Author(s): Hend S. H. Hassan, Marwa A. Abdelkader, Ahmed A. M. Abdelkader
The purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding of the challenges facing the implementation of sustainability in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), with special interest in developing economies and the Middle Eastern context. In terms of the study’s methodology, we follow an exploratory literature review approach where relevant publications on the issue of sustainability challenges in Higher Education have been thoroughly reviewed and relevant data are extracted from each paper contributing to answer the research question about the challenges facing HEIs in adopting sustainability. More than 150 studies on sustainable HEIs have been identified and scanned to assess their relevance. Those found to relate to the issue of sustainability challenges were read and analysed. The final number of studies used for our literature review is 46. Several challenges emerge from the literature review analysis. Most importantly is the absence of organisational culture that embraces and promotes sustainability among the members of the HEI. Other challenges include the lack of a unified conceptualisation of sustainability, the lack of a universal audit and reporting system to monitor the implementation of sustainability, and the scarcity of resources to encourage sustainable orientation. We have identified 55 different challenges, and categorised them in 3 main categories/dimensions, namely, Holistic/ epistemological challenges, Administrative, funding, and assessment challenges, and Campus, Faculty, Curriculum & Research challenges. Corresponding remedies for each category are presented based on literature suggestions.
This study is limited by its context, that is the literature of sustainability in HEIs and the perceived challenges and obstacles facing sustainability adoption. Future research needs to take advantage of the limitations of our research and to empirically investigate hypotheses/propositions by qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methodologies. Future studies could focus on developing theoretical frameworks for assessing and evaluating implementation of sustainability orientation in HEIs. Additionally, propositions to overcome the challenges facing HEIs in their endeavours to adopt sustainable operations and suggesting solutions and remedies to those challenges are of particular interest to academics and practitioners alike. The challenges facing HEIs in becoming sustainable received little attention, especially in Emerging Economies and the middle eastern region. This scarcity of studies provides an opportunity for valuable contribution to relevant literature.