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Tensions in the Sustainability of Higher Education—The Case of Finnish Universities

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  • Annina Lattu

    (Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland)

  • Yuzhuo Cai

    (Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland)

Abstract

Universities are increasingly engaged in marketization and are also expected to transform into more sustainable institutions and be change-agents pushing forward the movement of sustainable development. This article introduces an analytical framework originated by Hahn et al. (2015) for understanding tensions concerning corporate sustainability to the context of the Finnish university system in order to answer the following questions: What are the tensions relating to Finnish universities’ social and economic sustainability, and what strategies might universities use to cope with these tensions? Through analyzing interviews with university managers and officials from the Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland, we find that Hahn et al.’s framework is generally applicable in analyzing tensions of sustainability in universities, and we identify six tensions relating to the sustainability of Finnish universities. The tensions are related to (1) academic leadership and management legitimacy, (2) regional political tensions and university profiling, (3) political power over the university system, (4) changing academic work and profession, (5) academic autonomy and the role of the state, and (6) the future role of the university institution. Moreover, the article discusses issues regarding how to adapt the framework of corporate sustainability to the context of higher education.

Suggested Citation

  • Annina Lattu & Yuzhuo Cai, 2020. "Tensions in the Sustainability of Higher Education—The Case of Finnish Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:5:p:1941-:d:328013
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tobias Hahn & Jonatan Pinkse & Lutz Preuss & Frank Figge, 2015. "Tensions in Corporate Sustainability: Towards an Integrative Framework," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 127(2), pages 297-316, March.
    2. Simone Sehnem & Graciella Martignago & Susana Carla Pereira & Charbel Jabour, 2019. "Sustainable Management at a University in Light of Tensions of Sustainability Theory," RAC - Revista de Administração Contemporânea (Journal of Contemporary Administration), ANPAD - Associação Nacional de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Administração, vol. 23(2), pages 182-206.
    3. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    4. Tobias Hahn & Frank Figge, 2011. "Beyond the Bounded Instrumentality in Current Corporate Sustainability Research: Toward an Inclusive Notion of Profitability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 104(3), pages 325-345, December.
    5. Rómulo Pinheiro & Lars Geschwind & Timo Aarrevaara, 2014. "Nested tensions and interwoven dilemmas in higher education: the view from the Nordic countries," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 7(2), pages 233-250.
    6. Tobias Hahn & Frank Figge & Jonatan Pinkse & Lutz Preuss, 2010. "Trade‐offs in corporate sustainability: you can't have your cake and eat it," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(4), pages 217-229, May.
    7. Thomas Dyllick & Kai Hockerts, 2002. "Beyond the business case for corporate sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(2), pages 130-141, March.
    8. William Young & Fiona Tilley, 2006. "Can businesses move beyond efficiency? The shift toward effectiveness and equity in the corporate sustainability debate," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(6), pages 402-415, November.
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    2. Jacqueline Bailão da Silva Lopes & Thiago Almeida Vieira, 2021. "Sustainable University: From the Worldwide Conception to the Brazilian Amazonia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-31, September.
    3. Hoe Chin Goi & Muhammad Mohsin Hakeem & Frendy, 2022. "Bridging Academics’ Roles in Knowledge Diffusion in Sustainability-Driven Public–Private Partnerships: A Case Study of the SDGs Workshop in Central Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
    4. Chiyao Sun & Ji’an Liu & Liana Razmerita & Yanru Xu & Jia Qi, 2022. "Higher Education to Support Sustainable Development: The Influence of Information Literacy and Online Learning Process on Chinese Postgraduates’ Innovation Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-16, June.
    5. Bror Giesenbauer & Georg Müller-Christ, 2020. "University 4.0: Promoting the Transformation of Higher Education Institutions toward Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-27, April.
    6. Juan Abello-Romero & Claudio Mancilla & Walter Sáez & Francisco Ganga-Contreras & Ivette Durán-Seguel, 2023. "Sustainable Development and Corporate Sustainability of Chilean State Universities: Evidence from Their Strategic Elements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-16, July.
    7. Yuzhuo Cai & Jinyuan Ma & Qiongqiong Chen, 2020. "Higher Education in Innovation Ecosystems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-12, May.

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