learning technology supports sustainability in higher education by reinforcing students’ employability. With hundreds of thousands of these credentials available in the United States, it is predictable that not all are equal. We explored the perceived value of micro-credentials reported by students and employers. Clear differences were found, with employers recognizing their value more than students. Additionally, we considered the source of the credential, which is the organization that creates, brands, and sponsors the award. Results demonstrated that employers used the sources for assessing value. We also tested the differences when higher education was the provider of the micro-credential, and institution type (issuer) was relevant to employers’ value. Finally, this study distinguished between the academic rigor and integrity of university-delivered micro-credentials associated with earning transcripted course credits and credentials that could be earned without course credits (non-transcripted). Employers valued transcripted micro-credentials more. This study found support for the use of micro-credentials to represent the mastery of skills and knowledge in higher education.

Leveraging ICT and Generative AI in Higher Education for Sustainable Development: The Case of a Lebanese Private University

This study investigates the interaction of information and communication technology (ICT) and higher education in driving sustainable development, with a special emphasis on the rising significance of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. This quantitative study, conducted in a Lebanese private university, looks into the impact of ICT, specifically generative AI, on promoting sustainability in higher education. A questionnaire was distributed to university instructors to determine how these technologies contribute to sustainable practices in academic environments. The results, which were evaluated using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, show that ICT tools, professional instructor development, and the upkeep of educational infrastructure all contribute considerably to Lebanon’s sustainable development. Furthermore, integrating generative AI into educational processes has the potential to improve personalized learning, resource efficiency, and content production, all of which contribute to sustainability goals. The study concludes by exploring the findings’ broader implications, acknowledging their shortcomings, and suggesting future research possibilities.

Systematic exploration of sustainability in higher education: a tertiary perspective

Systematic exploration of sustainability in higher education: a tertiary perspective

The influence of green human resource management on university sustainability in higher education: the role of mediating environmental performance and green commitment.

The purpose of the research is to examine how green human resource management (GHRM) contributes to the sustainability of the university. This study also focuses on how environmental performance and dedication to sustainability can act as mediators. Additionally, it seeks to examine the interplay between GHRM practice and university sustainability and how green environmental success and green dedication moderate that interaction. As the primary technique of data collection, a survey questionnaire on green HRM and environmental factors was distributed to a total of 273 university staff at Majmaah University in Saudi Arabia. The results of staff environmental performance and commitment point to a beneficial impact on sustainability in higher education institutions. Our study also demonstrates that when an employee scores highly on green performance evaluation and appraisal, the impact of green HRM practices on green dedication is more significant. By connecting green HRM practices to university sustainability through sustainability impact and green commitment, the current study adds fresh theoretical insights into the field of environmental management literature. Our findings give staff members advice on how and when to use green HRM techniques to improve university sustainability in higher education institutions.

Building Sustainability in Higher Education through Green Management and Innovation: A Case Study of Private Universities in Jakarta

This study analyzes the causal relationship between green management, supply chain management, and organizational culture on the sustainability of higher education institutions, with green innovation as a mediating factor. Data were collected from private universities in Jakarta and compared with global benchmarks such as the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings and the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. Using SEM-PLS for analysis, the results show that green management, supply chain management, and organizational culture each positively influence the sustainability of higher education institutions. The study demonstrates how green management practices and organizational culture affect sustainability in higher education. International comparisons reveal similar trends globally, with green innovation playing a crucial mediating role.

Academic Brain-Drain and its Effect on Sustainability of Higher Education: A Case Study of Selected Public Tertiary Institutions in Ogun State

Abstract: The study investigated the effect of Academic Brain-Drain on sustainability of higher education in Public Tertiary Institutions in Ogun State, Nigeria. The target population for the study was the entire academic staff members of the selected Public Tertiary Institutions from three (3) Senatorial Districts in the State which consisted of 2058 Academic Staff members. The study selected a sample of 450 Academic Staff members through the use of purposive sampling technique. Cross-sectional survey was employed for the study to retrieve the expected data through a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics with the aid of tables were utilised to summarize the data obtained while multiple regression analysis was adopted for inferential purpose using SPSS version 26. Component factor analysis and Cronbach Alpha statistics were used to examine the validity and reliability of the instruments which yielded 80% and .767 respectively. The study found that Academic Brain Drain has a positive significant effect on Sustainability of Higher Education as emphasized by the t-statistic {f (3/446), t = 389.344, P< 0.05}. According to the model summary, R2=.803 suggests that the three factors: Poor Working Condition, Poor Pay Package and Inadequate Research Facilities together accounted for more than 80% of the variance in Sustainability of Higher Education. The study concluded that sustainability of higher education and Academic Brain-Drain have a strong, favorable, and significant relationship. The study recommended that good working conditions and better pay package be provided in public institutions in order to motivate the Academic Staff members and discourage them from migrating to where greener pasture can be found.

Innovating for the Future: AI and HRM Capabilities for Sustainability in Higher Education

Innovating for the Future: AI and HRM Capabilities for Sustainability in Higher Education

Interdisciplinary perspectives on sustainability in higher education: a sustainability competence support model

After several decades of work toward elevating sustainability education, many have called for a transformation of the education system to create timely action. Teachers, students, organizational leaders, and many other stakeholders have voiced their dissatisfaction with their experience of sustainability education. Some say we can do more to create real action for sustainable futures. We investigate what, how and why lectures across disciplines at universities in different countries work with sustainability education. We conduct interviews and dialogs with teachers across disciplines to uncover interdisciplinary perspectives on sustainability education and how to move forward. The emerging reflections provide insights about transformations in the strategies and systems, and how to implement sustainability education. There is also a call for reuniting diverse intrapersonal and values thinking between stakeholders to support transformations in sustainability education. Furthermore, participants imagined the future as a creative space where collaboration across disciplines facilitates a student-centred transdisciplinary experience with real-world practice. This study provides insights into the mindset of teachers across disciplines and countries. A sustainability competence-based support model about the current sustainability education discourse is developed.

Servant leadership for sustainability in higher education: policy implications based on ethical behavior and conceptual skills of scholars with science-related backgrounds

Servant leadership for sustainability in higher education: policy implications based on ethical behavior and conceptual skills of scholars with science-related backgrounds

“Going beyond the call of duty”: academic agency and promoting transformation for sustainability in higher education

Purpose In the past decade, against increasing global inequality, higher education has grappled with increased demands for social justice, transformation and decolonisation. While a lot of research in South Africa has focused on the (im)possibilities of fostering racial, gendered, socio-economic and cultural change, the connection of such change to questions of sustainability has been less explored. The purpose of this paper is to specifically explore the agency of academics to foster transformative initiatives for sustainability within the context of institutions historically serving under-represented populations. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative methodology, this paper highlights the importance of considering sustainability in processes of transformation. This paper is specifically interested in how academic faculty and those in assigned leadership positions view their agency in relation to promoting transformation for sustainability at the institutional level. Drawing on data generated from semi-structured interviews with 13 participants at an historically Black university in South Africa, this paper details academics' and leaders’ experiences and perceptions of their agency. Findings This study reveals the adverse interactional dynamics within higher education institutions, which negatively impact academics’ participation as key agents in change processes. Positional and identity challenges faced reveal the persistence of colonial and apartheid legacies of racism, sexism, Afrophobia and xenophobia – which casts a shadow on possible trajectories of transformation and sustainability. This has serious implications for the common good, given South Africa's regional import for knowledge production and decolonisation within universities; its key role in the African 2063 Agenda; and the wider global Sustainable Development agenda. Originality/value This study highlights insufficient engagement with the sustainability of transformation efforts within the context of South Africa. This study also emphasises the relation between transformation imperatives and racial, socio-economic, gender and epistemic justice imperatives of sustainable development.

Typology of Informal Learning Spaces (ILS) in Sustainable Academic Education: A Systematic Literature Review in Architecture and Urban Planning

Informal learning spaces (ILS) offer unique opportunities for students to interact and develop skills in a more social, resilient, and sustainable environment. However, there is a lack of a definitive typology for ILS and related design factors and outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the typology of ILS in academic education, including relevant design factors and positive outcomes from architectural and urban planning perspectives. A systematic literature review was conducted on articles published between 2004 and 2024 from four databases: Scopus, ScienceDirect, Emerald Insights, and IEEE Xplore. The included articles are in English and based on empirical data published in peer-reviewed journals, focusing on informal learning and its settings. A total of 37 full-text articles were included in the descriptive review, from which two categories and six types were identified: private indoor quiet space, semi-private/semi-public indoor space, public indoor space, public sustainable space, public outdoor space, and comprehensive space. The results also revealed seven categories of factors affecting these types of ILS: personal aspects, spatial design, physical settings, resources, social aspects, natural environment, and perceived environment. Furthermore, these ILS significantly contributed to five categories of positive outcomes: learning efficacy, socialisation, refreshment and relaxation, health outcomes, and sustainable development. Therefore, this SLR significantly contributed to the definition and typology of ILS in sustainable higher education.

Sustainable Green Educational Paths in the Italian Higher Education Institutions: A Text Mining Approach

In response to the global imperative of environmental sustainability, higher education institutions play a pivotal role in shaping a green-conscious society. This study delves into the landscape of Italian university education, analyzing the green educational offer and examining the degree programs with a dedicated focus on environmental sustainability promoted during the academic year 2021–2022. For this purpose, we employed statistical-textual analyses techniques to examine the texts describing the educational objectives and the expected professional outcomes after the completion of the study paths for 179 Italian green degree courses (BA and MS), analyzing a corpus resulting in 144,709 occurrences. In particular, the multifaceted nature of the green educational approach, including its multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary orientation, attention to territorial dynamics, intersectoral collaboration, and the balance between theoretical and applied training, are studied. The results reveal an integration of these crucial elements within the Italian university educational offer. This research addresses the growing importance of environmental sustainability in higher education and provides insights into how Italian universities contribute to this global discourse. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions on refining educational strategies, aligning with global sustainability goals, and fostering a generation of environmentally conscious and skilled professionals.

Factors Influencing the Achievement of Social Development Goals in Public Universities

Achieving Social Development Goals (SDGs) within public universities is essential for fostering sustainable development globally. Despite the extensive research on sustainability in higher education, significant gaps remain regarding specific factors influencing SDG achievement in public universities. This study addresses these gaps by examining the integration of green human resource management (HRM) practices, green organizational culture, green knowledge sharing, stakeholder engagement, curriculum integration, and infrastructure and policy updates. Utilizing a systematic literature review spanning from 2013 to 2024, this research synthesizes findings from Scopus and Web of Science databases, focusing on open-access articles relevant to the scope of the study. The results reveal that while traditional factors such as adequate funding, education and training, partnerships, and accountability are well-studied, the newer dimensions of green practices and stakeholder involvement are less explored yet critically important. This study underscores the multifaceted nature of sustainability efforts in higher education and advocates for a comprehensive strategy that incorporates both established and innovative practices. By highlighting these underexplored factors, this research provides valuable insights and practical recommendations for public universities to enhance their contribution to sustainable development, ultimately promoting a more sustainable future.

Correction: Does artificial intelligence increase learners’ sustainability in higher education: insights from Bangladesh

Correction: Does artificial intelligence increase learners’ sustainability in higher education: insights from Bangladesh

Sustainability in Higher Education: The Impact of Justice and Relationships on Quality of Life and Well-Being

Undeniably, COVID-19 disrupted higher education. The concepts of traditional learning were challenged, online learning was thrust into the mainstream in colleges and universities, and the student population was unavoidably affected. It became apparent that maintaining the status quo that existed prior to the pandemic was not the path to the future sustainability of higher education. As higher education institutions began the long road to recovery, important challenges emerged due to increased demand for online learning and emotional health concerns for students. The current research collected data from online undergraduates at private and public universities in the United States for multivariate data analyses to examine controllable elements in the online learning environment that can enhance student quality of life and psychological well-being. These elements relate to perseverance for students and may promote the sustainability of higher education institutions. The focus of this study is to emphasize the importance of reinforcing online students’ emotional health as an important sustainability strategy for higher education. The findings confirm that higher education institutions can facilitate online students’ quality of life and psychological well-being by implementing elements into the classroom that create procedural and interpersonal justice, which enhances the formation of social and structural bonds.

Strategic Planning, Transformational Leadership and Organization Performance: Driving Forces for Sustainability in Higher Education in Nigeria

Leadership is crucial to moving society and organizations from one stage to another. Strategic planning is required to sustain the quality of education due to the changing features of students and the construction of many higher educational institutions in Nigeria. However, because higher education is evolving, leaders’ strategic thinking constantly shifts. This study examines the effect of strategic planning on transformational leadership towards attaining the organizational performance of higher education institutions in Nigeria. This study used a sample of 388 staff from 48 state universities in Nigeria. The findings indicate that strategic planning positively influences transformational leadership and organizational performance. Moreover, transformational leadership positively mediates strategic planning and organizational performance. We empirically validate the role of strategic planning in enhancing the performance of higher education institutions. Also, strategic-planning-focused and transformational leadership processes can be critical for facilitating the proper guidelines to improve higher education institutions’ performance.

Teachers’ belief and practice in environmental education: evidence from an Indonesian Islamic primary school

ABSTRACT Environmental education (EE) has been extensively implemented in various education settings for decades. However, a study investigating the belief and practice of EE in Islamic school contexts is rare. Thus, this interview study examines how Islamic primary school teachers’ belief of EE impacts on their pedagogical content knowledge and practices in promoting environmental literacy. Anchored in education for sustainability framework [Warwick (2016). “An Integrated Leadership Model for Leading Education for Sustainability in Higher Education and the Vital Role of Students as Change Agents.” Management in Education 30 (3): 105–111. https://doi.org/10.1177/0892020616653463], an interview protocol was designed. Three female teachers of an Islamic primary school in East Java, Indonesia, were recruited and interviewed to examine their beliefs and practices in the enactment of EE. The findings of the study show three key themes: (1) holistic education and experiential learning; (2) environmental literacy development; and (3) character formation and values education. This study provides practical contributions on how EE can be enacted to foster primary school students’ environmental literacy for sustainable school and community.

The Human Side of Digital Technology: Supporting the Inclusion of Refugees in Higher Education Through Blockchain-backed EQPR

The spectrum of digital technologies that impact Higher Education (HE) is broad. This study explores the potential of Blockchain (BC) technology in the personalized learning path creation and data exchange in the learning processes. The flexibilization of education and digitizing student data through Blockchain may contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable HE system. According to the EU, the Blockchain supports sustainability in four main aspects: cybersecurity, accountability, transparency, and traceability. These aspects are also a driver of social impact and a higher capacity to include disadvantaged groups, such as refugees. Therefore, it is essential to start a debate between scholars and professionals about how the actors in the HE system engage in a collective meaning-making effort to sustain the adoption, diffusion, and use of BC for HE. The paper focuses on the experience of CIMEA DiploMe and EQPR for the recognition of refugees' qualifications. Through a collective consensus-making and awareness-raising effort, the blockchain-backed EQPR could be perceived as a critical tool to foster inclusion within the HEIs and enhance their social outreach.