Sustainability Leadership and Transformational Leadership in Higher Education: A Qualitative Systematic Literature Review on Teaching and Learning for Sustainability
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70142/jbs.v3i1.133Keywords:
Sustainability Leadership, Transformational Leadership, Higher Education, Teaching and Learning for Sustainability, Qualitative Systematic Literature ReviewAbstract
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a pivotal role in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by integrating sustainability into teaching, learning, research, and institutional governance. This study conducts a Qualitative Systematic Literature Review (QSLR) to examine the roles of Sustainability Leadership (SL) and Transformational Leadership (TL) in promoting Teaching and Learning for Sustainability (TLS). Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 were systematically identified, screened, and thematically analyzed. The findings indicate that sustainability leadership provides strategic vision, ethical governance, systems thinking, and stakeholder engagement, making it the primary driver of sustainability-oriented institutional transformation. Transformational leadership complements these functions by enhancing faculty motivation, organizational learning, and pedagogical innovation but has a more indirect influence on sustainability teaching. The review concludes that integrating sustainability leadership and transformational leadership strengthens Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), institutional resilience, curriculum innovation, and sustainability competencies. The study contributes an integrated leadership framework and offers practical implications for university leaders and policymakers pursuing sustainable higher education.
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