The Role of Strategic Planning in Promoting Sustainable Scientific Research: An Analysis of Environmental Sustainability Issues and Basic Needs in Saudi Universities: An Applied Study on Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University

Abstract

Following the Brundtland Report, sustainable research has become a cornerstone of global efforts to achieve sustainable development, with universities playing a pivotal role in promoting environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Despite growing interest in sustainability in higher education, the integration of strategic planning into sustainability-oriented research practices remains largely unexplored, particularly in developing contexts. This study investigates how to enhance strategic planning for sustainability in Saudi universities, focusing on Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University as a case study. It examines the direct and indirect relationships between strategic planning and sustainable research through two mediating factors: environmental sustainability issues and basic needs. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire distributed to academic leaders, quality coordinators, and department heads (187 participants) and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results demonstrate that strategic planning exerts a significant positive impact on environmental, social, and economic sustainability, both directly and indirectly, through environmental sustainability issues and basic needs. Specifically, effective strategic planning enhances a university’s ability to address environmental challenges and meet institutional and human needs, thereby fostering a supportive environment for sustainability-oriented research. The Environmental Sustainability Issues Index (ESI) and the Basic Needs Index (BN) were found to be powerful intermediaries between strategic planning (SP) and sustainable scientific research (SSR), underscoring their crucial role in translating strategic initiatives into measurable sustainability outcomes.Theoretically, this study enhances the understanding of how environmental sustainability functions as a mechanism for institutionalizing sustainability in higher education, proposing a novel model that integrates strategic planning, sustainability science, and socio-ecological systems theory. Practically, the research provides a replicable framework for universities to integrate environmental sustainability into their strategic agendas, allocate resources effectively, and assess socio-ecological sustainability performance through interconnected indicators of strategic planning (SP), the Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), and the Basic Needs Index (BN).At the societal level, the study reinforces the role of universities as catalysts for sustainable development and contributors to the UN 2030 Agenda and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. By aligning institutional strategies with environmental and social priorities, universities can enhance the importance of research, community engagement, and societal resilience. The findings highlight that meeting basic needs and engaging in environmental sustainability are not only prerequisites for academic excellence but also key drivers of societal transformation toward sustainability.