Sustainability in Higher Education
Sustainability in Higher Education is a research topic within Education. Science Explorer counts 9.6k research works in it since 1954. 34.4% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers focuses on sustainability education within higher education institutions, addressing the development of competencies, curriculum integration, and the institutionalization of sustainability. It explores topics such as transformative learning, leadership for sustainability, and the incorporation of sustainable development goals into educational outcomes.
- Sustainability Education
- Higher Education
- Competencies
- Curriculum
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Institutionalization
- Environmental Management
- Transformative Learning
- Leadership for Sustainability
- Assessment Tools
- Research works
- 9.6k fractional, since 1954
- In the world top 10%
- 3.3k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 34.4% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +88% the tick is no change
Which countries lead Sustainability in Higher Education research?
By volume, the United States and Indonesia publish the most (343 and 207 works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 United States 343 works
- 2 Indonesia 207 works
- 3 Spain 200 works
- 4 Germany 184 works
- 5 United Kingdom 183 works
- 6 India 178 works
- 7 Brazil 160 works
- 8 China 144 works
- 9 Türkiye 127 works
- 10 Malaysia 108 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead Sustainability in Higher Education research?
By volume in 2022–2025, Indonesia University of Education publishes the most Sustainability in Higher Education research, followed by University of South Africa and Universitat Politècnica de València.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 Indonesia University of Education Indonesia 18 works
- 2 University of South Africa South Africa 12 works
- 3 Universitat Politècnica de València Spain 12 works
- 4 Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia 11 works
- 5 University College London United Kingdom 11 works
- 6 Universitas Negeri Surabaya Indonesia 11 works
- 7 University of the Basque Country Spain 11 works
- 8 Beijing Normal University China 11 works
- 9 Tecnológico de Monterrey Mexico 10 works
- 10 Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) Brazil 10 works
Who are the leading researchers in Sustainability in Higher Education?
The most-cited researchers publishing on Sustainability in Higher Education include Rodrigo Lozano and Walter Leal Filho.
- 1 Rodrigo Lozano 1.2k citations
- 2 Walter Leal Filho 1.1k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is Sustainability in Higher Education research done?
The largest centres of Sustainability in Higher Education research in 2022–2025 are London (United Kingdom), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Beijing (China) and Bangkok (Thailand).
Largest cities, 2022–2025
Where is the best place to study Sustainability in Higher Education?
Among universities, judged by research, University of South Africa, University of the Basque Country and Universitat Politècnica de València score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of South Africa South Africa | 71.0 | 54.1% | 7.6× | 12 | +268.6% |
| 2 | University of the Basque Country Spain | 57.4 | 52.4% | 6.9× | 11 | — |
| 3 | Universitat Politècnica de València Spain | 51.7 | 25.7% | 9.0× | 12 | — |
| 4 | Tecnológico de Monterrey Mexico | 50.8 | 30.3% | 10.8× | 10 | -21.1% |
| 5 | University of Helsinki Finland | 50.1 | 65.5% | 4.2× | 9 | -7.7% |
| 6 | Beijing Normal University China | 44.8 | 57.2% | 4.2× | 11 | -66.2% |
| 7 | University of Aveiro Portugal | 42.4 | 32.8% | 7.1× | 8 | — |
| 8 | Universiti Sains Malaysia Malaysia | 41.1 | 40.8% | 4.9× | 10 | -20.8% |
| 9 | Universidade de São Paulo Brazil | 38.7 | 44.2% | 1.3× | 8 | +246.8% |
| 10 | University College London United Kingdom | 38.6 | 32.0% | 2.3× | 11 | — |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is Sustainability in Higher Education research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 88% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2025. The fastest-growing topics are Sustainability in Higher Education.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.