Exploring Sustainability Education in the Business Schools of Australian Branch Campuses in Malaysia: Now and the Way Forward

Introduction

Sustainability in education refers to integrating the concepts and practices of sustainable development into educational settings. In this regard, studies have shown that education substantially impacts how young adults see sustainability issues like the environment, as personal values are observed to develop early in life and are more challenging to alter as people age (DeSombre, 2018). Specifically, Triana (2022) asserts that values are developed early on and at transitional years in a person's life (e.g. during college) and become more difficult to change with time. Consequently, scholars strongly argue for integrating sustainability issues inside educational settings, such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethics.

In this regard, higher education institutions (HEIs) play a crucial role in cultivating a culture of sustainability for a sustainable future by incorporating sustainability into their curricula and assessments and educating future professionals (Kim, 2023). The drive to have sustainability embedded in higher education has gained momentum in recent years, given initiatives such as the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Many HEIs have committed to making sustainability in education a pressing concern. Specifically, HEIs in Australia are at the forefront of the movement to promote sustainability education. In some cases, higher education offers various courses centred around sustainability to help produce responsible citizens who can contribute towards developing a more sustainable future.

In the Asian setting, sustainability in education has been gaining momentum in higher education, especially at the foreign branch campuses of Australian universities. Drawing on the experiences of their counterparts in Australia, these branch campuses are uniquely positioned to combine the best practices from both countries to create an approach that is more inclusive of the concept of sustainability. In the Malaysian context, the Australian branch campuses are actively working to address sustainability challenges through collaborations with local communities, governments, and businesses. By embedding sustainability in education, these branch campuses are cultivating a generation of graduates with the knowledge and skills to address pressing sustainable issues and understand the local context to help manage regional challenges. Importantly, these branch campuses have the potential to make significant contributions towards developing a more sustainable future in Malaysia and in the Southeast Asian region as a whole.

Concerning business education, Charroin et al. (2022) highlighted that global business schools must transform to ensure their long-term viability and contribute positively to the world. In the same context, Bryant et al. (2022) pointed out that Business Schools are encountering significant challenges due to evolving market demands and increased expectations from external stakeholders. Specifically, Business schools and universities have started to realise the necessity for sustainability, CSR, and ethics in business education (Weybrecht, 2017). Students at tertiary education institutions who will become future managers rely on Business schools to educate them on the value of sustainability. In the United States context, researchers thoroughly evaluated the literature and highlighted the need for sustainability and social impact curricula to be integrated into American undergraduate Business education (Triana, 2022).