BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐẠI HỌC KINH TÉ THÀNH PHỐ HÒ CHÍ MINH BÁO CÁO TỐNG KẾT ĐÈ TÀI NGHIÊN cứu KHOA HỌC THAM GIA XÉT GIẢI THƯỞNG ‘’NHÀ NGHIÊN cưù TRẺ UEH” NĂM 2024 Factors Influencing Students' Sustainability Behaviors at UEH University Thuộc nhóm chuyên ngành : 1 TP. Hồ Chí Minh, tháng 2/2024 1 TOPIC SUMMARY Sustainable development is becoming an important goal of the world (SDGs). The most ideal place to develop sustainable behaviors of future global citizens is educational institutions, especially higher educational institutions (HEIs). This study, based on a survey of UEH University students in Vietnam, employs rigorous quantitative analysis methods.
It includes evaluating the scale's reliability by considering Cronbach's Alpha coefficients, utilizing PLS-SEM analysis techniques to explore congelations between variables, and using IPMA analysis to provide insights into the overall impact of internal and external independent variables on students' sustainability behavior. By identifying specific factors such as Campus Sustainability, Environmental Information, and Student Attitudes towards Sustainability that significantly influence behavior, this research equips administrators with valuable insights. These insights aid in making informed decisions to improve campus-wide initiatives and foster a sustainability culture among students. This practical contribution emphasizes the study's importance for strategic decision-making in university management.
Keywords: sustainable behaviors, sustainable development, higher education institutions 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS TOPIC SUMMARY.1 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 2 LIST OF TABLES.5 LIST OF FIGURES. 6 LIST OF ABBREVIATION. Reason to choose the topic.
Scope of study. Structure of this study. 11 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW. Overview of Sustainable Development.
Overview of HEIs in SD. University's Role in Sustainable Development and Student's Sustainability Behavior. Campus Sustainability and Student's Sustainability Behavior. Environmental Information and Student's Sustainability Behavior.
Students’ Attitude toward Sustainability and their Sustainability Behavior22 2. 24 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. Scale of constructs. Sample descriptive analysis.
Descriptive statistics results. Assessment of measurement model. Indicator outer loadings. Assessment of structural model.
Coefficient of determination and adjusted R2. Analysis of Effect Size f2. Results of testing the research model. Path coefficients and hypotheses testing.
47 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS. Limitations and directions for further research. Quantitative research questionnaire. Questionnaire English version.
Questionnaire Vietnamese version. 78 5 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Research sample descriptive analysis. 33 Table 2: Descriptive statistics results. 35 Table 3: Construct Outer Loadings.37 Table 4: Construct reliability and validity.
39 Table 5: Heterotrait-Monotrait (HTMT) ratio. 40 Table 6: Inner VIF values. 41 Table 7: Coefficient of determination values. 41 Table 8: Effect size f2 results.42 Table 9: Hypothesis testing results.
44 Table 10: Important-performance matrix analysis (IPMA). 46 6 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Research model. 24 Figure 2: Research process flowchart.27 Figure 3: Research model analysis result. 43 Figure 4: IPMA Grid.
45 Figure 5: IPMA matrix of research model. 47 7 LIST OF ABBREVIATION AVE: Average Variance Extracted CS: Campus Sustainability EI: Environmental Information HELs: Higher Education Institution HTMT: Heterotrait - Monotrait IPMA: Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis PLS - SEM: Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modeling SA: Students' Attitude toward Sustainability SB: Student’s Sustainability Behaviors SD: Sustainable Development SDGs: Sustainable Development Goals SEM: Structural Equation Modeling TPB: Theory of Planned Behavior UR: University’s Role in Sustainable Development VIF: Variance Inflation Factor 8 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1. Reason to choose the topic There is a growing acknowledgment of the substantial role that humans play in both causing and being affected by environmental crises (Napolitano, 2013). The realization that complete societal development hinges on individuals possessing adequate knowledge and positive attitudes toward the environment is emphasized (Van Egmond & De Vries, 2011).
Experts posit that addressing the environmental crisis hinges on reforming human teachings and changing attitudes, insights, and knowledge toward our destiny and the surrounding environment (Huckle, 1991). The unique mission of universities in society places them in a crucial role in sustainability provision (Yuan et al. Universities contribute to sustainability through internal and external performances, shaping students' identities, worldviews, and values (Dagiliũtẻ, Liobikienẻ, 2015). By formulating appropriate curricula and course plans, universities can instill sustainability principles, setting an example for other institutions (Beynaghi et al.
Recognizing the importance of sustainable development education, particularly for future community managers and planners (Heidari & Heidari, 2015), higher education plays a pivotal role in fostering competencies for sustainable development, continuous learning, entrepreneurship, sustainable living, and responsible citizenship (Delors, 1998). In developing countries like Vietnam, a noticeable gap exists in the practice of sustainable development within higher education institutions (Tien et al., 2019; Zahid et al., 2020), presenting a unique research context to explore factors influencing students' behavior in sustainable development. The students' behavior within university- led sustainable development initiatives is crucial for the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (Ghosh, 2011). Various previous studies recognize students as critical stakeholders in higher education institutions (van Weenen, 2000; Lidgren et al., 2006; Beringer, 2007; Dagiliute et al., 2018), influencing the bottom-up approach in Higher Education for Sustainable Development (Chi'istensen et al.
Their active involvement in 9 sustainable campus operations and research emphasizes their role as "critical assets in Sustainable University projects" (Dahle and Neumayer, 2001; Beringer and AdomBent, 2008). This involvement positions students as potential drivers and leaders in effecting systemic change for sustainable development (Avelar and Farina, 2022). While students expressed a willingness to contribute to institutional sustainability and beyond (Emanuel and Adams, 2011), there remains a research gap on the role of universities in influencing sustainability student behavior, especially in the Vietnamese educational context. Addressing this gap is critical to understanding the dynamics between student behavior and university-led sustainability initiatives.
Simultaneously recognizing the importance of sustainable behaviors for students and universities, this research aims to investigate the topic ’’Factors Influencing Students’ Sustainability Behaviors at UEH University”. The study will test the hypotheses outlined, analyze the results, and draw conclusions. The research outcomes will provide essential strategic recommendations for organizational leadership aiming for sustainable development and promoting students' sustainability behavior. Research objectives This study aims to identify the factors influencing students’ sustainability behaviors at UEH University.
Furthermore, our research paper will put forth recommendations for the university to enhance and implement a plan for the university's SD orientation. More specifically, this study will: - Identify the factors that influence students’ sustainability behaviors at UEH University; - Analyze, evaluate, and test the factors identified in the first objective. This analytical process seeks to delve deeper into the dynamics of students’ sustainability behavior; - Draw conclusive insights regarding the factors influencing students' sustainability behavior. The insights gained will form the basis for recommendations to the university, aiming to enhance student participation in SD activities and implement robust plans for the university's SD orientation.
Research questions What are the primary factors that influence the sustainability behavior of students at UEH University? How do the identified factors interplay to shape the sustainability behavior of UEH University Students? What is the extent of influence each identified factor has on students’ sustainability behavior? What conclusive insights can be drawn from the analysis and evaluation of factors impacting UEH University students’ sustainability behavior? What recommendations are given to enhance student participation in SD activities and implement robust plans for the university’s SD orientation? 1. Scope of study This study focuses on examining the factors that impact the behavior of undergraduate students toward SD. The survey will specifically target students from UEH University in Ho Chi Minh City - one of the typical universities in Vietnam aiming for sustainable development. Methodology The study used a quantitative analysis method through survey data taken from questionnaires.
To verify the scales, there are many techniques have been used such as Outer Loading analysis, internal consistency metrics analysis - Cronbach's Alpha, analysis of composite reliability, analysis of Average Variance Extracted (AVE), analysis of the ratio of differentiating characteristics - unique features - Heterotrait - Monotrait (HTMT). For hypothesis testing, the study uses the PLS-SEM analysis technique. The fit of the model will be verified by the coefficients R2 and f. In addition to PLS-SEM, the Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis (IPMA) was utilized to further enhance the understanding of the significance and performance alignment of key attributes within the examined model.
The IPMA approach aids in 11 pinpointing areas of strength, improvement, and potential optimization for strategic decision-making. The software used to analyze the data includes Excel 2016 to encode raw data from the survey table, SPSS 22 for descriptive statistical analysis, and the remaining tests are performed through SmartPLS 4. Research significance Researching the topic brings theoretical and practical meanings to students as well as the school. The theoretical significance of the research is to contribute to the scale of factors affecting university students' behavior toward SD to serve future related research articles.
The research holds practical significance in two main aspects: Firstly, it aids educational institutions in identifying key factors that impact students' sustainability behavior. By discerning these factors, universities in Vietnam can formulate comprehensive plans and implement targeted measures to promote sustainability, thereby fostering the creation of a more sustainable university environment. Secondly, the research contributes to influencing the awareness and behavior of students, especially at UEH University in Ho Chi Minh City. By shedding light on factors influencing sustainability practices, the research aims to inspire changes in students' actions, steering them towards a path of SD.
Ultimately, the goal is to enhance student participation in SD activities, creating a positive ripple effect within the university community and contributing to broader sustainability initiatives. Structure of this study The study consists of 5 chapters, the structure is as follows: Chapter 1: Research overview. This chapter presents the reasons why the research team chose the topic, research objectives, research questions, research subjects, research scope and methods used to conduct the research. 12 Chapter 2: Literature review.
This chapter provides an overall understanding of students’ sustainability behavior and the theories used for the research. From there, propose the hypothesis of this research model. Chapter 3: Research methodology. In this chapter, the authors describe the design of the study, the scale used by the research team and how to take survey samples.
The chapter evaluates the analysis results and the scale and whether the proposed hypotheses are supported. Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations. Possible implications from the research results are discussed, and practical recommendations are proposed for university leaders that have promoted students’ sustainability behavior. The chapter also presents the limitations of the current study to overcome the shortcomings for future research directions.
13 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2. Introduction Chapter 2 aims to introduce the theoretical basis for the research paper. The research model is built along with hypotheses about the relationship between the concepts in the model. This chapter consists of four parts: (1) sustainable development, higher education institution overview, (2) foundation theories, (3) literature review, research hypothesis, and proposed research model.
Overview of Sustainable Development The notion of sustainable development seeks to meet the ‘needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future* (Brundtland, 1987). Sustainable development literature reflects a global concern among organizations, scholars, and research centers in the current century regarding environmental issues. Considered the most crucial and challenging issue of the 21st century, sustainable development aims to address economic, social, and environmental changes, ensuring the well-being of cuiTent and future generations (Mintz & Tai, 2014; UNESCO, 2014). The 2030 agenda for sustainable development focuses on 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) - ratified by all United Nations member states in 2015 - which serve as a shared blueprint and a global call for action.
By using quantitative research methods, this study aims to contribute to the field by pinpointing specific factors that influence Students' Sustainability Behavior. It addresses the existing gap in the comprehensive research literature on the interplay between university-led sustainability initiatives and student behavior. This investigation considers both perspectives: within the students themselves and from the school's side. Furthermore, the study aligns with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly emphasizing Reduced Inequality (SDG 10) and Climate Action (SDG 13) targets, as reflected in the survey questionnaire.