Sustainable development practices in public higher education: A new conceptual framework for nurturing student satisfaction and reinforcing attractiveness to international students

Using a multi-layer review based on stakeholder, institutional and legitimacy theories, the current study presents and empirically analyses a novel conceptual framework addressing the relationship between sustainable development practices, internationalization and students' satisfaction in public higher education institutions. Based on participants' self-perception, a questionnaire was distributed to 738 students at seven Portuguese public higher education institutions. Structural equation modeling was utilized to estimate the multivariate causal relationships. The evidence shows that SDP are positively, directly, and significantly related to internationalization and students' satisfaction. Students' satisfaction is directly and significantly associated with internationalization, also revealing a moderating effect on the relationship between sustainable development practices and internationalization. To achieve legitimacy among their stakeholders, public higher education institutions must build an institutional commitment to sustainability by adopting and disseminating sustainable development practices with actions on a livable campus.

Automated summary

Using stakeholder, institutional, and legitimacy theories, this study examines the relationship between sustainable development practices (SDP), internationalization, and students' satisfaction in public higher education institutions. The findings indicate that SDP are positively and significantly associated with internationalization and students' satisfaction. Students' satisfaction also has a direct and significant impact on internationalization, and moderates the relationship between SDP and internationalization. Public higher education institutions need to commit to sustainability by implementing and promoting SDP on their campuses to gain legitimacy among stakeholders.