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Higher education institutions (HEIs) have a pivotal role in global sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to assess the QualEnv Consortium's contributions (QualEnv, a cooperative network of 16 universities across several countries, aimed to promote sustainability within HEIs). This paper focuses on three key objectives: illustrating QualEnv's successful, replicable sustainability strategies, highlighting their application and outcomes and contributing to the discourse on sustainable practices in HEIs.

This research uses qualitative and exploratory methods to provide an in-depth view of sustainability practices and strategies within universities. This study relies on documentation, specifically the “Sustainability Handbooks” of the QualEnv project, as a source of evidence.

This study reveals that the QualEnv Consortium's strategies have significantly improved the environmental and social performance of participating HEIs. Notably, this research identifies substantial enhancements in key sustainability metrics, including reduced carbon emissions, increased adoption of eco-friendly practices and stronger community engagement.

This study has some limitations. First, the choice of a qualitative methodological approach may constrain the generalizability of the findings. Another relevant limitation is related to the uniformity in adopting sustainable practices. The effectiveness of actions linked to the Sustainable Development Goals may depend on consistency in implementation among participating universities, and variations in this aspect can affect the direct comparison of adopted strategies.

This research contributes to the sustainability in higher education field by comprehensively examining the QualEnv Consortium's innovative approach. By focusing on QualEnv's experiences and outcomes, this research offers valuable insights and serves as a model for HEIs worldwide seeking to align their academic, research and community engagement efforts with sustainable development goals.

This study aims to identify how the sustainability of Brazilian Federal Institutes of Education, Science and Technology is implemented.

The research is descriptive and quantitative, and questionnaires were used to collect data, which were applied to the campuses and deans of the 38 IFs. The sample selection resulted from a sampling calculation for a finite population, which considered the five Brazilian regions, reaching 248 respondents. To analyze the collected data, descriptive statistics were used to demonstrate the mean, standard deviation (σ) and coefficient of variation of each of the seven axes of the questionnaire and also of the axes and regions jointly; and the sustainability indicator was defined.

A majority of the analyzed FIs were considered to be medium or highly sustainable. The classifications achieved by the FIs demonstrate that sustainability practices are reasonably present in a significant number of campi and Principals’ Offices.

This study contributes by creating a data collection instrument to measure the sustainability practice, not only in educational institutions but also in any type of institution; and the sustainability indicators created, which make it possible to classify organs and entities in accordance with sustainable initiatives implemented by them.

This study’s authors can highlight the mapping of sustainability implementation in the Brazilian Federal Institutes analyzed, which, owing to the sample used, allows for the verification of similarities and differences in these practices between the five Brazilian regions, in addition to making comparisons possible.

This study aims to identify and explore the critical components of Industry 4.0 (IR4.0) talent domains needed by Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students through work-based learning (WBL) programs in Malaysia.

A qualitative research design was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 11 experts from academia and industry. Document analysis was employed to complement expert interviews, offering an enriched understanding of the IR4.0 talent domains. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and reliability analysis through Fleiss’s Kappa.

The study reveals a consensus between academic and industry experts on the importance of cognitive abilities and professionalism for IR4.0 talent. However, significant discrepancies were noted in the domain of operational work skills, with academic experts agreeing on 12 out of 14 components, while industry experts agreed on only four. This highlights a potential misalignment between academic curricula and industry needs, particularly in operational skills.

This research only involves academics and industry experts in the field of IR4.0. The focus of this research is on the undergraduate WBL programmes at Malaysia’s Polytechnic.

The findings can guide curriculum development in TVET programs, ensuring that students are equipped with the necessary skills to meet industry expectations.

This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on IR4.0 talent development, offering valuable insights into the essential talent domains for TVET students engaged in WBL programs. The findings underscore the need for closer collaboration between educational institutions and industry to ensure that TVET programs are better aligned with the demands of the IR4.0 workforce.