Exploring Education Management Strategies for Sustainable Development—2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Developing school intellectual capital is essential for sustainable education organizations, especially in an era characterized by rapid digital transformation and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). Intellectual capital—encompassing human, structural, and relational dimensions—serves as a strategic driver of innovation, informed decision making, and achieving long-term educational goals (Cheng, 2023; Hama & Cavusoglu, 2023). Effective strategies to enhance intellectual capital increasingly focus on leveraging digital technologies and embedding sustainable practices within educational institutions (Tjahjadi et al., 2022).

Strengthening human capital involves equipping educators and students with critical skills such as digital literacy and data-driven decision making, essential for navigating contemporary technological landscapes (Cheng, 2023). AI-driven tools can personalize learning experiences for both teachers and students, while collaborative digital networks facilitate dynamic knowledge-sharing and foster a culture of innovation (Tjahjadi et al., 2022).

For structural capital, schools can adopt digital knowledge repositories to preserve and disseminate institutional knowledge, implement AI-powered systems to streamline administrative and teaching tasks, and utilize advanced technologies (e.g., digital twins) to optimize decision-making processes (Strazzullo, Cricelli, & Grimaldi, 2024). These initiatives not only support operational efficiency but also underpin the organization's capacity for sustained innovation (Hama & Cavusoglu, 2023).

Relational capital can be enhanced via AI-powered engagement platforms to enable transparent communication with stakeholders, participation in global digital networks to exchange best practices, and the formation of public–private partnerships that drive innovation and resource sharing (Tjahjadi et al., 2022; Strazzullo, Cricelli, & Grimaldi, 2024). Schools can further promote a culture of sustainability by embedding sustainability concepts into curricula, leveraging AI to monitor environmental impact, and developing resilience frameworks to adapt to ongoing disruptions (Hama & Cavusoglu, 2023).

This Special Issue invites contributions that explore these strategies, supported by robust empirical evidence and diverse global perspectives. We welcome case studies, comparative research, and longitudinal analyses demonstrating how intellectual capital development can sustain education organizations in the face of rapid technological and societal change. By integrating theory and practice, this issue aims to inform policies and management strategies that advance sustainable education.

• Strategies for developing human, structural, and relational capital in educational organizations;
• The impact of digital transformation and AI on intellectual capital and organizational processes;
• Strategic management approaches for sustaining and leveraging intellectual capital in education;
• Educational leadership and its influence on intellectual capital development and knowledge sharing;
• Organization theory in education and its application to intellectual capital management;
• Change management practices for fostering innovation and adaptability in schools and universities;
• Quality management systems and their relationship with organizational learning and innovation;
• Knowledge management frameworks: empirical studies and case analyses in educational settings;
• Organizational learning as a driver of continuous improvement and intellectual capital enhancement;
• Intellectual capital management and its effects on educational outcomes and institutional performance;
• Marketing management in education: building reputation and relational capital through stakeholder engagement;
• Resource management strategies to support sustainable campus and facility development;
• Campus and facility development as enablers of structural capital and innovative practices;
• Relationship management and managing external communications to strengthen relational capital;
• The role of public–private partnerships in enhancing school innovation capacity and external collaboration;
• Managing professional development to build human capital and support lifelong learning;
• Managing digitalization transformation in education: challenges and opportunities for intellectual capital;
• Approaches to embedding sustainability into educational practice, governance, and curriculum;
• Comparative and longitudinal analyses of intellectual capital and organizational innovation in global educational contexts.

Key references

Cheng, E. C. K. (Ed.). (2023). Managing school intellectual capital for strategic development : lessons from Asia and Europe. Routledge.

Strazzullo, S., Cricelli, L., & Grimaldi, M. (2024). Intellectual capital and R&D performance improvement: the case of Italian public universities. R & D Management, 54(4), 852–863. https://doi.org/10.1111/radm.12548

Tjahjadi, B., Soewarno, N., Jermias, J., Hariyati, H., Fairuzi, A., & Anwar, D. N. (2022). Does engaging in global market orientation strategy affect HEIs’ performance? The mediating roles of intellectual capital readiness and open innovation. Journal of Open Innovation, 8(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc8010029

Hama, N. O., & Cavusoglu, B. (2023). The Sustainability of Intellectual Capital in Enhancing Organizational Innovation: A Case Study of Sulaimani Polytechnic University. Sustainability, 15(15), 12068. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151512068

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Eric C. K. Cheng
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• management strategies
• sustainable development
• education management
• quality management
• educational leadership

• Exploring Education Management Strategies for Sustainable Development in Sustainability (10 articles)