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Towards Sustainability: A Quantitative Inquiry into Chinese University Students’ Perceived Learner Empowerment and Innovative Behaviour

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  • Jiying Han

    (School of Foreign Languages and Literature, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China)

  • Zhe Zhang

    (School of Foreign Languages and Literature, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China)

  • Zhenmei Liu

    (Taishan College, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China)

  • Chao Gao

    (School of Foreign Languages, Shandong Women’s University, Jinan 250300, China)

Abstract

Innovation is universally acclaimed as the crux of organisational sustainability in the current dynamic and competitive market and knowledge economy, and psychological empowerment provides a more comprehensive pathway to human creative performance. However, the pivotal role of students’ innovation in driving sustainability has been largely overlooked within the context of higher education for sustainable development (HESD). This study investigated the relationship between university students’ perceived learner empowerment and their innovative behaviour from a multistage perspective. An online survey was conducted among 868 Chinese university students from 21 institutions. The results indicated that Chinese students’ self-perceived level of empowerment and innovative behaviour was relatively high, but that they viewed themselves as less competent in generating innovation outputs. The results of structural equation modelling revealed that competence was positively related to all factors of innovative behaviour, the impact was positively associated with six factors of innovative behaviour, and meaningfulness was positively related solely to involving others. The findings have significant implications for stimulating students’ innovative behaviour towards sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiying Han & Zhe Zhang & Zhenmei Liu & Chao Gao, 2023. "Towards Sustainability: A Quantitative Inquiry into Chinese University Students’ Perceived Learner Empowerment and Innovative Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:18:p:13606-:d:1238009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Benjamin S. Selznick & Matthew J. Mayhew, 2018. "Measuring Undergraduates’ Innovation Capacities," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 59(6), pages 744-764, September.
    2. Matthew J. Mayhew & Jeffrey S. Simonoff & William J. Baumol & Benjamin S. Selznick & Stephen J. Vassallo, 2016. "Cultivating Innovative Entrepreneurs for the Twenty-First Century: A Study of U.S. and German Students," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 87(3), pages 420-455, May.
    3. Chao Gao & Jiying Han, 2022. "Sustainable Development of Mastery Goals and Innovative Behavior: Evidence from Chinese Faculty Members," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-14, July.
    4. Mirko Duradoni & Annamaria Di Fabio, 2019. "Intrapreneurial Self-Capital and Sustainable Innovative Behavior within Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-10, January.
    5. Mirjam Braßler & Martin Schultze, 2021. "Students’ Innovation in Education for Sustainable Development—A Longitudinal Study on Interdisciplinary vs. Monodisciplinary Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dusanka Boskovic & Dzenana Husremovic & Merima Muslic & Amra Kapo, 2023. "Teachers and Students as Promoters or Repressors of Sustainable Education: Navigating the Blended Learning Landscape," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-13, December.

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