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Transformation and Sustainability in Higher Education: Emerging Issues and the Research Developments

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 6555

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mary Koutselini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Education, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
2. The Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA), Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: quality in HEIs; teaching and learning; metacognition; action research; women studies; differentiation
Dr. Lefkios Neophytou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA), Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: educational policy; higher education; effective instruction; quality assurance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue aims to investigate the critical role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in promoting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The concept of sustainability is multidimensional, affecting all aspects of life—educational, social, environmental, and economic—in such a way that either the progression or regression of one dimension affects the others, with universal consequences. Responding to sustainability needs, values, and competences, HEIs need to redefine their goals, content, and modes of delivery of their programs, as well as expand their internalization and partnerships with institutions and other bodies beyond universities.

Collaboration among institutions, not only educational ones, seems necessary to establish joint contributions and interdisciplinary approaches to fostering peace, fighting against global warming, reducing north/south inequalities and poverty, eliminating the marginalization of women and girls, and protecting the environment. From another perspective, promoting the internationalization of higher education is expected to transform HEIs to better serve broader societal goals. Thus, the impact of transformation and sustainability in higher education is twofold, where these institutions will better contribute to the transformation and sustainability of universal society while also becoming more sustainable themselves to serve societal needs. HEIs are expected to undergo significant and consistent changes to not only continue being pioneers but also ensure that they can promote the sustainability goals and a different vision for the world that will “improve everyone’s quality of life” (UNESCO 2005).

The COVID-19 pandemic forced several mandatory and unexpected changes in the educational field globally, mainly affecting the existing programs and the teaching and learning models in higher education by establishing distanced/e-learning programs, due to the closure of universities. Changing the traditional methods of learning to e-learning “rooms” appeared to adequately facilitate the transfer of knowledge and even made collaboration among institutions easier. Although digital transformation has been the main means of revolutionizing societies and remains strongly related to their sustainable development, the inspiration of face-to-face communication is missing, a factor that affects the effectiveness of actions aimed at changing attitudes and the mindset of a society. How do these changes affect the achievement of the desired sustainability goals? 

Moreover, the rapid development of artificial intelligence is driving systemic changes in every function and aspect of academic institutions and not just in the context of the aims and methodology of teaching and learning. How are higher education institutions responding to the challenge of AI, and in what way will it be used for the promotion of the vision of education for sustainable development?

The Special Issue on “Transformation and Sustainability in Higher Education: Emerging Issues and the Research Developments” invites original theoretical and research articles investigating the emerging issues and recent developments in the transformation and sustainability of higher education in a rapidly changing world.

Prof. Dr. Mary Koutselini
Dr. Lefkios Neophytou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • transformation
  • UN sustainable development goals
  • sustainability
  • artificial intelligence
  • distance learning
  • HEIs’ internalization
  • partnerships
  • societal needs

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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31 pages, 1360 KB  
Article
Embedding the SDGs in Architectural Education: Curriculum Mapping of Sustainability and Transformation in an Undergraduate Program at a Foundation University in Istanbul
by Saba Matin, Dilek Yasar and Ufuk Fatih Kucukali
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 4699; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18104699 - 8 May 2026
Viewed by 638
Abstract
This study addresses a persistent gap in architectural education research. Although sustainability and digital transformation have been widely discussed, relatively few studies have examined how these agendas are embedded across the full formal structure of an undergraduate curriculum, rather than being explored through [...] Read more.
This study addresses a persistent gap in architectural education research. Although sustainability and digital transformation have been widely discussed, relatively few studies have examined how these agendas are embedded across the full formal structure of an undergraduate curriculum, rather than being explored through isolated courses or individual studio interventions. In response to this gap, the article investigates how sustainability and higher education transformation are incorporated into an undergraduate architecture curriculum through program learning outcomes, course learning outcomes, course content, and teaching methods. The case examined is an undergraduate architecture program at a foundation university in Istanbul, Türkiye. Adopting a document-based single-case design, the study employs a multi-layered analytical framework that brings together curriculum mapping, directed qualitative content analysis, intensity coding, and SDG alignment across program outcomes, course outcomes, course content, and teaching methods. The analysis is organized around six thematic areas: climate action and environmental performance, disaster resilience and safety, digital and technological transformation, governance, law, and ethics, inclusivity and user well-being, and lifelong learning and professional adaptability. These thematic areas are then aligned with the relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the program level, 19 of the 38 program learning outcomes were found to align directly with sustainability and transformation, indicating the presence of a clear institutional core rather than a merely symbolic or fragmented commitment. The strongest concentrations appear in climate action, environmental performance, disaster resilience, digital representation and BIM-based coordination, accessibility, and ethics; however, these strengths are distributed unevenly across the curriculum. The study concludes that future reform should focus on horizontally integrating this existing SDG-oriented core through stronger curricular sequencing, closer connections between studios and assessment, and more pedagogically diverse forms of delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transformation and Sustainability in Higher Education: Emerging Issues and the Research Developments)
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22 pages, 959 KB  
Article
How Mobility Direction Shapes Sustainable Research Productivity in Higher Education: Buffering and Amplifying Roles of Co-Authorship Networks
by Chaoying Tang, Da Wang and An Wang
Sustainability 2026, 18(5), 2411; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18052411 - 2 Mar 2026
Viewed by 403
Abstract
Maintaining stable research productivity is critical for sustainable knowledge production, yet institutional mobility—an increasingly common form of organizational transition in higher education—may disrupt scientists’ output trajectories. This study examines how mobility direction shapes sustainable research productivity and how co-authorship network structure conditions these [...] Read more.
Maintaining stable research productivity is critical for sustainable knowledge production, yet institutional mobility—an increasingly common form of organizational transition in higher education—may disrupt scientists’ output trajectories. This study examines how mobility direction shapes sustainable research productivity and how co-authorship network structure conditions these effects. Using curriculum vitae records and 74,336 Web of Science publications for 531 preliminary candidates for Chinese Academy of Sciences academicians (2005–2019), we estimate random-effects negative binomial models to assess the quantity and quality dimensions of sustainable research productivity in the third-to-fifth years after mobility events. Downward mobility to lower-ranked institutions is associated with significant declines in both dimensions, whereas upward mobility shows no detectable effect within the same window. Network structure matters: higher co-authorship network density buffers the adverse effect of downward mobility, while higher betweenness centrality amplifies it. These findings suggest that cohesive collaboration structures help sustain knowledge production under adverse transitions, whereas brokerage-oriented positions may increase vulnerability when collaborations are reconfigured. By conceptualizing post-mobility outcomes as sustainable research productivity, this study extends the talent mobility literature and offers implications for universities and science policy on supporting high-level scientists during institutional transitions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transformation and Sustainability in Higher Education: Emerging Issues and the Research Developments)
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19 pages, 238 KB  
Article
Creating Sustainable Collaborative Spaces for Professional Growth: A Cross-Institutional Study in Higher Education
by Noam Lapidot-Lefler, Gilat Katz and Hagit Horowitz
Sustainability 2025, 17(23), 10790; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310790 - 2 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 635
Abstract
Addressing the urgent need for sustainable transformation in higher education, this paper explores how a collaborative action research group of teacher educators from different institutions contributed to higher education transformation through sustainable education approaches. Drawing on cultural–historical activity theory (CHAT), we analyze how [...] Read more.
Addressing the urgent need for sustainable transformation in higher education, this paper explores how a collaborative action research group of teacher educators from different institutions contributed to higher education transformation through sustainable education approaches. Drawing on cultural–historical activity theory (CHAT), we analyze how cross-institutional partnerships fostered personal and professional development through digital collaboration, regular online meetings, and reflective dialogue. The study employed participatory action research, using weekly reflective journals and group meetings as mediating tools supporting sustained professional learning. Findings indicate that building common ground across institutional contexts and investing in trust-building cultivated a meaningful collaborative environment, a “third space” that mediated expansive learning and professional transformation. Within this space, the diversity of institutional backgrounds enriched the activity system, and productive contradictions served as generative mechanisms that catalyze expansive learning by exposing participants to diverse institutional perspectives. The study further shows that sustainable collaboration emerged not from formal institutional structures but from shared ownership, cultural alignment, and relational commitment. These social and cultural processes supported the development of systems-thinking, strategic-thinking, and interpersonal competencies supporting sustainable professional development. The study highlights the potential of sustainable cross-institutional spaces as a model for professional growth in higher education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transformation and Sustainability in Higher Education: Emerging Issues and the Research Developments)

Other

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10 pages, 227 KB  
Essay
Structural Shifts and Sustainable Futures: Transforming Higher Education for the Climate Century
by Danielle Wood, Susan Hegarty, Eimear Clowry Delaney, Nessa Cronin, Andrew Cross, Edmond P. Bowers, Darren Clarke, Alexander H. Pesch and Faisal Aqlan
Sustainability 2026, 18(9), 4349; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18094349 - 28 Apr 2026
Viewed by 777
Abstract
How can we best leverage higher education to address the pressing issues we face? While the SDGs reflect a global landscape dominated by complex, interconnected ‘wicked’ problems, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) remain largely tethered to siloed, decontextualized instructional models. The inability of HEIs [...] Read more.
How can we best leverage higher education to address the pressing issues we face? While the SDGs reflect a global landscape dominated by complex, interconnected ‘wicked’ problems, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) remain largely tethered to siloed, decontextualized instructional models. The inability of HEIs to shift practices to foster transversal, 21st-century skills necessary to navigate uncertain futures is a critical competency gap. This paper highlights the transformative potential of challenge-based learning (CBL) and place-based learning (PBL), high-impact experiential pedagogies, as critical tools for sustainability transformations. The Consortium for Adaptive Futures, an interdisciplinary and transnational community of practice, was launched in early 2025 to promote co-learning among faculty from North America and Europe for these practices. Drawing on insights from an inaugural symposium in Dublin, we identify three critical elements to HEI transformations that support sustainability and 21st-century skills to address grand challenges. These are: the importance of real-world relevance in education; the need for pedagogical shifts and faculty development to support these new roles; and the essential role of supportive institutional structures and resources to enable sustained engagement. In doing so, we issue a call to arms to HEIs and forward a reimagining of undergraduate education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transformation and Sustainability in Higher Education: Emerging Issues and the Research Developments)
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