Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education in Southeast Asian Countries: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

This study is a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that examines the state of Sustainability in Higher Education (SHE) research across Southeast Asia. Guided by the PRISMA framework, the review systematically analyzed peer-reviewed articles published between 2022 and 2026 retrieved from the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) database. From an initial pool of 6,120 articles, 69 studies met the inclusion criteria, drawn from five countries: Indonesia (n=21), Thailand (n=17), Malaysia (n=12), Vietnam (n=10), and the Philippines (n=9). The study was guided by three research questions addressing the characteristics, dominant themes, and educational development contributions of SHE in the region. Thematic analysis identified five dominant themes: Digital Transformation, Pedagogical Innovation, Sustainability Values and Character Development, SDGs Integration, and Educational Development Research Trends. Digital Transformation emerged as the most pervasive theme, present across all five countries and encompassing AI adoption, blended learning, Learning Management Systems (LMS), and MOOCs. The reviewed studies report potential contributions of SHE at three interconnected levels: individually, through practices associated with critical thinking, ethical awareness, and resilience among students and educators; institutionally, through curriculum reform, governance improvement, and green campus initiatives; and systemically, through their relevance to national educational policies and Southeast Asia's emerging role as a contributor to global sustainability discourse. A recurring pattern across the reviewed literature is that implementation responsive to local cultural, social, and historical contexts is more frequently associated with positive outcomes, suggesting a distinctive characteristic of the Southeast Asian approach. These findings carry potential implications for communities and societies across the region, as the reviewed studies suggest that universities embedding sustainability principles may better prepare graduates to address social, environmental, and economic challenges.