Hybrid method to guide sustainable initiatives in higher education: a critical analysis of Brazilian municipalities
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
ISSN: 1467-6370
Article publication date: 5 April 2022
Issue publication date: 24 January 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to assist higher education institutions (HEIs) in their decision-making process to define initiatives and foster research projects contributing to sustainable development (SD) and minimizing the deficits found in the municipalities.
Design/methodology/approach
A documental analysis was performed to select HEIs and Brazilian regional development indicators. Then, the assessment of the sustainable and institutional performance of Brazilian municipalities that have HEIs consisted of three parts: clustering with an unsupervised machine learning model, ranking with a hybrid multi-criteria decision making method and visualization of sustainability performance with the dashboard.
Findings
The critical analysis of institutional and sustainability indicators contributes to a more active role of HEIs in matters of social responsibility, with a more holistic view of the performance and quality of municipal education. Furthermore, this critical analysis creates a scenario where HEIs can develop public policy proposals in partnership with the government to mitigate the main issues identified.
Social implications
With this study, HEIs will be able to direct their actions to minimize the deficits found in the municipalities, consolidating their social responsibility.
Originality/value
This study proposes a new decision-support tool with a dashboard of indicators so that HEIs can foster research projects with a focus on regional SD.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001. Author Lima, G. B. A. thanks to Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq – 311484/2020–4) for the grant support.
Citation
Paz, T.d.S.R., Rocha Junior, V.G.d., Campos, P.C.d.O., Paz, I., Caiado, R.G.G., Rocha, A.d.A. and Lima, G.B.A. (2023), "Hybrid method to guide sustainable initiatives in higher education: a critical analysis of Brazilian municipalities", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 299-316. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-07-2021-0281
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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