Editorial: Policies and Practices for Sustainability Transformation in Higher Education Institutions

Vasiliki Kioupi^1*Rosario Michel-Villarreal¹George Giannopoulos²Felister Nzuve³Naoya Abe⁴

• ¹University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
• ²University College London, London, United Kingdom
• ³University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
• ⁴Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

The first, is a bibliometric review on ESD by Umar et al. (2024) that highlighted a concentration of research from Europe and the USA, with limited representation from Asia. Most studies focus on curricula, campus operations, and educational practices, but few conceptualise HEIs as entities with measurable sustainability performance. Limited attention is given to leadership, change management and green human resource management. Additionally, much of the literature focuses on reported practices and intentions rather than evaluating outcomes or long-term impacts.The second study by Sanchez et al. (2025), is a systematic literature review that was conducted to clarify the terms environmental (EL) and sustainability literacy (SL) and their links with ESD and Environmental Education. They found that SL is a more complex concept compared to EL that encompasses social, environmental and economic dimensions and is less well integrated into HE. In addition, SL is strongly associated with positive ESD outcomes and is suggested as a curriculum design, learning outcomes selection and ESD impact evaluation framework.Another stream of papers focused on the two-way link between values and higher education policies and practices. In the study by Wei and Chen (2024), the effect of higher education policies on value systems like policy goals, policy instruments and their effectiveness, showed that policy objectives in China were categorized based on ideology, education, research and technology, and culture. Proper education policies enhance ESD through promotion of green and low carbon education and ecological civilization, while integrating science and innovation. Through a goal-tool-effect qualitative approach, the concept of sustainable development among students and their value system based on creative thinking and problem solving for innovation and adaptation was investigated. 2025) investigated six HEIs in Pakistan and found that faculty members' environmental consciousness and biospheric values significantly influence proenvironmental attitudes. Social influence increases the link between biospheric values and pro-environmental attitudes. This has implications for policy and practice in HE in that HEIs should cultivate a culture of biospheric values and through dedicated "green teams" to spread these values across the academic body. This will then enable academics integrate these values in curriculum design and educational practice and influence the formation of pro-environmental behaviours across the university.Similarly, Bravo et al. ( 2025) explored factors influencing environmental sustainability in a Peruvian HEI. Their Structural Equation Modelling revealed that a pro-environmental culture is the most significant driver of sustainability, while document management and service satisfaction play supporting roles. The study highlights the need for HEIs to foster environmental values, invest in digital infrastructure and commit to sustainability to lead in advancing the SDGs.Two studies focused on the perceptions of educators and students on ESD integration in HE. Annelin and Boström (2024) emphasized educators' need for cross-disciplinary collaboration to address complex sustainability challenges. A student-centred, transdisciplinary approach is seen as essential for meaningful learning. They also highlighted the importance of values-based education and intrapersonal reflection that supports personal growth. They offered a sustainability competences support framework that can help HE educators integrate ESD into their teaching and help increase the impact of their educational programmes.The study by Abdullahi et al. (2024) sought to explore how ESD influences university students in Somalia for long term ESD. The questionnaire reported a positive perception of students towards sustainable development through awareness of the effect of environmental challenges like loss of biodiversity and its impact on the planet. The study reported the use of eco-friendly options for ethical consumption and businesses supporting environmental stewardship in Somalia.Lastly, three papers report findings on specific approaches for ESD implementation pedagogies and student behaviours related to air travel. López-Santiago et al., (2024) explore the impact of Service-Learning Projects (SLPs) on engineering students' self-perceived development of soft skills relevant to sustainability. While causality cannot be confirmed, results show significant positive associations between SLP participation and improvements in competencies such as creativity, confidence, and collaboration. Rooted in experiential learning theory, SLPs enabled students to apply academic knowledge to real-world environmental challenges in rural communities. Similarly, Shen et al. (2025) examined the incorporation of biodiverse school practices into education curricula at Universities in Taiwan and Malaysia. Their cross-institutional research highlights how experiential and place-based learning can promote student engagement with biodiversity, food systems, and sustainability. The study provides a scalable approach for embedding the SDGs into HE through interdisciplinary pedagogy and campus-based initiatives.Prandner and Hasengruber (2025) investigated climate awareness and travel behaviours of international students in Austria. Their analysis revealed a pattern of student attitudes influenced by conflicting behaviours, self-assessed capacity to act, and prevailing institutional culture. The study highlights a significant policy gap; while universities actively promote internationalization, they often lack comprehensive strategies to address the environmental impacts of academic mobility. The authors propose systemic reforms, including the integration of climate literacy into international programs and the realignment of institutional strategic planning to support low-carbon travel.The academic contributions to the research topic emphasize the importance of further aligning strategy, policy and practice in HEIs with sustainability frameworks and values that promote a whole institution approach. Priority should be placed in a proenvironmental culture enabling academics and students develop relevant competencies and pro-environmental behaviours through experiential and place-based approaches that take into account and address the environmental and climate impacts of complex behaviours.