The Role and Contribution of Sustainable Development Goals as a Transformative Framework in Higher Education: A Case Study of the University of Split

Vlatka Škokić, Petra Jelić and Igor Jerković ()
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Vlatka Škokić: Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
Petra Jelić: Rector’s Office, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
Igor Jerković: Rector’s Office, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia

World, 2025, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: This study examines the role and contribution of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a transformative framework in higher education (HE), focusing on the University of Split (UOS), Croatia. By applying a qualitative longitudinal methodology, it examines how UOS has engaged with the SDG agenda while overcoming the challenges of institutional disintegration, resource scarcity, and cultural change. Data from strategy documents, action plans, and interviews with university leaders reveal a significant evolution in UOS’s strategic alignment with the SDGs, from initial compliance to a more integrated and systemic approach. This study applies Steele and Rickards’ framework of institutional engagement and innovation culture and positions the UOS journey as a pathway to a transformative scenario. The findings highlight key drivers such as strategic planning and policymaking, as well as barriers such as fragmented governance and cultural resistance that shape the UOS journey. This research contributes to the understanding of SDG implementation at universities in former transition countries and provides insights into the use of the SDG framework to drive systemic change in higher education.

Keywords: sustainable development goals (SDGs); higher education; transformative framework; former transition countries; systemic change; SDG implementation; qualitative longitudinal methodology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G15 G17 G18 L21 L22 L25 L26 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 R51 R52 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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