Sustainability in the Decision Making of Pakistan Public Universities - Exploring why it is compulsory to make decisions for sustainability

Oct 15, 2026

The higher education institutions (HEIs) carry a key responsibility to embed sustainability across teaching, learning, research, operations, and services, enabling students to maintain balance across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Yet the motivations for integrating sustainability in HEIs vary widely. This exploratory study examines why sustainability decisions are compulsory in Pakistani Public Universities (PPUs) using grounded theory and purposive, academic administrator participants. One-to-one interviews were analyzed thematically, yielding three themes—decision making for sustainability, policy issues, and awareness initiatives. Findings indicate two decision sources: the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the university charter, while coordinated, concerted sustainability efforts remain limited and may not generalize beyond surveyed PPUs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Sustainability in HEIs and decision-making importance

Triple bottom line emphasis and imbalance among dimensions

Curriculum revision and sustainability definition

Complex challenges and collective problem solving

Sustainability in the Decision Making of Pakistan Public Universities: A Vital Initiative Syed Kaleem Ullah Shah Bukhari*, Rafaquat Ali**and Abdullah Faisal*** Abstract The higher education institutions (HEIs) bear a prime responsibility to incorporate sustainability in their functions of teaching, learning, research, operations and services in order to prepare their students to lead in maintaining a balance in economic, environmental and social spheres. However, the reasons to embed sustainability in HEIs have been a variable phenomenon. This paper intends to explore why it is compulsory to make decisions for sustainability at Pakistani Public Universities (PPUs) . The nature of the study being exploratory dictated to accomplish it under the grounded theory approach. The sample was selected based on the purposive sampling technique as the participants, academic administrators, had the capacity to decide on the need of sustainability. Oneon-one audio recorded interviews were conducted to take deeper understanding often participants on the need of sustainability. These interviews were transcribed and analyzed based on the thematic analysis that produced three themes: decision making for sustainability, policy issues, and awareness initiatives. The findings showed that decision making for sustainability is carried out from two different sources: decision making by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and decision making by the university charter. The findings also highlighted that though there are awareness initiatives yet the concerted and coordinated efforts to promote sustainability are missing from the decision making of PPUs. This study was conducted to a limited number of Pakistan Public Universities. Thus, the findings may not be generalized. However, these findings have the characteristic of transferability to the public universities only and not the private ones. The study implied to explore further the ways through which sustainability can be integrated in PPUs’ functions. Keywords:Decision making, Sustainability, Pakistan public universities. *Department of Education, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar Campus, Punjab, Pakistan. **Department of Education, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar Campus. Punjab, Pakistan. ***Director Administration, Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Introduction Sustainability being a mantra among the discourses of academic, non-academic, business, and government institutions since the closing of 21stcentury has drawn greater attention of key stakeholders (Hecht et al., 2012 ; Lozano, 2007 ; Yáñez, Uruburu, Moreno, & Lumbreras, 2019).Containing a number of interpretations about its integration and application, the concept of sustainability began to draw the attention of scholars, researchers and practitioners from the international welfare, governing, non-governing and academic institutions in the form of charters, declarations, summits, and conferences(Adlong, 2013; Filho, 2000 ; Lozano, Lukman, Lozano, Huisingh, & Lambrechts, 2013; Martins & Pato, 2019) . These efforts have emphasized on the higher education institutions (HEIs) as the central point with the aim of advancing and achieving sustainability(Beringer & Adomßent, 2008 ; Clugston & Calder, 1999 ; Conceição, Ehrenfeld, Heitor, & Vieira, 2006 ; Disterheft, Caeiro, Azeiteiro, & Filho, 2015 ; Scott, 2018; Velazquez, Munguia, Platt, & Taddei, 2006), as these institution (HEIs) bear a profound responsibility to incorporate sustainability in their functions such as teaching and learning, research, operations and services with respect to prepare the students to lead in maintaining a balance in economic, environmental and social spheres(Compston, 2010; Hopkinson, Hughes, & Layer, 2008; Zyulyaeva & Pertceva, 2019).Grounding on the framework of the triple bottom line of sustainability: environment, economic and social sustainability (Elkington, 1997), most ofth

FAQs

Why is sustainability integration important for Pakistani public universities?

HEIs are responsible for embedding sustainability in teaching, learning, research, operations, and services to help students balance economic, environmental, and social spheres.

How did the study investigate decision-making for sustainability?

The study used an exploratory grounded theory approach with purposive sampling of academic administrators and one-on-one audio-recorded interviews, followed by thematic analysis.

What sources drive sustainability decision-making in PPUs?

Decision-making for sustainability comes from two sources: the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the university charter.

Oct 15, 2026

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