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Higher education institutions (HEIs) are critical in the sustainability agenda, not only as catalysts for promoting sustainability practices but also because their activities have substantial social, economic and environmental impacts. Yet there is limited research that examines their sustainability performance. This paper aims to investigate the factors that are associated with sustainability performance in HEIs. Specifically, drawing from the stakeholder theory and exploiting Ullmann’s (1985) conceptual framework, this study examines the association between sustainability performance and stakeholder power, strategic posture and financial slack resources.

The authors draw the sample from the People & Planet University Green League Table for the period 2011–2019 and use the generalised estimating equations for the modelling approach.

This study finds that stakeholder power, in particular, funding grant income, tuition fee income and student and staff numbers, are positively associated with sustainability performance. In relation to strategic posture, this study finds that sustainability performance is negatively associated with governing body independence and gender diversity, and positively associated with internal structures. Finally, regarding financial slack resources, this study finds that surplus income (staff costs) is positively (negatively) associated with sustainability performance.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research contributes to several existing literature focusing on the not-for-profit sector by documenting, for the first time, the role of stakeholder power, strategic posture and slack financial resources on sustainability performance.

The paper includes relevant implications for HEI managers and regulators for promoting sustainability.

These results contribute to the literature on the factors influencing sustainability performance.

This study analyzes the significance of various attributes of developmental psychology developed by male and female students within higher education institutions (HEIs) in Cambodia. It also focuses on the mismatch between planned enrollments and the final selection of a course, and the knowledge and skills accessed during the study.

A sample of 463 students (267 female) was selected for a survey from two private and two public universities, located in both Phnom Penh and other provincial locations.

It was found that (1) the Cambodian Sustainable Development Goal targets related to quality education are likely to be achieved by 2030, but this will require close monitoring of the targets. While it is likely that the male ratio will be accomplished by 2030, this is less certain for the female ratio. (2) There was a mismatch between the planned enrollment and actual course selection for just under half (49.2%) of students surveyed due to high tuition fees, a lack of scholarships, unavailability of preferred courses, failure to gain admission and parental influence. This mismatch was higher for female students for all of these factors except for parental influence. (3) Students indicated a high degree of access to knowledge and skills, except for technological literacy, economic aspects and interpersonal effectiveness. Overall, male students were found to access a higher degree of both knowledge and skills. (4) The developmental psychology of students was found to be significantly influenced by decision-making ability, empathy, people skills, community engagement and voluntary work.

There were a number of limitations in carrying out this research. For example, discussions were separately organized at each university; the authors did not organize a consultative meeting gathering all the students from the four universities to discuss and get consensus. Moreover, the study did not cover the interviews of parents to gain their views regarding support for their children at HEIs.

Improvement in key aspects of developmental psychology for male students was found to be more significant than for female students, except for intellectual capacity.

Still, improvement in the adopt of developmental psychology is required at HEIs in Cambodia and developing countries. Improved developmental psychology among students at universities has been shown to result in a significant enhancement in study performance and competencies. These competencies range from cognitive and intellectual capacity, associated with thinking and analysis; and emotional and social capacity, associated with the development of a societal vision. Students who develop cognitive and intellectual capacity tend to perform tasks more accurately and efficiently, make decisions more effectively and respond intelligently to new or complex circumstances. Students who develop emotional and social capacity are better guided toward focusing on caring for others in the community and establishing peaceful and safe environments. An important implication of the developmental psychology of students within HEIs in Cambodia is the holistic nature of education integrating knowledge, skills, competencies and social responsibility. HEIs should take on the role of equipping students with both cognitive and intellectual capacities for employment; as well as the emotional and social capacities required to build a society based on mutual trust and harmony. Improving the psychological development of students at HEIs in Cambodia may also be significant in achieving the CSDG targets. In terms of policy, HEIs should integrate opportunities for this to be included in the curriculum to increase the opportunities for students to engage in practice-based learning and community engagement activities. This will require providing sufficient learning materials and equipment to enable students to self-learn, think, analyze and innovate, using theories obtained in class, at home. This should be coupled with community engagement programs that provide students with the opportunity to work in the field. All knowledge and skills accessed by students should be integrated with the development of both cognitive and intellectual capacities. Further, social activities organized by HEIs are required to assist in developing the emotional and social capacity of students to interact with communities.

The paper is solely conducted and prepared by SOK Serey, CHEB Hoeurn, CHHINH Nyda, BO Chan Koulika and NGUONPHAN Pheakdey. The findings of the research produce both quantitative and qualitative information on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals at higher education in Cambodia. In particular, this research is one of the most pioneer academic research studies conducted by a local scholar from Cambodia.

This chapter aims to explore the novelty and utility of political economy discourse, termed “neo-statism,” as an analytical lens for comparative research in higher education. Analysis is framed within the context of Hong Kong’s transition from a British colony to a Special Administrative Region under China’s sovereignty, and its shifting academic paradigms from a more or less spontaneous philosophy rooted in liberal capitalist economy to embracing neo-statism, which involves market-conforming and state-sponsored approaches to economic and social restructuring whereby the state regulates higher education in support of national integration and global power projection. The statist regulation depends heavily on its deployment of discursive legitimacy, strategic distribution of resources, organizational synergy, and elite cohesion articulated through higher education policy, research projects, and cross-border academic exchange and cooperation. The Hong Kong case suggests that comparative research in higher education should advance from the methodological aspects of the comparative approach to exploring wider theoretical spectrum, for understanding emerging politico-economic factors shaping academic paradigm in comparative contexts. Moreover, scholars who engage in the trendy internationalization in higher education should move beyond the logics of neo-liberalism, and pay closer attention to the new geopolitical realities that are changing the normative and interactive dimensions of international higher education at large.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the ending of fee-free higher education in Australia for overseas students in the 1980s, and the ways in which the government managed the diplomatic relationships that were affected by this policy shift. The introduction of fee-free higher education in Australia in 1974 was incredibly popular, and the end of the program in the late 1980s created difficulties for individuals, families and diplomatic relationships.

Using a mix of secondary sources and archival documents, this paper has a historiographical element, and an element of analysis.

This research finds that the ending of fee-free education created significant diplomatic issues with a number of Australia’s regional neighbours. It also created issues for individual students and families. The solution to these problems was, in large part, a scholarship scheme called the Equity and Merit Scholarship Scheme (EMSS). The EMSS was designed, in part, to address the issues created by the end of the fee-free program. However, the design of the scholarship scheme also created its own diplomatic issues with a different cohort of nation states.

There is limited scholarly research into the history of international education policy in Australia. This research draws on the work of some scholars of international scholarships, as well as historians of universities and education more broadly. This research adds to a growing body of work in the field of Australian international education history.

Internationalisation and academic mobility have long been integral parts, although serving different purposes in the higher education industry. Internationalisation has played a crucial role in facilitating academic exchange, knowledge sharing, research partnerships and collaborative innovation. However, the rise of neoliberalism has introduced the market forces of global capitalism that have significantly impacted higher education worldwide – invading the sector with neoliberal market values. This chapter aims to explore the impact of neoliberalism on the internationalisation of higher education in Africa, with a specific focus on trends in international student mobility. The chapter argues that the influence of neoliberalism on international mobility extends beyond market dynamics, encompassing discussions on hegemony within international knowledge systems, where African countries and institutions often find themselves marginalised. The study relies on published materials and publicly available statistical data from both governmental and non-governmental organisations. By examining the interplay between neoliberalism and the process of internationalisation in higher education, this chapter sheds light on the intricate and multifaceted aspects of both concepts, as well as their practical implications for international student mobility. Moreover, the chapter reflects on the implications of neoliberal entanglements for the prospects of internationalisation in African higher education.

This study systematically maps the research trends in the domain of “shadow education” over the last 40 years using metadata extracted from the SCOPUS database. The results reveal that the outputs of shadow education research have grown exponentially within the last decade. Bray and his colleagues from the University of Hong Kong, East China Normal University, and the Education University of Hong Kong have been the most prolific and influential research team. They are followed by Park and Byun from the USA, who have mostly worked on East Asian contexts. The USA, Hong Kong, South Korea, and the People’s Republic of China, have been the main sources of contributions and the University of Hong Kong has been the leading university in this field. Educational studies, economics, psychology, linguistics, and sociology have been the main disciplines researched within shadow education. Shadow education studies have revealed how shadow education can be a major instrument for maintaining and exacerbating social inequalities. They have also largely focused on the tangible (quantifiable) benefits related to improving students’ examination results. This study’s results stress the importance of regulating the private tutoring market, suggesting areas for ongoing research.

The purpose of this chapter is to highlight how universities got into the predicament in which they currently find themselves in, or somewhat planned to be in, in the 2020s. The historical account outlines the purpose of higher education and who it was for throughout the last few centuries, before a more in-depth analysis of the last few decades will highlight how, and why, neoliberal and subsequently managerial aspects of leadership and performance metrics crept into universities before an analysis of the last 5–10 years, including the onset and consequences of COVID, will demonstrate that many ‘COVID recovery plans’ around staff cuts and course reforms were already in place before COVID, but it was COVID that allowed these plans in most cases to be escalated.