Sustainability In Higher Education Research Articles

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Do EnvironmentallawsandGreen AwarenessPromote Sustainability in Higher Education:A policy guildine for Sustainble Development Goals

The purpose of this study is to investigate how green awareness (GA) and environmental laws (EL) can enhance group sustainability (CS) within HEIs. The objective is to recognize successful techniques for HEIs to add to the Assembled Countries Practical Improvement Objectives (SDGs). The specialists utilized a quantitative methodology, gathering information from 500 agents across different Pakistani HEIs through purposive testing. The legalization of the measurement model and the testing of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were carried out with the help of the research hypotheses and IBM SPSS AMOS software. Ecological regulations straightforwardly influence maintainability execution, and their adequacy is fundamentally improved by the degree of green mindfulness inside the establishment, addressing that the outcomes uncovered significant direct impacts of EL and GA on CS, with EL's effect being interceded by GA. The consideration investigated that all component loadings outclassed the suggested edge, supporting the consistency and legitimacy of the ideas. The model reveals a good deal of the variation in CS. With R2 values, model-fit indices also suggested that the operational model was a good fit for the data. Cultivate green attention to accomplish further and seriously persevering through supportability results yet effective discoveries feature the necessity for HEIs with not just compliance to ecological regulations but the formation of partnerships to promote initiatives aimed at sustainability. The improvement of inclusive sustainability policies that are in line with environmental standards and the incorporation of sustainability into programs are two of the policy recommendations. HEIs' contributions to the SDGs are enhanced by their essential role in proceeding with global sustainability efforts and their strategies as a whole.

HEI’s commitment on sustainability issue toward nation building: How Indonesia HEI policies conform to SDGs?

higher education institutions (HEIs), and education in general, are playing a crucial role the discourse of promoting sustainability. HEIs have a substantial responsibility to increase awareness and access to the technology and resources required to build a sustainable future through education. HEIs have a substantial responsibility to increase awareness and access to the technology and resources to build a sustainable future through education, research, and policy recommendation. Therefore, strategic plan policies at many levels are required to be catalysts and key engines of social transformation in order to establish and encourage the best practices of sustainability in higher education. The paper aims to map and identify all of the patterns and characteristics of sustainability policies at Indonesian HEI and to what extend it contributed to the national sustainable policy. Data was collected by searching policy documents on each target university’s website using the terms “sustainability”, “green campus”, and “sustainable development”, “kampus hijau”, dan “berkelanjutan”. The analysis in this research has been limited by curating only the Top 10 Universities from listed in UI Greenmetrics of 2022. The result shows the pattern and characteristics of sustainability policy in Indonesia is still not adequately and systematically structured, Furthermore, several HEIs structured policies in order to comply with Greenmetrics’ regulations. In conclusion, the situation may be the result of the absence of a national-level policy in Indonesia that gives comprehensive guidance and blueprints for how sustainable practices and policies should be implemented at HEIs.

SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: FACULTY MEMBERS PERSPECTIVE IN SAUDI UNIVERSITIES

Sustainability in higher education involves the integration of sustainable principles, practices, and values into the fundamental functions of educational institutions, addressing environmental, social, and economic dimensions. This study aims to evaluate sustainability practices in Saudi higher education institutions, focusing on faculty members' perceptions. The primary objective is to assess the extent of sustainability implementation across academic, research, social, and environmental dimensions in Saudi universities. By leveraging faculty members' insights, the study seeks to identify areas of strength and weakness in current sustainability practices. The research adopts a descriptive and analytical approach, utilizing an electronic questionnaire as the primary data collection tool. A random sample of 275 faculty members from diverse Saudi universities actively participates in the study. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods are applied for data analysis and hypothesis testing. The findings indicate a limited implementation of sustainability practices within Saudi universities across various dimensions, as perceived by faculty members. Weaknesses are identified in academic, research, social, and environmental spheres. The study recommends that universities prioritize sustainability by establishing dedicated committees and drawing inspiration from successful institutions in the field. A clear strategic vision for sustainability is crucial for advancing these practices within higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia.

Green HRM and Teaching Sustainability in higher education Institutions: For Promoting Sustainable Education and Sustainable Development Goals

Green HRM and Teaching Sustainability in higher education Institutions: For Promoting Sustainable Education and Sustainable Development Goals

Transformative organisational learning for sustainability in higher education: A literature review and an international multi-case study

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a critical role in the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SD). However, this contribution requires a significant transformation in HEIs, encompassing all their activities. In this regard, the main objective of this study is to understand the learning processes, paths, and practices that can contribute to this transformation, from the transformative and organisational learning perspectives. Specifically, this study seeks to investigate: (1) what the literature states on transformative and organisational learning for sustainability in higher education; (2) how top sustainable HEIs are embedding sustainability into their activities; and (3) the role of transformative and organisational learning for sustainability in higher education. For that, we combined a bibliometric review of relevant literature on the topic with fifteen case studies from thirteen cities of six different countries, conducted through in-loco observation techniques, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. The findings of this study contribute to the literature by mapping current trends on the topic and, from the experience of the most sustainable HEIs, it provides practical insights and frameworks which can inspire and guide other HEIs on their journey towards sustainability.

STEAM Education - An Effective Approach to Achieving Sustainability in Higher Education

The present study represents a scientific foray, aimed at elucidating the role and indisputable contribution of STEAM skills in higher education, skills that are extremely necessary for educational actors in the era of postmodern education. The aim of the research is identification of the implementation directions of STEAM education applied in higher education institutions. In the preparation of this paper, we used qualitative research, content analysis of the reports of higher education institutions in the EU that allowed us to analyze the practices they use in the cultivation and foundation of STEAM skills. In addition to this, the Global Innovation Index repot and the Human Capital index were analyzed, which allowed us to elucidate the main challenges that the Republic of Moldova faces in capitalizing on human potential, in the generation and implementation of innovations. In conclusion, we can mention that universities, currently, must remodel their management system, adapt their curricula, in order to base new skills - STEAM skills, which help higher education institutions to focus on a new education - STEAM education, a digitized education, focused on the integration of innovation in the didactic activity, on national-regional-international cooperation in order to train competitive young people on the labour market, young people with a culture of innovation, young people who will contribute to the promotion of sustainability at the society level.

Artificial intelligence and sustainability in higher education: a bibliometric analysis and its relations with the UN SDGs

This research aimed to analyze the importance of artificial intelligence and sustainability in higher education according to the literature in the field and to present the relationships of this context with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The adopted research strategies included bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer software and literature review, considering the Web of Science scientific database. The bibliometric analysis resulted in the clustering of four groups. The blue cluster highlighted the emergence of interest in studies on AI and sustainability in higher education following the Covid-19 pandemic. The green cluster emphasized the importance of more efficient teaching methods adapted to the demands of higher education, as well as the need to empower teachers to use artificial intelligence in developing students' skills and competencies, emphasizing sustainability. The yellow cluster indicated the presence of artificial intelligence in higher education based on the triad of sustainable education and innovation, aiming to prepare students for future challenges. The red cluster emphasized the impact of artificial intelligence in higher education, focusing on student learning, efficiency, and sustainable performance. Finally, the literature analysis identified the main AI technologies in higher education and their relationship with the United Nations SDGs. The reflections presented here can contribute to expanding discussions on the relationship between artificial intelligence and sustainability in higher education. From a practical standpoint, it can serve as a foundation for university managers aiming to promote the integration of AI into their teaching processes, considering the context of sustainability.

Impact of Problem-Based Learning on the Perception, Understanding, and Application of Statistical Concepts in Business Administration and Management Students

We investigate the impact of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach supplemented by student-created videos on the teaching of Probability Calculation and Inference Statistics in Business Administration and Management Studies. To that aim, we analyse survey results gathered from a sample of students from the Business Administration and Management and Law-Business Administration and Management degrees at the University of Zaragoza who participated in the PBL experience, focusing on their perceptions, skill development, dynamics of collaboration, and communication with teachers and classmates. Additionally, a comparative study of their final grades is conducted, comparing them with that obtained by students who did not engage in PBL. Our findings reveal that PBL significantly enhances students’ understanding and motivation, along with their communication with teachers, particularly among repeating students, and teamwork skills, particularly among beginners. Furthermore, students participating in PBL activities tended to achieve significantly higher grades than their nonparticipating counterparts did. Moreover, our study contributes to the discourse on sustainable education by highlighting the potential of PBL as a pedagogical approach aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. By promoting active learning, collaborative problem solving, and communication skills, PBL fosters a culture of lifelong learning and empowers students to address real-world challenges in a sustainable manner. These findings have implications for educators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to promote sustainability in higher education through effective pedagogical practices.

A Multi-Project Evaluation of Engineering Students’ Performance for Online PBL: Taking the Sustainable Decision Analysis Course as an Example

In order to meet the growing demand for engineering professionals who can incorporate sustainable solutions into their work, sustainability courses have been launched in online problem-based learning (PBL) environments through various real-life projects. Nonetheless, the conventional one-off grading approach may fail to capture the intricate variations in students’ performance across different projects. To address this problem, a multi-project evaluation framework utilizing the probability exceedance method (PEM) is proposed, which can fuse linguistic evaluation data presented in probability distributions without the need to obtain weights of criteria. In the case study, a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of students majoring in engineering management is conducted within a study group over an online PBL course on sustainable decision analysis. The sensitivity analysis demonstrates that consistent scores can be achieved after assigning different values of fuzzy measures to each criterion. This study enables teachers to holistically evaluate students without being bound by rigid numerical standards or strict weighting schemes, thus allowing them to focus on other educational tasks while ensuring effective and reliable results. Moreover, it contributes to educational innovation by introducing a modern and comprehensive approach for engineering student assessment in online PBL, aligning with the evolving needs of educational sustainability in higher education.

Service-Learning as a niche innovation in higher education for sustainability

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a framework proposed by UNESCO to develop knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors in youth for sustainable development. As part of the global development agenda, higher educational institutions are expected to integrate ESD into their curricula. Service-Learning is a type of experiential learning in which students combine academic coursework with community service which is aligned with the learning objectives of their academic program. In light of the global trend, our paper investigates how universities are responding to this call through the introduction of Service-Learning programs. First, a comprehensive review of UN documents presents the background and structure of ESD. Second, a systematic review of the academic literature analyses how Service-Learning is being introduced in higher educational institutes. Key findings are that Service-Learning programs align with most of the UNESCO framework components, but higher education institutions are finding it challenging to implement them. Educators play a pivotal role in implementation, and unless they are trained and incentivized and this is systematized, not only Service-Learning but also ESD may fail to transform learning environments. Furthermore, there is a need for impact evaluation, particularly in terms of key sustainability competences. The three major challenges are insufficient educator capacity, funding, and educator attitudes. These challenges can be addressed through university-based projects addressing local problems that have a visible impact, as well as collaboration with local communities, other institutions and, social enterprises.

Science to practice – networked governance of sustainability transitions in an African university

PurposeThis paper aims to present insights on the governance of sustainability transitions in higher education in Africa. The authors interrogate the research literatures on the governance of socio-technical transitions in water, electricity, transport and waste management, and identify barriers and enabling factors that enhance transformative practices in universities.Design/methodology/approachThe analytical framework proposed in this paper combines the elements of governance network theory (GNT) and transition topology. The framework of this study is grounded in an actor-centric approach using GNT to understand networks conducive to sustainability transitions. Events and governance networks were mapped on a transition topology to visualise organisational and institutional changes over time. The study engaged students, management, academic and administrative staff in building a community of practice towards sustainability. This research is based on qualitative content analysis grounded in interview data, focus group discussions, workshops, webinars and secondary data analysis.FindingsThe findings show that the university has consolidated a sustainability vision and targets, but several factors prevent the community from achieving these targets, including hierarchical decision-making processes, a multitude of disjointed committees and fragmentation in the campus community.Originality/valueThis research adds to an emerging body of literature in the field of sustainability in higher education with two contributions. Firstly, the study presents a novel perspective(s) on the governance of sustainability transitions by combining the literatures on governance and sustainability transitions using a new methodological approach of transition topology to show organisational and institutional changes. Secondly, the study presents new empirical evidence for improving the governance of sustainability transitions in a diverse and highly unequal African university community in the process of (de)colonisation of knowledge and governance.

The significance of sustainability in higher education: a view to the curricular proposal at a Colombian University

Purpose This paper aims to identify how the faculties of a Colombian University have understood the concept of sustainability and the way they have embedded it into their training. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative research was done using documentary and content analysis which allowed researchers to recognize features correlated to sustainability which are needed to promote and act for social equity, ecological care and economic development. Findings It was found that most faculties at the university do not conceptualize it; ergo, courses are designed neither for promoting sustainability nor sustainable education. Besides this, almost no level of integration was identified among faculties on this topic. Research limitations/implications Many people agree education for sustainability is a key action to overcome the complex challenges the planet is facing; nevertheless, the prejudice that training to solve sustainability problems is an exclusive task of certain disciplines is common. This misunderstanding reduces the possibilities of pursuing a sustainable future, considering that these issues affect all humankind and that they can only be solved through interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Practical implications The paper also outlines some actions that Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) can take to consider sustainability issues, and they are as follows: identification of competencies to include in the curricula; recognition of the potential of integrating education for sustainable development (ESD) into the curricula by strengthening the competencies and capacities; strengthening the competencies and capacities of the academic staff through ESD training processes; articulation of research with the curricula in such a way that the results of research processes permeate the curricula. Social implications This study has some limitations. For instance, regarding the survey, the size of the sample may seem too small, a bigger sample will allow better information for the results. Regarding the case studies, a greater diversity of programs could have provided a wider range of results. Despite these limitations, for UPB, the study shows a snapshot of the literature review and the articulation of sustainable development and climate change education (CCE) in all programs the university has. The implications of this paper and research are the following. First, it reiterates the importance of having within the same institution a common language to talk about sustainability. Second, it recognizes the competencies and skills that should considered when implementing ESD and CCE in curricula. Originality/value This idea corresponds to a lack of debate about what the term signifies and means. It is believed that, as sustainability has been highly researched in the past two decades, it is a cross-cutting element in any faculty proposal; however, due to the complexity of the term, it is understood differently by each member of the same academic community, affecting their ability to design a systemic and systematic curriculum that enables to educate for sustainable goals.

Uncovering the Critical Drivers of Blockchain Sustainability in Higher Education Using a Deep Learning-Based Hybrid SEM-ANN Approach

Uncovering the Critical Drivers of Blockchain Sustainability in Higher Education Using a Deep Learning-Based Hybrid SEM-ANN Approach

Academia-Industry Linkages for Sustainable Innovation in Agriculture Higher Education in India

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the World Bank have collaborated on a project entitled the National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) to improve agricultural higher education in India, paving the way for sustainable higher education in agriculture. As part of this project, the present investigation was carried out through national-level workshops involving seven State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) across India, with participants from academia and industry, to strengthen ‘academia–industry collaboration’ through effective linkages. Based on the responses of 199 respondents from academia and industry, the study demonstrates an absolute need for linkages between universities and industries (p < 0.001), which are perceived to help improve higher education sustainably. Academic institutions believe that such linkages benefit students concerning their employability, entrepreneurial skills, and financial support received. At the same time, industries believe that they would benefit from novel technologies and influencing academic curricula. This article also establishes an alliance between some parts of academia and industry in the form of MoUs in the identified areas. However, many other areas need more appropriate linkage models. Both sectors, i.e., academia and industry, concur that such exposure and collaboration between the two entities will help to improve the quality of education. Moreover, such collaborations provide financial support, increase students’ employability, and improve their entrepreneurial skills. Among the areas requiring collaboration, the ‘capacity building of students’ was rated most important by academia and industry. Overall, the present study has significant implications for university administrators and industry leaders involved in enhancing academia–industry cooperation and improving the quality and sustainability of higher education in agriculture. Further, the study greatly contributes to the National Education Policy (NEP) to promote innovation among the student communities through Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Transition in Architecture Education? Exploring Socio-Technical Factors of Curricular Changes for a Sustainable Built Environment

Curricular changes in architecture can support to meet the increased demand for sustainability in higher education (HE). Identifying their associated factors is necessary to understand ongoing and future transitions in architecture education. Transition management (TM) frameworks have been frequently used to analyze structural changes in various institutions but have received little attention in architecture education. This study explores the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) as a case study, focusing on its architecture curricula within 32 years from 1990 to 2022, corresponding to multiple generations of academic careers. A multiple-level perspective (MLP) document analysis on curricular changes is conducted in three steps, drawing on a specific perspective on sustainability in architecture. First, generic characteristics that may influence curricular changes are identified from the literature. Second, shifts in the undergraduate curriculum of ETH Zurich are systematically mapped. Third, a classification of implemented curricular shifts results in seven nuanced variations in generic factors. These socio-technical factors involve the development and dissemination of new disciplinary (1) and interdisciplinary (2) approaches to a sustainable built environment (SBE), a relocation of the viewpoint on sustainability from physiology/hygiene to building physics (3), experimentation with inquiry-based learning in niches (4), extended spheres of influence in teaching (5), early committed intra-faculty opinion leaders (6), and the formation of educational networks (7). The proposed approach based on longitudinal curriculum mapping offers a way to locate structural curricular changes, identify hidden educational trends, and inform institutional changes.