DOI

Summary
This study is concerned with the attitudes and practices related to the integration of social responsibility and sustainability initiatives at higher education institutions (HEIs). The requirement of HEIs to integrate sustainability concepts and thinking in tandem with other teachings of social responsibility (SR). The primary implication of this paper is the deliverance of valuable insights into how HEIs can improve on the awareness and misconception of relevant agendas. The aim of the study was to integrate SR and sustainability initiatives relevant to HEIs in terms of three elements: practices and principles, scope of responsibility and scale of involvement, and potential barriers and organisational structural conditions. Filho et al. implement the use of survey to gain information on perception and understanding of the level to which SR and sustainability principles are present in HEIs. The three elements mentioned above are the aim for data extraction. The survey targeted two university comprising of 3000 students.

The questions are detailed under section 4 – Practices and principles (Q1 – Q3).

All tables contain 1-10b contain the various question results and graphical analysis of survey responses followed by discussion of the results and final conclusions.

 

Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
This study is relevant to the teaching of higher education institutions and their application of social responsibility and sustainability principles.

The paper contributes to the topic of sustainability education in higher education institution settings by: (1) delivering fresh insights into everyday social responsibility or sustainability in HEIs, (2) the findings provide understanding as to the level of engagement of staff and other key HEI stakeholders, and (3) provides insight into participant perceptions to barriers and drivers to effectively implement SR and sustainability.  

The relevant findings of the study show that:

Social factors (stakeholder, community, social) receive higher scores that ‘environmental’ considerations.
There is still a predominant emphasis on economic framings and decision making within HEIs at the cost of other factors. Thus, economic framings and considerations are generally perceived as more significant in decision making than other elements including SR and sustainability.
Further, HEIs are perceived as prioritising social factors, especially external stakeholder/community interests, above environmental considerations, both in principle and practice.
Survey participants were found to think that’s social responsibility has progressed further than sustainability along the integration journey.
Survey participants were less concerned with ‘clarity of the meaning of social responsibility’ and ‘sustainability’ and more concerned about ‘misinformation about social responsibility or sustainability’ and lack of awareness of how to integrate social responsibility and sustainability’.

These findings may be valuable for the consideration of reimagining higher education curriculum for sustainable development and complex systems.

The low rating of environmental impacts and considerations may be a result of HEIs failing to correctly distinguish between economic benefits and environmental awareness/stewardship and environmental ethics.

Point of Strength
This study is highly detailed in its approach to assessing perceptions social responsibility and sustainability in HEIs. The method of survey and analysis may be a valuable source for replication for a similar study. The aim and findings align with the needs of the COSY project quite well, although it does not suggest or discuss particular teaching methods or learning activities but does detail the shortcomings of HEI curriculum in terms of covering and developing awareness of ‘environmental’ stewardship, SR, and sustainability thinking.