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Financing university sustainability initiatives in China: actors and processes

Financing university sustainability initiatives in China: actors and processes This paper aims to study the mechanism of how the public universities have funded the campus sustainability projects in China, by identifying key actors and examining the processes.Design/methodology/approachBesides a review of campus sustainability initiatives at higher education institutions in China, the case of Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) is selected to provide an empirical understanding of the campus sustainability management in a typical university.FindingsThe paper points to dominant roles played by the state ministries in financing university conservation programs and the absence of a national policy framework and low sustainability proactiveness in a majority of higher educational institutions. It argues that more discretionary power and more policy deliberations are needed for the transformation.Research limitations/implicationsUniversities in China vary distinctively in status, operations and performance. In terms of campus sustainability management, the case of CUFE is highly representative as it shares more common features with universities that develop in a routine manner.Practical implicationsWith the financial support from government agencies, the campus conservation-oriented projects have been conducted and financially supported in hundreds of pilot universities, but failed in diffusing to more universities. This study identifies the barriers and challenges.Social implicationsAn in-depth understanding of the working mechanism in financing university sustainability initiatives will promote a discussion on China’s policymaking process and will provide useful insights regarding its future policy options.Originality/valueChina has conducted nationwide conservation-oriented campus constriction for almost a decade and many universities increase their investment in campus facilities and their operations; however, there is a lack of understanding of the rationale of the funding models and how they have been implemented. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education Emerald Publishing

Financing university sustainability initiatives in China: actors and processes

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
1467-6370
eISSN
1467-6370
DOI
10.1108/ijshe-11-2019-0333
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

This paper aims to study the mechanism of how the public universities have funded the campus sustainability projects in China, by identifying key actors and examining the processes.Design/methodology/approachBesides a review of campus sustainability initiatives at higher education institutions in China, the case of Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) is selected to provide an empirical understanding of the campus sustainability management in a typical university.FindingsThe paper points to dominant roles played by the state ministries in financing university conservation programs and the absence of a national policy framework and low sustainability proactiveness in a majority of higher educational institutions. It argues that more discretionary power and more policy deliberations are needed for the transformation.Research limitations/implicationsUniversities in China vary distinctively in status, operations and performance. In terms of campus sustainability management, the case of CUFE is highly representative as it shares more common features with universities that develop in a routine manner.Practical implicationsWith the financial support from government agencies, the campus conservation-oriented projects have been conducted and financially supported in hundreds of pilot universities, but failed in diffusing to more universities. This study identifies the barriers and challenges.Social implicationsAn in-depth understanding of the working mechanism in financing university sustainability initiatives will promote a discussion on China’s policymaking process and will provide useful insights regarding its future policy options.Originality/valueChina has conducted nationwide conservation-oriented campus constriction for almost a decade and many universities increase their investment in campus facilities and their operations; however, there is a lack of understanding of the rationale of the funding models and how they have been implemented.

Journal

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education – Emerald Publishing

Published: Sep 23, 2020

Keywords: Financing; Higher education institutions; Education for sustainable development; Chinese government; Higher education governance

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