scholarly journals Sustainability Leadership in Higher Education Institutions: An Overview of Challenges

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 3761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Leal Filho ◽  
João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio ◽  
Adriana Cristina Ferreira Caldana ◽  
Markus Will ◽  
Amanda Lange Salvia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Gender Issues ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Sustainable Procurement ◽  
Curriculum Adaptation ◽  
Sustainability Leadership

Sustainability leadership entails the processes, which leaders, policymakers, and academics undertake in order to implement sustainable development policies and other initiatives within their organizations. It encompasses approaches, methods, and systemic solutions to solve problems and drive institutional policy towards a more sustainable organization. Higher Education Institutions (HEI) play a particularly important role, especially with regard to their institutional leadership role in promoting sustainable development. There is a paucity of research focusing on sustainability leadership in universities. In order to address this gap, this paper discussed the concept of sustainability leadership based on literature and empirical insights. The study aimed to understand the main characteristics of sustainability leaders at HEI and the main challenges they are confronted with. Secondary research questions involved gender issues and positive outcomes of sustainability leadership. The empirical component of the study consisted of an online-questionnaire survey performed among leaders (n = 50) from a set of universities in 29 countries. The sampling scheme was purposive, based on the membership in the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Program (IUSDRP). The study was explorative in nature, and the descriptive statistics were used for the analysis. Due to the purposive sampling, the participants from top management positions could be considered as experienced, and their views were assumed to be information-rich. With a self-evaluation, the respondents described their leadership style and their usual traits, with inclusive style and systemic thinking being predominant in the sample. Regarding the skills, the respondents selected the ability to innovate, to think long-term, and to manage complexity from a pre-defined set of options. Connectedness with interdisciplinarity and knowledge about organizational settings, as well as global challenges and dilemmas, were stated as important issues related to the knowledge required for being a leader. Regarding requirements for a change towards more sustainable universities’ curriculum adaptation, investments in education for sustainable development (ESD), sustainable procurement, and reporting were mentioned. The study also revealed that gender issues were taken seriously among the sampled institutions, which is an encouraging trend. Challenges seen in implementing sustainability leadership are, for instance, a lack of interest by the university administration and among some members of the academic community, as well as lack of expertise and materials or resources. Based on the empirical insights, a set of measures were listed and which may be adopted in the future, so as to allow leaders of Higher Education Institutions to enhance their sustainability performance.

scholarly journals The (Un)Sustainability of Higher Education Institutions in Jordan

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumaya bint El Hassan ◽  
Kyle E. Cordova ◽  
Ghaith Rabadi ◽  
Wejdan Abu Elhaija
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
The State ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Building Process ◽  
Academic Practices ◽  
Globalized World

Higher education in Jordan has been tied closely to the state-building process in the century since the modern Hashemite state's foundation in 1921, with its explicit purpose being to educate and train high volumes of students who are competent and capable to serve as contributors to the state's development. Though this purpose has largely been successful to date, it is becoming increasingly clear that more is needed than simply issuing degrees. In an increasingly globalized world, it is necessary to educate those who can contribute to future research arenas and labor markets over which a single state has limited control. Within this perspective, we detail the evolved societal position that higher education institutions in Jordan occupy and how that position has made such institutions a liability in the nation's continued sustainable development. It is important to emphasize that we do not address here classical sustainability issues, but rather focus on more fundamental and culturally-relevant issues pertaining to the survivability of universities in Jordan upon which more global sustainability views and solutions can be predicated. Specifically, we outline the unsustainability of impersonal, inefficient and ineffective infrastructure, centralization of policies and academic practices, lack of autonomy and/or self-governance, considerable financial dependence on the state, and a general hesitation for higher education institutions to seek boldly societal and economic impact beyond the simple production of graduates. To counter this unsustainability, we propose a three-pronged approach that can help catalyze the re-imagining of Jordan's higher education institutions so that they become maximally effective contributors to the state's future sustainable development. Our proposed approach is based on (i) internally decentralizing higher education institutions to enable greater autonomy and academic freedom, (ii) re-purposing these institutions to become more student-centric, and (iii) embracing diversity and academic community recognition. Finally, it is the intention of this perspective to highlight not only those challenges facing higher education institutions in Jordan, but also to present clearly the necessary and practical steps that institutions themselves may take immediately to ensure their relevance in, and impact on, modern society.

scholarly journals Semi-Systematic Literature Review on Sustainability and Sustainable Development in Higher Education Institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7683
Author(s):  
Amila Omazic ◽  
Bernd Markus Zunk
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Research Themes ◽  
Development Goals

Public sector organizations, primarily higher education institutions (HEIs), are facing greater levels of responsibility since adopting and committing to the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development (SD) and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). HEIs are expected to provide guidance for various stakeholders on this matter, but also to implement this agenda and the SDGs in their institutions. Although the role of these organizations has been recognized, the fields and issues that HEIs should address on their path towards sustainability and SD are still unclear. To provide further clarity, a semi-systematic literature review on sustainability and SD in HEIs was conducted to identify both the key concepts and main research themes that represent sustainability and SD in HEIs and to identify research gaps. This review increases our knowledge of this topic and enhances our understanding of sustainability and SD in the context of HEIs.

scholarly journals Conceptual Framework for Teaching Sustainable Development Course in Blended Learning Environment

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-23
Author(s):  
Tilagavati Subramaniam ◽  
Muthu Alagan Thangavelu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Framework For Teaching

Purposes: This paper presents a conceptual framework for teaching sustainable development courses in an online learning environment in institutions of higher education.  Sustainability development courses are becoming essential in higher education institutions mainly to educate the younger generations who will be part of the community to make it happen. Higher education institutions are experiencing dramatic shift to cater a young generation of prospective students, to integrate technical innovations in teaching practices and to concentrate on increasing concerns about global sustainability issues. There has been little research to promote an innovative learning in the teaching of sustainable development. The goal of this paper was to create a framework for teaching sustainable development in a virtual learning environment (blended learning) due to the lack of a conceptual framework that could direct this implementation. Findings: Hence, the blended learning method is eco-friendly, whereby protects global environmental resources. For hands-on experiences, students will develop projects to make their campus and community more sustainable. In the process, students learn how to analyse sustainability and able to apply online learning knowledge into practice. Implication: The conceptual framework proposed will support all educators in higher education institutions engaged in the promotion of quality online education in this pandemic circumstance to develop an effective online practise that are aligned with the corresponding learning needs, skills and facilities.

scholarly journals Education and Sustainable development: interplay and implications

2020 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. 09010
Author(s):  
Ansgar Belke ◽  
Andrei Zenkov ◽  
Larisa Sazanova
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Development Goals

Universities and other Higher education institutions are more than ever on the cusp of disruptive and radical changes while struggling to keep their traditional remit from falling entirely into the hands of managers and accountants. This paper examines the role of (higher) education in achieving sustainable development goals and addresses the important changes facing higher education from multiple perspectives and divergent cultural viewpoints.

scholarly journals Mobile Learning Readiness Among Students Of Maldives Higher Education Institutions

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-116
Author(s):  
Fathimath Mumthaz
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Mobile Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Cluster Sampling ◽  
Online Questionnaire

Mobile learning and connecting development and trends are widely discussed globally. Literature evidences exist confirming mobile learning and its impact on higher education. Mobile learning opportunities can be one option for higher education institutions to reach a dispersed population of the Maldives. Although readiness of mobile learning has been analysed in several counties and contexts, this contributes as the first research on this subject in the Maldives. Therefore this article is intended to find out students' readiness for mobile learning (mLearning) in the higher education institutes of Maldives. Basic readiness and mobile usage readiness of students from three different higher education institutions contributed to the research. A total of 343 institutional students enrolled in flexible delivery programs responded to the online questionnaire survey. Considering the level of programs, cluster sampling technique was used in shaping the sample of the research. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and SPSS to interpret the findings on student readiness for mobile learning. The findings indicated that the students were confident in using mobile and other mobile devices in daily activities. Also, findings indicated that majority of students were confident with the basic and advanced mobile skills of mobile learning.

scholarly journals Sustainable Development and Higher Education: Acting with a Purpose

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 3831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Finnveden ◽  
Newman ◽  
Verhoef
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Sustainable Society ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
The Future

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have a unique role and responsibility for the future and for driving the development of a sustainable society [...]

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