SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP IN HIGHER EDUCATION: INTEGRATING LITERACY, BEHAVIORAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT IN MALAYSIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

Malaysia is progressing towards a a sustainable management, and concepts such as a low-carbon future, circular economy, and clean and responsible consumption are making waves in the terminology under this field of study. In the aspect of education leadership and management, this study examines the relationships and understanding of sustainability-related literacy among lecturers at Malaysian public universities, their modelling of sustainable conduct, and their experiences with institutional assistance. The sample size includes 350 respondents who had participated in a survey and 20 interview participants from 12 public institutions. Interestingly, the study demonstrates that sustainability literacy is inconsistent, behavioral modelling differs significantly throughout fields, and institutional support is not as significantly impactful as hypothesized.  In other words, this indicates that literacy alone does not forecast sustainable behavior, underscoring the necessity for enhanced institutional leadership, more explicit expectations, and robust structural support. Findings contextualize Sustainability Literacy (SL) literacy within the framework of sustainable leadership, contending that Malaysia's higher education system must amalgamate knowledge, behavior, and institutional frameworks to further sustainability objectives and cultivate future change agents. As implications, this study suggests a system-level leadership strategy that integrates professional development, policy alignment, and governance changes to establish sustainability as a fundamental academic and institutional priority.