Framework of sustainability implementation assessment for private higher education institutions in Malaysia

Abstract

Various initiatives have been undertaken by higher education institutions (HEIs) abroad to ensure that they meet the sustainability implementation. Yet, it seems that the implementation is still divergent and not well-orderly applied across the HEIs, especially in Malaysian private HEIs. There are seven criteria of sustainability implementation in HEIs, namely education, institutional framework, campus operation, research outreach, on-campus experiences, as well as assessment and reporting, which this study focuses only on education criteria for the sustainability implementation assessment at private HEIs in Malaysia. The aim of this study is to develop a framework of sustainability implementation assessment for private higher education institutions in Malaysia. The research objectives are: to identify the elements of education criteria in sustainability implementation assessment at private HEIs; to examine existing sustainability implementation assessment tools in HEIs worldwide; to assess the constraint factors on the sustainability implementation assessment in private HEIs in Malaysia; to investigate the critical success factors (CSF) in the sustainability implementation assessment at private HEIs; and to propose the sustainability implementation assessment framework for private HEIs in Malaysia. This study used a mixed method in its data collection. In developing the questionnaire, 15 experts were interviewed during the pilot study stage. The questionnaire was distributed to 75 Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Deans from 29 private HEIs. The Rasch model and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) were used in the analysis. The findings indicate three critical factors for the framework of sustainability implementation assessment for private HEIs: (1) elements of sustainability education criteria with 10 constructs; (2) constraint factors on sustainability implementation assessment with 10 constructs; and (3) CSF in sustainability implementation assessment with 15 constructs. This study also confirms that no specific tools is available to be used for sustainability implementation assessment at private HEIs in Malaysia. The framework has the potential to be adopted as a standard guideline in sustainability implementation assessment in Malaysia. The framework is in line with the Malaysia Education Blueprint and the National Higher Education Strategic Plan, as well as in parallel with the United Nation (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in leading the private HEIs to become global prominence in terms of developing future-proof graduates that carry with them crucial humanistic values.