Educational leadership for sustainability: A qualitative literature review on environmental conservation in higher education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32502/ilead.v1i1.1222Keywords:
Educational leadership, environmental conservation, green campus, higher education, sustainabilityAbstract
This qualitative literature review examines the role of educational leadership in advancing sustainability and environmental conservation within higher education institutions (HEIs), with particular emphasis on the Indonesian context. Universities are increasingly recognized as key agents of societal transformation, yet their ability to embed sustainability into curricula, operations, and community engagement largely depends on leadership capacity. Drawing on 65 selected studies published between 2010 and 2025, this review identifies leadership as a transformative force that mobilizes resources, fosters participatory governance, and cultivates sustainability-oriented cultures. The findings underscore that visionary and adaptive leadership approaches are essential for integrating sustainability into institutional missions and addressing contextual challenges such as resource constraints, bureaucratic rigidity, and cultural diversity. In Indonesia, green campus initiatives demonstrate progress but remain uneven across institutions, with leadership effectiveness emerging as a decisive factor. The review also highlights research gaps, particularly the lack of empirical studies capturing the lived experiences of leaders and the leadership styles most conducive to sustainability in resource-constrained settings. Overall, the study concludes that sustainability in higher education is less a technical challenge than a leadership endeavor, requiring adaptive, transformative, and collaborative practices to achieve long-term ecological stewardship. Recommendations include enhancing leadership training, strengthening governance frameworks, and advancing mixed-methods research to better capture the multifaceted impact of leadership on sustainability outcomes.
References
Aleixo, A. M., Leal, S., & Azeiteiro, U. M. (2018). Conceptualization of sustainable higher education institutions, roles, barriers, and challenges for sustainability: An exploratory study in Portugal. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 1664-1673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.11.010
Bolden, R., Petrov, G., & Gosling, J. (2009). Distributed leadership in higher education: Rhetoric and reality. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 37(2), 257-277. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143208100301
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brinkhurst, M., Rose, P., Maurice, G., & Ackerman, J. D. (2011). Achieving campus sustainability: Top-down, bottom-up, or neither? International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 12(4), 338-354. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676371111168269
Budihardjo, M. A., Ramadan, B. S., Putri, S. A., Wahyuningrum, I. F. S., & Muhammad, F. I. (2021). Towards sustainability in higher-education institutions: Analysis of contributing factors and appropriate strategies. Sustainability, 13(12), 6562. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126562
Bush, T., & Glover, D. (2014). School leadership models: What do we know? School Leadership & Management, 34(5), 553-571. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2014.928680
Fissi, S., Romolini, A., Gori, E., & Contri, M. (2021). The path toward a sustainable green university: The case of the University of Florence. Journal of Cleaner Production, 279, 123655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123655
Heifetz, R. A. (1994). Leadership without easy answers. Harvard University Press.
Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Harvard Business Press.
Leal Filho, W., Eustachio, J. H. P. P., Caldana, A. C. F., Will, M., Salvia, A. L., Rampasso, I. S., Anholon, R., Platje, J., & Kovaleva, M. (2020). Sustainability leadership in higher education institutions: An overview of challenges. Sustainability, 12(9), 3761. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093761
Lozano, R. (2006). Incorporation and institutionalization of sustainable development into universities: Breaking through barriers to change. Journal of Cleaner Production, 14(9-11), 787-796. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2005.12.010
Lozano, R., Barreiro-Gen, M., Lozano, F. J., & Sammalisto, K. (2019). Teaching sustainability in European higher education institutions: Assessing the connections between competences and pedagogical approaches. Sustainability, 11(6), 1602. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11061602
Lozano, R., Lukman, R., Lozano, F. J., Huisingh, D., & Lambrechts, W. (2013). Declarations for sustainability in higher education: Becoming better leaders, through addressing the university system. Journal of Cleaner Production, 48, 10-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.10.006
Masyhuri, M., Pradana, H. A., Gienardy, M., & Wibisono, A. (2025). Responsible leadership for sustainable performance: A study of green orchestration innovation in Indonesian universities. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-11-2024-0599
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hrobjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., et al. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Purcell, W. M., Henriksen, H., & Spengler, J. D. (2019). Universities as the engine of transformational sustainability toward delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 20(8), 1343-1357. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-02-2019-0103
Rachmadian, R. H., Sumarmi, S., & Masruroh, H. (2025). Implementasi strategi inovatif perguruan tinggi dalam menanamkan sustainability awareness pada sivitas akademika melalui program green campus. Jurnal Ilmu Lingkungan, 23(1), 10-22. https://doi.org/10.14710/jil.23.1.10-22
Ragazzi, M., & Ghidini, F. (2017). Environmental sustainability of universities: Critical analysis of a green ranking. Energy Procedia, 119, 111-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.07.054
Ramos, T. B., Caeiro, S., van Hoof, B., Lozano, R., Huisingh, D., & Ceulemans, K. (2015). Experiences from the implementation of sustainable development in higher education institutions: Environmental management for sustainable universities. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.05.110
Ryan, A., Tilbury, D., Corcoran, P. B., Abe, O., & Nomura, K. (2010). Sustainability in higher education in the Asia-Pacific: Developments, challenges, and prospects. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 11(2), 106-119. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676371011031838
Sanchez-Carrillo, J. C., Cadarso, M. A., & Tobarra, M. A. (2021). Embracing higher education leadership in sustainability: A systematic review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 298, 126675. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126675
Sari, R. F., Suwartha, N., Setiani, H., & Sidiyanto, Y. A. (2023). The impact of UI GreenMetric involvement on universities' performance in shaping a sustainable campus. Journal of Sustainability Perspectives, 399-414. https://doi.org/10.14710/jsp.2023.20847
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333-339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
Sterling, S. (2001). Sustainable education: Re-visioning learning and change. Green Books.
Tilbury, D. (2011). Higher education for sustainability: A global overview of commitment and progress. In Global University Network for Innovation (Ed.), Higher education in the world 4: Higher education's commitment to sustainability: From understanding to action (pp. 18-28). Palgrave Macmillan. https://www.guninetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/8_i.2_he_for_sustainability_-_tilbury.pdf
Uhl-Bien, M., & Arena, M. (2018). Leadership for organizational adaptability: A theoretical synthesis and integrative framework. The Leadership Quarterly, 29(1), 89-104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2017.12.009
UNESCO Global Independent Expert Group on the Universities and the 2030 Agenda. (2022). Knowledge-driven actions: Transforming higher education for global sustainability. UNESCO Publishing. https://doi.org/10.54675/YBTV1653
Wamsler, C., Osberg, G., Osika, W., Herndersson, H., & Mundaca, L. (2021). Linking internal and external transformation for sustainability and climate action: Towards a new research and policy agenda. Global Environmental Change, 71, 102373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102373
