Sustainability In Higher Education Institutions Research Articles

Promoting sustainability in higher education institutions: findings from a university in Brazil

Promoting sustainability in higher education institutions: findings from a university in Brazil

Sustainability of Higher Education Institutions and Sustainable Leadership of Higher Education Teachers: A Literature Review-Based Exploration

Sustainability of Higher Education Institutions and Sustainable Leadership of Higher Education Teachers: A Literature Review-Based Exploration

ESG in the Internationalization of Higher Education Institutions

Purpose: The phenomenon of sustainability studies in the Economic, Social and Governance (ESG) dimensions has been developing in the literature, as well as that of the Internationalization of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), demanding practices to enhance actions that add healthy values to society. Based on this provocation, the objective of this research was to develop instruments capable of evaluating how HEIs incorporate the ESG principle in their internationalization initiatives.   Theoretical Framework: For the development of the research we used ESG and its criteria (environmental, social and governance), relevant perspectives for sustainability in HEIs and internationalization of HEIs.   Method: This research is based on a qualitative approach with an exploratory framework, with support from the databases Periódicos Capes, EbscoHost and Spell.org.br.   Results and Discussion: The research discussed the literature to support the construction of two collection instruments: a structured interview script and a questionnaire, both modeled for application to professors or staff responsible for internationalization projects or initiatives in their respective HEIs.   Research Implications: It is expected that the aforementioned research products can be used to support future research on ESG principles applied to higher education internationalization initiatives.   Originality and Value: The research innovates in the articulation of two important themes (ESG and Internationalization of HEIs) and delivers two products for qualitative and quantitative research.

Factors affecting the retention of millennial academics

Orientation: South African higher education institutions (HEIs) face significant challenges in attracting and retaining younger-generation academics. This results in a critical shortage of a talented pool of scholars required for succession and the sustainability of HEIs over the longer term.Research purpose: This study aimed to explore the factors affecting the retention of millennial academics in South Africa.Motivation for the study: The retention of millennial academics is essential to the success of HEIs. Research on the factors affecting the retention of this cohort of academics is scarce despite their growing importance in sustainable HEI practice.Research approach/design and method: The study adopted a cross-sectional qualitative research approach using semi-structured interviews to collect the data. The sample included 14 millennial academics representing various public HEIs in South Africa. Thematic analyses were applied to analyse the data.Main findings: The findings showed that five factors should be considered to retain millennial academics: career and growth opportunities, work environment, rewards, leadership and work–life balance.Practical/managerial implications: The study concluded that an integrated talent retention strategy should be developed that, at a minimum include opportunities for career development, employee growth, healthy employee–employer relationships, employee support and market-related compensation to retain millennial academics.Contribution/value-add: This research contributes to the limited knowledge of the factors affecting the retention of millennial academics.

Fostering a Whole-Institution Approach to Sustainability through Systems Thinking: An Analysis of the State-of-the-Art in Sustainability Integration in Higher Education Institutions

Policy initiatives from the United Nations and EU institutions have emphasized the need for higher education institutions (HEIs) to fulfil a significant role in green transitioning. However, they tend to fall short of the achievement of this objective. Multiple studies indicate that HEIs assign high importance to the integration of environmental sustainability on a strategic level but generally lack dedicated policies of integration in operational aspects. This paper’s research aim is to provide a meta-study that reviews, analyzes, and assesses the state of the art on research on HEI sustainability. The paper also contributes to the state-of-the-art by mapping institutional sustainability self-assessment models, tools, and guidelines in four prominent research areas: (1) sustainability integration in educational activities, pedagogical perspectives, and systemic transformations; (2) benchmarking sustainability of organizational transformation and operational optimization, and links between developmental priorities and educational settings; (3) whole-system approaches focusing on the design and implementation of whole-institution sustainability plans; and (4) HEI sustainability culture and operations. The paper’s final contribution is the presentation of best practices and emerging trends in the literature. These practices were selected on the following qualitative methodological criteria based on the systems-thinking approach to whole-institution assessment: (1) the effectiveness of self-assessment models, tools, and guidelines in each respective research area; (2) the degree of integration of systems thinking and/or modeling; and (3) the incorporation of qualitative indicators for stakeholder engagement.

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

Sustainability teaching in higher education: assessing arts and design faculty perceptions and attitudes

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions and attitudes of arts and design faculty on teaching sustainability in higher education institutions in the USA. Design/methodology/approach Arts and design faculty from nine universities in the USA were approached for the study, using both closed and open-ended questions in a survey instrument. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze the collected data. Findings Results related to arts and design faculty’s perception of sustainability showed high confidence in teaching sustainability but lower confidence in inspiring students to take action on sustainability issues. Faculty also perceived time, resources, knowledge and support as barriers to the integration of the topic into the curriculum. This study revealed that the faculty’s attitude toward sustainability demonstrated their recognition that sustainability should be at the core of their discipline and that they support its integration into courses. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to arts and design faculty in higher education institutions in the USA. The results may not be generalizable to other fields or locations. In addition, the use of self-reported data may be subject to bias. Practical implications The findings of this study can inform the development of curriculum and pedagogy in arts and design sustainability education. It can also guide institutions in addressing the challenges and barriers related to incorporating sustainability into their curriculum. Social implications Prioritizing sustainability education is crucial in addressing global climate change and related issues. Art and design educators’ perspectives on teaching sustainability can contribute to constructing a sustainable future for everyone. Originality/value This study provides insight into the perception and attitude of sustainability among arts and design faculty in higher education in the USA and highlights areas for improvement such as training and resources to better integrate sustainability into the curriculum.

A Roadmap for European Universities Policy Recommendation to Achieve HEI Sustainability: The Case of INVEST EU Alliance

The European Union (EU) has emphasized the value of higher education, research, and innovation as engines for the continued socioeconomic and cultural advancement of Europe on several occasions. The European Universities Initiative (EUI), one of the most recent policy initiatives by the European Commission (EC) aims at advancing this agenda, via transnational collaborations of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to find new strategies for fostering European scientific excellence. This effort provides an administrative answer to the goals of European policy in terms of higher education, research, and innovation. This paper analyzes the potential benefits and risks the EUI alliances might face along four dimensions: their internal coordination, their methods of resolving conflicts, the commitment of member universities, and the cultural characteristics of the alliances. It is based on interviews with individuals holding key leadership and management roles in five member universities. We provide the case of INVEST EUI alliance as a complete case study for all the governmental, educational, structural, and financial challenges faced to draw a roadmap that can be used as policy recommendation for EU.

Board characteristics and sustainability in higher education institutions: The case of the United Kingdom

AbstractWe explored the relationship between board characteristics and sustainability of higher education institutions in the United Kingdom (UK). We analysed 153 UK universities using data for the year 2019. Our analysis revealed that board size, the number of students on the board, and the number of academic members on the board were found to have significant and positive relationships with sustainability. Also, the composition of the sustainability committee was shown to have a significant and positive impact on sustainability score. However, the relationships between board gender diversity, the number of external members on the board, and the number of board meetings held during the year with sustainability score were not significant. The results provide guidance to universities for developing their sustainability practices.

Modeling the Strategic Enablers of Financial Sustainability in Saudi Higher Education Institutions Using an Integrated Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory–Interpretive Structural Modeling Approach

Ensuring financial sustainability is paramount for higher education institutions (HEIs) to maintain financial viability and accomplish their strategic objectives by efficiently managing and utilizing resources. Studying strategic enablers’ interconnections and influences on each other is essential to forming a profound understanding and guiding the execution of initiatives linked to achieving financial sustainability plans. The main objective of this research study is to construct a model and analyze the strategic enablers of financial sustainability in HEIs and their associated dimensions. An integrated modeling approach was followed based on the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) methods. Input data collected from experts with specialist experience in financial sustainability in HEIs were used in the modeling. The overarching finding is that starting with the development of regulations and legislation-related systems leads to good governance practices, enabling the achievement of financial sustainability in HEIs. The developed model unpacks the complex relationships among the enablers and their dimensions. It reveals their cause-and-effect relationship classifications, ranks based on relative importance weights, dependence and driving powers classifications, relationship directions, and interpretive structure. It provides an overarching view of the interconnected network that acts as a roadmap to achieving financial sustainability in HEIs.

Enhancing a Quality Teaching and Learning Environment in Large Classes in South African Universities: a Theoretical Exposition

The perpetual increase in students’ enrolment in higher education institutions, worldwide, has recently emerged as a key concern for both students, educators, parents, policy makers and educational policy analysts alike. This phenomenon has been borne out of a global trend of massification of higher education as many countries begin to consider the importance of education and skills development in economic growth and social development. On the other hand, it has been triggered by the perceived pattern of commodification of higher education services in which student intake and teaching outputs are intricately linked to the financial sustainability of higher education institutions. In this paper, a critical examination of literature pertaining to Large Class Pedagogy and Learning Theories is undertaken with a view to determine how one could teach and ensure quality learning in large classes within a South African higher education context. Anchored within a critical qualitative frame of analysis, the assessment draws from existing literature on Large Class Pedagogy (LCP), learning theories, teaching approaches and learning styles to provide a conceptual lens in which the challenges associated with large class environments can be mitigated to offer an educational experience of acceptable quality. The paper provides a synthesis of pertinent issues that have arose in the critical examination of LCP and appropriate Learning Theories in a developing country context as that of South Africa. It appears that government funding to higher education institutions should be increased through adoption of large class size reduction policies, equitable allocation of resources to faculties and academic departments by universities, rigorous assessment of staff-student ratios and infrastructure when new academic programs are introduced, monitoring of adherence to approved yearly student enrolment targets in academic programme, adoption of collaborative learning methods by academic staff in which self-directed learning styles in students are encouraged and supported, optimal use of educational technologies through systematic integration of digitization in the learning and teaching environment, enhanced administrative psycho-social support to students and lecturers are some of the macro, mesa and micro level strategies required to enhance quality teaching and learning with increasing class sizes.

Measuring Commitment to Sustainability: Proposal of Performance Indicators for a Public University in Northeast Brazil

Objective: This study discusses sustainability indicators for HEIs and presents a proposal for a set of indicators for a public University in the Brazilian Northeast.   Theoretical framework: The assessment of sustainability in higher education institutions (HEIs) has been the subject of scientific discussions over the last few years, as just the application of strategies that promote sustainability is not enough to affirm that the institution is sustainable or not. This study includes assessment instruments already consolidated in the literature and the importance of environmentalizing universities.   Method: The study employs a methodological approach that proposes and validates sustainability indicators for the university studied, totaling 171 indicators in 11 categories.   Results: Based on the assessment instruments identified in the literature, 171 indicators distributed in 11 categories were proposed and validated, which can form a sustainability assessment instrument for the university in this study. Most of the indicators identified were considered compatible and applicable to the reality of this university institution.   Implications of the research: The study highlights the need to expand sustainability assessment practices in HEIs, pointing to the importance of sustainability reports as a way of communicating socio-environmental commitment.   Originality/value: The research fills a gap by proposing specific sustainability indicators for a public university in the Northeast of Brazil, contributing to the construction of a contextualized assessment instrument for the institution. Furthermore, it highlights the scarcity of studies on sustainability assessment in universities, especially in the Brazilian context.

Sustainable practices in education

The adoption of Virtual Labs (VLs) as a pedagogical tool in higher education is rapidly increasing, especially with the recent shift towards remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. VLs offer a digital alternative to traditional laboratory settings, employing computer graphics, simulations, and interactive models to create immersive and interactive learning experiences. While the pedagogical benefits of VLs are well-established, their potential contribution to sustainability within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) remains ambiguous. This paper aims to address this ambiguity by conducting a literature review to examine the sustainability implications of adopting VLs in HEIs. This literature review reveals that VLs have the potential to enhance sustainability in HEIs across multiple dimensions. However, the literature highlights challenges and limitations associated with implementing VLs despite the positive indications. These include issues related to usability, technical challenges, and the potential costs associated with the adoption of VLs. This literature review suggests the need for further research on the adoption of VLs in HEIs, specifically in relation to achieving the SDGs. It emphasises the importance of considering pedagogical aspects and implementing innovative teaching practices to maximise the long-term effectiveness of VLs. By shedding light on the intersection of VLs and sustainability in HEIs, this research contributes to a broader understanding of how adoption of VLs, can foster a stronger connection between people, the environment, and pedagogy, creating the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future of education.

Organizational Learning Towards Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions: A Brazilian Case Study

Universities should be dedicated to providing an education that fosters social transformation by interrelating the environmental, social, and economic dimensions. This article asserts that a truly sustainable university extends beyond merely “greening” the campus—it emphasizes sustainability across all core processes, be it in education, management, research, or community relations. The primary aim of this study is to delve into organizational learning and sustainable management processes, drawing inspiration from the I3E model introduced by Cebrian (2016). A qualitative case study was undertaken at a Brazilian federal university listed in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings to achieve this. The research thoroughly examined institutional documents and interviews with managerial staff to discern strategic decisions, sustainable initiatives, and best practices. The findings suggest that the journey towards learning for sustainability is riddled with challenges, such as a paucity of commitment, communication gaps, ineffective leadership, distrust within the institution, limited funding, conflicting interests among various groups and individuals, and the burden of rigid bureaucratic protocols. However, facilitating factors have also been identified, including reshaping pre-existing mental models, a genuine interest in learning, and a conducive organizational framework. This research enriches the existing discourse on sustainability and organizational learning and offers a comprehensive and interconnected perspective on these topics. Additionally, it delivers valuable insights for academic administrators aspiring to craft a blueprint for a sustainable university. It does so by addressing overarching challenges and placing the components of the institutional management model in context, thereby offering direction for sustainable core processes in areas such as teaching, research, outreach, and management.

Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions: Theoretical Management of the Carbon Footprint at UNESUM

Higher education institutions (HEI) play a fundamental role, potentially generating positive and negative social and environmental impacts. The quantification of environmental indicators such as the carbon footprint (CF) within HEI allows for evaluation of the negative impact generated. In turn, the pertinent management of the CF permits valuing the environmental position of the HEI according to its level of resources consumption and generation of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. The objective of this study was to estimate the CF of the Universidad Estatal del Sur de Manabí (UNESUM) and to propose an integrating approach that affirms its environmental commitment to move toward being a sustainable campus. Several authors have identified that the activities of HEI and their infrastructure are essential points in management and sustainability. In this context, the integration of an environmental management system (EMS) and the green building initiative are two approaches with great potential for fulfilling the second stated objective.
 Keywords: carbon footprint (CF), greenhouse gases (GHG), climate crisis, sustainability, mitigation.
 Resumen 
 Las Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) juegan un papel fundamental siendo potencialmente generadoras de impactos sociales y ambientales positivos y negativos. La cuantificación de indicadores ambientales como la Huella de Carbono (HC) dentro de las IES permite evaluar el impacto negativo generado; a su vez, la gestión pertinente de la HC admite valorar la posición medioambiental de la IES respecto a su nivel de consumo de recursos y generación de emisiones de Gases de Efecto Invernadero (GEI). El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar la HC de la Universidad Estatal del Sur de Manabí (UNESUM) y plantear un enfoque integrador que permita afirmar su compromiso medioambiental para encaminarse a ser un campus sustentable. Varios autores han identificado que las actividades de las IES y su infraestructura son puntos esenciales en la gestión y sostenibilidad. Bajo ese contexto, la integración de un Sistema de Gestión Ambiental (SGA) y la iniciativa de construcción ecológica son dos enfoques con un gran potencial para el cumplimiento del segundo objetivo planteado.
 Palabras Clave: Huella de Carbono (HC), Gases de Efecto Invernadero (GEI), crisis climática, sostenibilidad, mitigación.

Modification of strategic planning tools for planning financial sustainability in ‎higher education institutions

Achieving financial sustainability is a critical challenge for Public higher education institutions ‎worldwide. This study aims to provide modified strategic planning tools for planning financial ‎sustainability in higher education institutions. The paper employs modified forms of three ‎strategic planning tools: a strategy map (SM), the balanced scorecard (BSC), and business-‎model-canvas (BMC), which were applied to support the analysis of planning financial ‎sustainability at King Abdulaziz University (KAU). These tools enhance the planning process ‎and contribute to the outcomes. The paper also draws a roadmap of key milestones for ‎financial sustainability at the university by identifying sources and indicators of the university's ‎financial capacity. This paper contributes to the literature on financial sustainability in higher ‎education institutions and offers novel insights for other universities that seek to adopt similar ‎plans. Furthermore, four recommendations are suggested to boost business development and ‎connect with the university investment network. These recommendations involve investing in ‎competent human resources, increasing financial assets, and utilizing technical capabilities. ‎Further research includes examining the applicability of this novel approach in other contexts ‎and identifying potential challenges and limitations of implementing and achieving financial ‎sustainability.

Empowering Non-Academic Staff for the Implementation of Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions

Sustainability within higher education institutions (HEIs) is a well-established topic in the literature. Many fields of education for sustainable development have been explored, mainly focused on HEI students, as well as on academic staff. The technical, administrative, and management staff, referred to as non-academic staff has not received as much attention as the remaining HEI community, which leaves a gap in the successful implementation of sustainability practices and policies, as they play a vital and central role in the HEIs’ everyday functioning. Hence, the EUSTEPs project launched two sustainability training courses dedicated exclusively to this segment of the university community, aiming to increase their knowledge on facts and tools for the best sustainability transition. The first short-term online training, organized by the University of Aveiro and Universidade Aberta, Portugal, was run in May 2021. The training targeted 27 non-academic staff from different sectors. The second online training course was implemented one year later and involved 17 elements from the previous training. The results showed very high levels of overall satisfaction and full achievement of the participants’ expectations in sustainability issues. The non-academic staff learned and discussed the human–environment relationship, tracked and discussed their personal ecological footprint in the workspace, actively participated on how to run the university ecological footprint calculator, developed within the EUSTEPs project, and felt mobilized to implement actions to reduce their university’s environmental impacts (as well as in their general daily activities). Similar training programs can be used to empower non-academic staff for the implementation of sustainability in other higher education institutions, hence contributing to a successful integrated sustainability approach for the whole school.

Identification of Sustainability Barriers in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the Role of Technology in Improving Sustainability in HEIs

Sustainability and sustainable development are topics of concern for dealing with complex global socioeconomic and environmental issues. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are considered to be crucial in helping the world address these issues. However, certain factors hinder the successful implementation of sustainability initiatives and moves towards sustainable development. This paper aims to identify the barriers that hamper the effective implementation of sustainability in HEIs. It also analyses how the integration of e-learning facilitated by new digital technologies could help improve sustainability in all aspects of education within HEIs. A review of extant literature revealed that the major hindrances to sustainability in HEIs are the complexity of sustainability, lack of support from top management, lack of financial resources and public apathy. However, HEIs can move forward by seizing opportunities brought by the new digital technologies that disseminate knowledge about sustainability and to achieve sustainable development.

Transforming Higher Education: A conceptual model for fostering career adaptability and mitigating turnover intention among Early Career Academicians (ECA)

Turnover intention among early-career academicians (ECA) can have detrimental impacts on the sustainability of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Hence, it is essential to investigate why ECA might devise a concrete plan to quit. Career adaptability is a critical determinant in minimising turnover intention as it may influence the ECA decision to remain in the organisation. However, career adaptability serves as two-edged swords as the literature has mixed findings. Drawing on the Conservation of Resource Theory (COR), this paper aims to reconcile the findings and unveil the link between career adaptability towards turnover intention mediated by work engagement.

A Novel Hybrid Approach for Prioritizing Investment Initiatives to Achieve Financial Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions Using MEREC-G and RATMI

Financial sustainability is a crucial challenge for higher education institutions due to various challenges and constraints. This necessitates determining their investment priorities accurately based on multiple criteria to ensure a sustainable income. This study puts forward a novel, hybrid approach for prioritizing the financial sustainability plan investment initiatives in higher education institutions using an updated method for the removal effects of criteria with a geometric mean (MEREC-G) and ranking the alternatives based on the trace-to-median index (RATMI) techniques. The developed approach is applied to the strategic financial sustainability plan investment initiatives at King Abdulaziz University (KAU). The study’s results prioritized the investment initiatives based on quantitative and qualitative criteria with different weights. Results also revealed the potential initiatives that can be considered quick-winning initiatives. Furthermore, results determined one high-potential initiative for each of KAU’s financial sustainability plan pillars. Based on the results, the study recommended four steps that assist KAU in ranking the initiatives effectively. Implications of the novel approach include assisting decision makers in higher education institutions to evaluate investment initiative priorities based on objective and subjective criteria to ensure the financial sustainability of their institutions.