Higher Education Competence Model For Sustainable Development

Purpose This study examines the integration of data analytics and sustainability within Malaysian accounting education grounded by experiential learning theory (ELT) and constructivist learning theory. It aims to bridge the gap between student competencies, industry expectations and institutional curricula, offering a structured framework for comparable international business education contexts. The study aligns accounting programmes with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) Competency Framework and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation standards. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a mixed-methods exploratory sequential design, this study combined a survey of 350 undergraduate accounting students across UniSZA, UMT and UMK with responses from 100 industry stakeholders. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests and regression analysis, while qualitative data, including interviews, focus groups and document analysis, were thematically coded and triangulated. Findings Results reveal strong student proficiency in Excel but significant weaknesses in advanced analytics (Power BI, Tableau and Python) and sustainability literacy. Employers emphasised the importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting, anomaly detection and carbon accounting, identifying substantial gaps in graduate readiness. Regression analysis confirmed that digital competency significantly predicts sustainability literacy and employability readiness. Qualitative findings highlighted institutional barriers, including curriculum overload, limited faculty training and insufficient academic−industry collaboration. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to three East Coast Malaysian universities and relied on cross-sectional, self-reported data. Longitudinal and cross-country studies are recommended to enhance generalisability and test the framework’s applicability across diverse contexts. Practical implications The framework provides curriculum designers and educators with a roadmap to embed analytics within existing accounting courses, thereby addressing curriculum overload without increasing credit hours. For policymakers, it aligns with Malaysia’s Digital Economy Blueprint and the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) agenda. For the industry, it supports the cultivation of future accountants capable of leveraging analytics to enhance ESG assurance, sustainable finance and integrated reporting. Social implications By equipping graduates with both digital and sustainability competencies, the framework contributes to achieving SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), while fostering partnerships for sustainability (SDG 17) through stronger university−industry collaboration. Originality/value This study provides one of the first empirical examinations of how Malaysian accounting curricula can integrate analytics and sustainability to achieve SDG-aligned outcomes. Offering a locally grounded yet globally relevant three-tier framework advances the sustainability literature in higher education while providing actionable insights for universities, regulators and industry stakeholders.

UNESCO believed that college students play an important role in sustainable development, and service learning in higher education is an important stage in establishing students’ social responsibility, sustainable community development and sustainable awareness. The purpose of this study was to design a performing arts service-learning course so that participants could truly understand the actions of social responsibility, devote themselves to the action of sustainable development in the community, cultivate awareness sustainable in action, and predict the achievement of sustainable development goals. This study implemented a 3-month “Performing Arts Service-Learning Course”. A total of 90 performing arts college students (57 females and 33 males) voluntarily participated in this research. Reflection activities and questionnaire survey will be carried out immediately after the course ends. The results of the study showed that after the course ended, the participants reflected on the activities and believed that service learning can establish a good partnership between the school and the community. Gain first-hand experience from serving others, serve social justice, serve the less privileged, and spread love and joy to more people. Questionnaires: Both males and females were satisfied with the topics of “social responsibility” and “sustainable community development”. All participants agreed with the topics of “sustainability awareness” and “sustainable development goals”. Males and females were highly correlated with social responsibility, sustainable community development, sustainable awareness, and sustainable development goals (4, 5, 11, 16, 17). Finally, the social responsibility, sustainable community development, and sustainable awareness of males and females could effectively predict the sustainable development goals (4, 5, 11, 16, 17). The conclusion of this study showed that service learning can help college students learn to solve problems from practice and understand the value of sustainable development through community service and caring for environmental changes. From now on, the 17 goals of sustainable development goals should be planned into courses in various fields. It is helpful to broaden students’ horizons and move towards the era of global sustainable development goals.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 to “end poverty and set the world on a path of peace prosperity and opportunity for all on a healthy planet” by 2030. This ambitious framework includes 17 goals (e.g., no poverty, zero hunger, good health, quality education, etc.) with 169 targets and 231 unique indicators. The SDGs have been widely adopted to guide policy makers in development efforts around the world, but they also have been criticized as too unwieldy and all-encompassing. The Economist (March 26, 2015) concluded that the “SDGs are unfeasibly expensive” and “are so sprawling and misconceived that the entire enterprise is being set up to fail.” Nevertheless, the SDGs are now an integral part of the global development movement and are often cited by advocates of specific interventions. The Sustainable Development Report 2020 (SDR2020) was prepared by teams of independent experts at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the Bertelsmann Stiftung. It is separate from the The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020 published by the UN. The project is directed by Jeffry Sachs, who was an advisor to UN Secretaries-General Kofi Annan and Ban-Ki Moon in the creation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and SDGs. As in previous years, the SDR2020 presents and aggregates data from all UN member states to describe each country's progress towards achieving the SDGs and indicates areas requiring faster progress. Estimates of indicators rely on the most up-to-date data from variety of official and nonofficial sources. In order to summarize levels and trends in country performance, the report calculates indices for each SDG with a scale from 0 to 100 (worst to best). A country's overall SDG Index score and its scores on individual SDGs can be interpreted as a percentage of optimal performance. The overall SDG index score ranges from a high of 84.7 in Sweden to a low of 38.5 in Central African Republic. The report's central chapter summarizes global and regional trends in index scores, and appendix tables present two-page summaries of levels and trends for SDG indicators for each country. Besides struggling with a range of methodological issues, the authors faced the difficult task of succinctly summarizing a very large set of data (115 SDGs indicators for 193 countries). Unfortunately, there are few general findings, because the degree of progress towards achieving the SDGs depends on (i) country/region, (ii) the specific SDG, and (iii) level or trend. On average, progress since 2015 has been fastest in low- and middle-income countries especially in East and South Asia. Africa scores low but showed significant improvements in a number of SDGs. OECD countries, which have on average the highest scores, made only limited progress. The report provides a valuable but rather brief summary of these regional differences. A second objective of SDR2020 is to review policy efforts to implement the SDGs. This assessment is based on information gathered in new expert and public opinion surveys to gauge political leadership in support of the SDGs at the country level. Results confirm that the SDGs framework is increasingly used at many national and international statistical institutes and other data providers. The adoption of the SDG framework by policy makers is growing but more limited. The report's clear exposition in graphs and tables and the many country and regional statistics will no doubt be appreciated by policy makers and researchers in national and international organizations. However, the value of the findings is somewhat limited by the lack of current data for many indicators. As the authors discovered, most estimates are not up to date and a substantial proportion of the data points available now even have a year of reference that predates the adoption of the SDGs. This diminishes the value of publishing country-level estimates on an annual basis, as indicators for many countries change little from one year to the next. The report was in preparation when the Covid-19 epidemic struck. A brief discussion of this huge new human and economic crisis is included, and the authors identify which SDGs will likely be most heavily affected. The epidemic will cause massive disruption of progress on the SDGs for years to come, but it was too early to assess this damage at the time of the publication of the report (July 2020).

Universities around the globe have an important role to play in realizing sustainable development goals, especially in educating students via formal or non-formal learning. At the same time, the internationalization agenda is a key area that is gaining extra attention from universities worldwide. Thus, in supporting the sustainable development goals, non-formal education for sustainable development activities has been implemented i.e. 3 Minutes Sustainable Development Goals Ideas Video Competition, and jointly organized by two public universities (Universiti M) in Sarawak, Malaysia, and (Universitas S) East Java, Indonesia. The objective of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of video competition among Malaysian and Indonesian accounting undergraduates in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals agenda during the Covid-19 pandemic. The questionnaire using Google Form was particularly developed and distributed to all 87 students who participated in the 3 Minutes Sustainable Development Goals Ideas Video Competition from November to December 2021. Based on the descriptive results, 90% of the respondents agreed that the video competition was effective in improving awareness of sustainable development goals. In addition, this effective and self-reliant learning of sustainable development goals supports an informal learning system among accounting students. This paper contributes to new knowledge in the area of accounting education, specifically using non-formal education as part of the university’s internationalization approach for sustainable development activity to improve students’ awareness of this important global agenda.

The base of the iceberg: Informal learning and its impact on formal and non-formal learning is a thick and deep theoretical discussion on education by Alan Rogers, a well-known author in the field. This book discusses the relationship between informal learning on the one hand and formal and non-formal learning on the other. Including the introduction (Chapter 1) and the conclusion (Chapter 6) it has six chapters. Designed to be a guide, each one of the four main chapters ends with suggestions for further reading and control exercises. The core of the analysis, supported by an extensive literature review, moves from the definition of concepts and their limits (Chapter 2) to a discussion of the nature and processes of informal learning (Chapter 3) and then to a literature review on the different dimensions of informal learning (Chapter 4). Chapter 5 is devoted to the multifaceted links between informal, non-formal and formal learning. The introductory chapter begins with a discussion aiming to draw a line between education (teacher-centred) and learning (learner-centred) in the context of lifelong learning. The shift from education towards learning resulted in ‘‘the redefinition of teaching as the facilitation of learning and of education as the provision of learning opportunities or learning experiences’’ (Biesta 2009, cited by Rogers, p. 11). This debate between schools of thought brought forth several definitions of learning to the point that Rogers observes a confusion against which he warns the reader: ‘‘This change from ‘education’ to ‘learning’ in our current Discourses may help to make clearer the fact that there is no consensus to be found as yet as to the meaning of the word’’ (p. 13), making the reader wonder how the author defines learning. In Chapter 2, Rogers presents three generally agreed-on definitions of learning emanating from UNESCO – formal learning, non-formal learning and informal learning – before pointing out the key criteria which distinguish them. These are the

(1) Background: contents and strategies related to sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are being introduced in academic curricula, and the organization of the university environment is evolving to adopt sustainable practices. One of the main aims of this evolution is to raise students’ awareness of sustainability and to encourage them to develop attitudes, knowledge and competencies for acting as future responsible citizens. This implies the need to examine and understand students’ attitudes and beliefs towards sustainability. (2) Method: a systematic literature review has been performed to examine the most recent studies focused on university students’ beliefs and attitudes towards sustainable development. Three educational online databases were searched for identified research papers, and in the end, 20 papers have been included in the analysis. (3) Results: in recent years there has been a growing interest in the topic of university students’ assessment of sustainability beliefs and attitudes. Assessment was frequently limited to the environmental dimension of sustainability, placing the economic, social and educational dimensions in the background. Most of the assessing tools have been developed as quantitative questionnaires. (4) Conclusions: understanding the attitudes and perceptions of university students about sustainability issues is an essential task for helping higher education institutions to effectively infuse the contents and principles of sustainable development into their environments.

Durban Container Terminal (DCT) operations contribute significantly to emission release. DCT operations directly threaten sustainable development and South Africa’s Sustainable National Development Plan (NDP) goals. Sustainable port development aims to create scenarios for “Ports of the Future” that are green, sustainable and have minimal or no impact on the environment. The problem statement is defined as DCT's role in failure to achieve sustainable development targets set by the NDP and the United Nations (UN). The current DCT operation setup promotes an increase in cargo handling coupled with numerous socioeconomic activities, which is a constant source of increasing pressure on the limited natural resources and a continuous threat to sustainable development in the Durban areas. The aim and objectives are to investigate and explore the reasons why DCT fails to achieve sustainable development goals set up by the NDP and the UN. The quantitative research method helped to answer questions on relationships within measurable variables to explain, predict, and control a phenomenon concerning sustainable development goals for the container terminal. The findings presented challenges and a threat to DCT if the current position concerning service requirements, costs and demands for sustainability is not addressed. The literature, studies and engineering reports illustrate the available technologies that respond to sustainable development requirements. The theory supports the critical role played by the dry port, terminal layout, and operating system in mitigating emissions release during operations. The engineering and DCT electricity consumption annual reports confirm the high consumption of energy during operations. The results from the port equipment, infrastructure, road and rail integration, and dry port explain why DCT fails to achieve the sustainable development goals set by the NDP and the UN. DCT depends on the main grid energy supply originating from fossil energy sources. This has led to 58 967tCO2e for DCT operation from equipment and electrical infrastructure. The poor rail conditions have increased temporary speed restrictions (TSRs). The lack of investment in the rail infrastructure, rail maintenance, and TSR takes away the opportunity to have a dry port and reduces the number of containers travelling by road. The DCT integrated logistics system is missing the possibility of reducing CO2 emission release by 30 085.4tCO2e. The simulating model confirmed the dominance of trucks and was followed by port equipment concerning CO2 release. The results illustrate the impact of the ineffective role of rail freight. It indicates that if the number of wagons is increased, the number of trucks on the road will decrease, resulting in a CO2 release reduction. The DCT integrated operating model assessment results explain why DCT is not realizing the national development plan’s objectives for sustainable development goals. DCT consumes high amounts of energy and contributes to CO2 emissions, primarily through road and rail freight. Ineffective operational planning and poor rail conditions significantly impact CO2 release. The DCT terminal operation itself contributes only 10% of the integrated operation's CO2 emissions, with road and rail freight releasing 90%. The simulated model highlights the dominance of trucks in CO2 emissions, followed by port equipment, and poor rail conditions preventing DCT from achieving sustainable development goals. The introduction of a dry port as an intermodal hub could promote economic growth and reduce road congestion and carbon emissions. However, the poor rail conditions make the proposed Cato Ridge/Camperdown dry port unviable. DCT's main challenges in achieving sustainable development goals are categorized into three focus areas: Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Climate Action. This analysis will help provide the best operating and sustainable development scenario for DCT, which could include the introduction of hybrid equipment, energy-saving technology, and improved rail infrastructure. Adopting a reconfigured DCT-integrated operating model is recommended since it has no significate operational changes within the DCT terminal. The reconfigured DCT integrated operations introduce a dry port and a rail infrastructure upgrade to accommodate 150 wagon trains. The reconfigured DCT integrated operating model promotes the reduction of container trucks calling for a DCT terminal, unlocking decent work and economic growth, sustainable cities, and communities within the Midlands region.

The article provides a comprehensive study of sustainable finance in the context of urban development projects in Ukraine. Research of this topic is important, because modern cities are rapidly growing, and innovative solutions are needed to manage this expansion while addressing environmental challenges. The authors emphasize the importance of sustainable finance in achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 11 "Sustainable cities and communities". Post-war reconstruction gives Ukraine the opportunity to rebuild its cities based on green principles, in line with the European Green Deal and aiming for climate neutrality by 2050. This transformation requires innovative financial strategies, including sustainable finance, which integrates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into investment decisions. The article highlights the key principles of sustainable finance framework and the main categories of financial instruments used in sustainable finance transactions. The authors studied the progress of sustainable finance in Ukraine, namely the formation and development of the legislative framework, strategic planning, financial instruments and the integration of ESG considerations into financial decision-making. Furthermore, the article discusses the funding sources and mechanisms for sustainable development in Ukrainian cities, including public and private financing, international technical assistance projects, and state programs. The authors also emphasize the importance of strategic planning and donor coordination in achieving sustainable urban development goals. Key tasks include improving financial mechanisms, stimulating private capital, and developing realistic post-war urban plans. Overall, the article concludes that while Ukraine has made progress in developing sustainable finance, there is still work to be done to fully integrate sustainable finance principles into the country's financial sector. The authors emphasize for continued efforts to improve the legislative framework, raise awareness, attract of private investors, enhanced risk management, develop digital technologies, and expand concessional funding to support sustainable urban development in Ukraine. Addressing these challenges will be important for achieving sustainable urban development and aligning Ukraine’s financial system with global sustainability trends.

The paper highly suggestively entitled “Quality Education to Meet the Sustainable Development Goals: Tremendous Role of Universities, as the Engine of Transformational Sustainability” focuses on the importance and the role of quality education that targets sustainability and sustainable development as well as on the paramount role of universities, as the engine of transformational sustainability, in supporting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Today, it is generally acknowledged that educational innovation is highly dependent on the correlations between the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the education technology. What is more, there is a critical accent placed on the global educational context encountered, in particular, in the case of the universities, given the fact that decentralization, diversity, environmental harmony, problem solving, resilience, sustainability, sustainable development, and value creation, ought to represent the major characteristics of today's society.

Objectives: The effects of the UN Decade under the recently approved Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were investigated, and a set of policy measures for a "second decade" in line with these objectives was proposed and future possible scenarios were described in terms of social, environmental, and economic aspects of sustainable development in higher education institutions. This study aims to explore the role of International Environmental Law (IEL) in promoting Sustainable Market Orientation (SMO), particularly in the United Arab Emirates region. SMO integrates three crucial sustainability attributes: social, environmental, and economic, which are key considerations in the modern international markets. This study explores the application of sustainable development theory and alternative international market paradigms to the new approach known as SMO within the higher education market. Currently, there is a lack of systematic effort to establish a valid measure of SMO. It seeks to identify mechanisms through which IEL can promote SMO in the UAE higher education markets. Theoretical Framework: The study is based on IEL principles set forth by the United Nations, which highlight the incorporation of economic, social, and environmental aspects. The core of this framework lies in recognizing that SMO and international legal modernization play key roles in harmonizing sustainable development objectives while safeguarding natural resources. Moreover, the framework is informed by environmental governance theories, and reforms in the international higher education markets. Method: Both primary and secondary data were utilized in the research. Secondary data involved analyzing Scopus and Web of Science databases to review published research. Primary data was acquired through an online survey and saved onto Google Drive, a file management platform. This approach facilitates straightforward online data collection and easy access to the gathered responses. Data were obtained from students, faculty members, managers, assistants, and administrative supervisors at the globally recognized Abu Dhabi University. A descriptive-analytical approach was utilized to assess the existing international environmental legal frameworks, and trends in SMO practices in the United Arab Emirates, which is moving towards internationalizing higher education. Results and Discussion: The findings indicate that SMO distinguishes itself from traditional marketing orientation (MO) by specifically encompassing MO (cultural and behavioral perspectives), essential SO (society-oriented), organizational innovation, and co-creation value orientations. SMO integrates three crucial sustainability attributes: economic, social, and environmental, which are key alternatives in the modern international markets. Scale development and validation offer strong empirical support that SMO is closely linked with commitment to International Environmental Law (IEL). The research findings suggest that these initiatives lead to mutually advantageous outcomes by enhancing environmental performance. The effectiveness of IEL relies on robust enforcement measures and collaborative efforts among nations to address shortcomings in Sustainable Market Orientation (SMO) and incentivize HEIs to adopt eco-friendly practices. Research Implications: This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how IEL can achieve SMO within higher education markets. Furthermore, it sheds light on addressing intricate sustainable development issues in the Middle East and Asia region. Achieving a balance between economic, social, and environmental orientations may require intentional policy development and implementation for SMO. Policymakers and legal experts can utilize this study to establish a framework for harmonizing national higher education strategies with global sustainability objectives, fostering enduring resilience in response to environmental challenges. It is crucial to highlight in future studies that upholding the International Law for Sustainable Development (ILSD) and endorsing the Declarations on Sustainability in Higher Education (SHE) are pivotal in advancing sustainability endeavors and garnering global acclaim within higher education establishments. This trajectory is projected to gain momentum in the years ahead. Originality/Value: The study offers a novel integration of international environmental legal reform, SMO, and sustainable development within the specific socio-political and environmental context of the Middle East and Asia region. This study provides a multidimensional perspective that is essential for effective and inclusive sustainable development policymaking. The current study differs from prior studies in several aspects. Firstly, it was conducted within a new framework of SMO within the realm of IEL literature. Secondly, it examined the progression of international market principles towards SMO, encompassing various strategies in international trade (economic, social, and environmental). Finally, this study focused on the Emirati higher education market, an area where research on SMO and IEL is lacking thus far.

Non-technical summary.The United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) articulate societal aspirations for people and our planet. Many scientists have criticised the SDGs and some have suggested that a better understanding of the complex interactions between society and the environment should underpin the next global development agenda. We further this discussion through the theory of social–ecological resilience, which emphasises the ability of systems to absorb, adapt, and transform in the face of change. We determine the strengths of the current SDGs, which should form a basis for the next agenda, and identify key gaps that should be filled.Technical summary.The United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) are past their halfway point and the next global development agenda will soon need to be developed. While laudable, the SDGs have received strong criticism from many, and scholars have proposed that adopting complex adaptive or social–ecological system approaches would increase the effectiveness of the agenda. Here we dive deeper into these discussions to explore how the theory of social–ecological resilience could serve as a strong foundation for the next global sustainable development agenda. We identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current SDGs by determining which of the 169 targets address each of 43 factors affecting social–ecological resilience that we have compiled from the literature. The SDGs with the strongest connections to social–ecological resilience are the environment-focus goals (SDGs 2, 6, 13, 14, 15), which are also the goals consistently under-prioritised in the implementation of the current agenda. In terms of the 43 factors affecting social–ecological resilience, the SDG strengths lie in their communication, inclusive decision making, financial support, regulatory incentives, economic diversity, and transparency in governance and law. On the contrary, ecological factors of resilience are seriously lacking in the SDGs, particularly with regards to scale, cross-scale interactions, and non-stationarity.Social media summary.The post-2030 agenda should build on strengths of SDGs 2, 6, 13, 14, 15, and fill gaps in scale, variability, and feedbacks.

Досліджено нормативно-правовий та інституційно-адміністративний механізм державного управління сталим розвитком аграрного сектору та сільських територій. Проаналізовано міжнародний досвід запровадження принципів сталого розвитку. На основі проведеного аналізу запропоновано алгоритм запровадження основ концепції сталого розвитку України, а саме: прийняття національної стратегії сталого розвитку “Україна – 2030”, відповідно до Глобальних цілей сталого розвитку (далі – ЦСР), прийнятих Генеральною Асамблеєю Організації Об’єднаних Націй (далі – ООН) 25 вересня 2015 р. “Перетворення нашого світу: Порядок денний сталого розвитку 2030”, який вміщує 17 Глобальних ЦСР до 2030 р.; Указу Президента України “Цілі сталого розвитку України на період до 2030 року” від 30.09.2019 р. Зазначено, що в рамках національної стратегії повинна бути розроблена програма сталого розвитку аграрного сектору та сільських територій. Адже для досягнення 2-ї Цілі “Подолання голоду, досягнення продовольчої безпеки, поліпшення харчування та сприяння сталому сільському господарству” саме аграрний сектор та сільські громади мають вирішальну роль. Запропоновано удосконалення адміністративно-інституціонального механізму управління сталим розвитком, а саме створення державного комітету із сталого розвитку, підпорядкованого Кабінету Міністрів України, для здійснення координаційної діяльності всіх міністерств та відомств у напрямку запровадження стратегії сталого розвитку. Розглянуто методи побудови механізмів державного управління сталим розвитком, які враховують інтереси усіх зацікавлених сторін, базуються на моделі “державно-приватного” партнерства, а також методах горизонтальної та вертикальної інтеграції, враховуючи альтернативи розвитку держави, специфіку аграрного сектору економіки, потреб сільських територіальних громад у напрямку досягнення ЦСР.

This chapter, in keeping with the larger theme of the volume, will present a critical overview of the steps taken by the Indian Government toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), in particular Goal 4: “Inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong opportunities for all.” The initiatives are mapped across primary, secondary, higher, and technical education from 2015 to 2024. The chapter looks at policy initiatives, budgetary allocation to education in the Five-Year Plan (2015–2020), infrastructure development, and inclusivity. The Indian state has always been conscious of its responsibility toward education. Through this chapter, the authors can help situate the position of the Indian education system vis-à-vis global indicators like SDGs. Moreover, the chapter will attempt to demonstrate the marked changes in the education system in India in the 21st century. The chapter argues that Indian educational initiatives since independence have prioritized quality, inclusive, and lifelong learning, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established in 2015. Hence, India had always addressed these concerns systematically, and now, identifying with UN SDGs has a global benchmarking. The chapter begins with a brief introduction of the developmental goals set by the United Nations and discusses its transition from millennium development goals (MDGs) to SDGs. This is followed by an overview of educational landmarks in the short history of India's independence. The last section looks at policy initiatives and legislation across primary, secondary, and higher education, focusing largely on the two decades of the 21st century.

Objective: This study aims to map publication trends on transformative leadership in Indonesian Islamic boarding schools (2015–2025) and examine its relevance to curriculum integration, leadership practices, and sustainable education development. Theoretical framework: The study is grounded in Transformative Leadership Theory and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework initiated by the United Nations, particularly SDG 4, SDG 9, SDG 16, and SDG 17, positioning leadership as a driver of sustainable education. Literature review: The literature highlights the role of transformative leadership in improving motivation, organizational culture, and curriculum innovation in Islamic boarding schools, while revealing limited integration with global sustainability and SDGs-oriented perspectives. Methods: A bibliometric analysis of 373 Scopus-indexed articles (2015–2025) was conducted using Biblioshiny to analyze publication trends, thematic structures, and collaboration networks, with SDGs used as an interpretative lens. Results: The findings show a sharp increase in publications since 2018, with Indonesia as the main research hub and dominant themes related to leadership, character education, and human capital development within boarding schools. Implications: The results support SDG 4 by strengthening leadership capacity and inclusive education, SDG 9 through innovation and technology integration, and SDG 16–17 by promoting ethical institutions and research collaboration. Novelty: This study offers a novel SDGs-oriented bibliometric synthesis that integrates global research trends with the local context of Islamic boarding schools, positioning transformative leadership as a bridge between faith-based education and sustainable development.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received increasing attention in recent decades. The concept of social responsibility is being applied in universities. Because universities have goals that differ significantly from corporations, the notion of university social responsibility (USR) has emerged in the academic field. The Ministry of Education in Taiwan has regularly implemented USR practice plans since 2018 (Executive Yuan, Taiwan, ROC, 2019). The core values of these plans are "local coalition" and "talent cultivation". Moreover, these plans encourage universities to use the power of professional knowledge and creation to minimize the gap between learning and application for students and to integrate local resources and hands-on strategies to better collaborate with universities around the world and expand participation in international academic activities. Sustainable development (SD) is a core objective of both CSR and USR. The United Nations has advocated for sustainable development since 1987 and formalized the five-component paradigm (people, partnership, peace, planet, and prosperity, 5Ps) in 2015. UN Agenda 2030 addresses 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), 169 targets, and 3,155 actions, encouraging all national governments to establish national SD action plans (United Nations, 2015). Based on the review of the literature and conceptual frameworks related to USR and SD (Bokhari, 2017), we integrate practice experiences and propose three suggestions for universities: 1) diversities universities could create a campus-wide climate of and comprehensive practice for social responsibility using their professional knowledge; 2) the social, economy, and environment are included in universities SD. The curriculum development of universities links to social practice activities to achieve the goals of talent cultivation to meet social needs; 3) The university projects include specific actions and timeline. The impacts and achievements of USR and SD may be appraised by internal and external experts. Fooyin University is a school of science and technology related to "Big Health". Based on the above theoretical frameworks, the outcome evaluation model of the Center for USR, the Ministry of Education, and the UN's SDGs, we implemented the "Time Wheel Sustainable Model of Social Responsibility at Fooyin University" (Figure 1) and began cooperating with private and government organizations. The model is an intervention and evaluation guideline for the time-dynamic wheel, with the target goal of cultivating health promotion and sustainable development talent. The outcomes and impacts of the model comprise four domains and sixteen indicators. Stakeholders of this model are students/alumni, teaching faculties and administration staff, communities, and the public. USR curriculum designs involve the School of Nursing, School of Medical and Health Sciences, School of Environment and Life Sciences, and College of Humanities and Management. In 2020, 718 faculties and 2,012 students participated in USR projects. In 2021, the participation numbers were 679 faculties and 2,303 students. The Fooyin USR is now firmly rooted in thirty communities. Starting in 2022, The Fooyin USR has collaborated with local private companies (CSR) and local youths and communities (regional revitalization, RR) to launch the 3 R formula framework of the USR. The goal of the 3 R action plan is to use artificial intelligence technology to provide innovative, community-based care. The USR operations of university sustainable development around Taiwan are achieving wonderful results, with even better achievements expected. This special column presents case studies of innovative community care and sustainable development within the context of university social responsibility at four universities, including Fooyin University, Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, National Cheng Kung University, and Taipei Medical University. Since 2020, nations around the world have fought off COVID-19. The strategies of national prevention have evolved to better respond to disasters and to live with the virus. Therefore, in the post-pandemic period, universities around Taiwan have been implementing sustainable development practices. These universities are making strong efforts to develop innovative care for communities through academic exchange and publishing in order to accomplish social responsibility.