SDGs in master’s theses: a study of a Finnish University of Applied Sciences

Education for sustainable development in higher educational institutions

Education is widely recognised as a key driver of sustainability and change. Specifically, the fourth SDG aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (UN, 2020). ESD extends beyond SDG4 (quality education). It refers to a learning process designed to equip individuals with the skills to address major global challenges. This holistic approach focuses on empowering learners to act responsibly in achieving environmental, economic and social goals for both current and future generations, while respecting cultural diversity (Lazarov and Semenescu, 2022).

HEIs, such as universities of applied sciences, are agents between science and society (Trechsel et al., 2023) as they address economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability via their education, research, operations, community outreach and reporting (Gonzales-Torre and Suarez-Serrano, 2022). HEIs are locally rooted and globally connected, presenting substantial opportunities to contribute to SDGs. They do this by engaging with faculty and students, as well as their broader stakeholder community and alumni body (Findler et al., 2019) and by linking with their regional development (Leal Filho and Schwarz, 2008). Thus, HEIs, such as traditional academic universities and universities of applied sciences play various roles in their communities, not only educating professionals but also integrating them into the labour market through practical involvement in outreach, research and innovation activities. They also mobilise students for social intervention through fresh ideas and ESD projects (Fuchs et al., 2023). Therefore, HEIs have a multifaceted mission that includes teaching, learning, research and social engagement. The successful integration of the SDGs into university education relies not only on effective teaching and learning guidelines but also on the implementation of policies and strategies involving both internal staff and external stakeholders (Leal Filho et al., 2019a).

In this study, universities of applied sciences and academic universities can be examined in the context of ESD and SDGs, based on their societal mission. As Purcell et al. (2019, p. 1346) stated, “while comparison among universities is difficult, using the mission as a parameter is an established approach”. The focus of this study is not to compare universities, but rather to highlight certain characteristics of how ESD is implemented within the context of applied sciences and universities.

Some contextual notes on implementation of education for sustainable development and sustainable development goals in universities of applied sciences and academic universities as higher educational institutions

A broad spectrum of research emphasises that SD is perceived as a fourth mission for HEIs, given their contribution to sustainability transitions (Chankseliani and McCowan, 2021). According to research by Leal Filho and Schwarz (2008), universities of applied science structure and implement their sustainability actions differently, fulfilling their commitments based on their strategies, sustainability programmes, action plans and strategic strengths, all which form part of the sustainability transition. Notably, individual universities are at varying stages in their sustainability action (Puurula et al., 2022). A recent cross-country study (Leal Filho et al., 2023b) has shown that the current focus is on integrating the SDGs into the sustainability efforts of HEIs. One conclusion of this international study of 128 HEIs is the following: “[…] however, many of the sampled organizations confirmed that they consider sustainable development as a part of their institutional mission and as part of their vision and goals, many of them stated that the integration of the SDGs as part of their operations is not yet part of their regular routine” (Leal Filho et al., 2023b, p. 573).

However, literature focusing on universities’ engagement with the SDGs’ is scarce (Leal Filho et al., 2019a), and it is further limited when it comes to universities of applied sciences. There is little literature on the extent to which higher education institutions, such as universities of applied sciences, incorporate SDGs into their educational programmes (Lopez, 2022). In Finland, universities of applied sciences are committed to promoting sustainability through education by ensuring all graduates have at least a basic understanding of SD. Consequently, universities of applied sciences have pledged to incorporate education for SD into all bachelor’s degrees from 2022, and into all bachelor’s and master’s degrees from 2024 onwards (Arene, [The Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences], 2022).

Concerning this study, JAMK has, as part of its 2020-2030 strategy, committed to acting responsibly across all its activities, encompassing ecological, social, cultural and economic sustainability. JAMK is dedicated to the UN’s SDGs, with a particular focus on quality education (SDG4), decent work and economic growth (SDG8), sustainable industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG9), climate action (SDG13) and partnership and cooperation (SDG17) (JAMK, [Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences], 2023b). The value of this study lies in highlighting the role of SDGs in two master’s degree theses as a case study of the efforts of a university of applied sciences school of business and its stakeholders to contribute responsibly to sustainability. Similarly, traditional academic universities in Finland, such as the University of Jyväskylä, are striving to achieve the UN’s SDGs through their commitments to sustainability and responsibility. In its Annual Sustainability Report, SDGs3-4, SDGs7-9, SDGs10-15 and SDG17 were implemented and actioned. In the context of teaching, for example, SD studies are included in all degrees and continuous learning opportunities (JYU, [University of Jyväskylä], 2023).

The subject of SD is now a common feature in most university curricula, because knowledge on this topic is deemed essential for students (Leal Filho et al., 2019b). However, the extent and method of teaching this subject vary significantly across different universities, and even within the same institution (Friman et al., 2018). The curriculum of an HEI is a crucial tool for determining what is included in university courses and what students learn. It also serves to enhance students’ skills and competences, as well as influence their attitudes and values (Friman et al., 2018). Recently, Arene, [The Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences] (2022) in Finland updated joint competences and established a national framework for students at universities of applied sciences, outlining the necessary competences for different fields of education, including SD. However, it remains the responsibility of each applied sciences university to incorporate these competences into their degree programme curricula. This study offers valuable insights for upcoming curriculum renewals as it relates to a case university of applied sciences school of business and its master’s degree programmes.

Promoting sustainability in management education at HEIs is essential because future decision makers need to be able to respond effectively to global societal needs within organisations (Hueske et al., 2022; Leal Filho et al., 2019b). Based on prior literature on higher ESD, consider master’s degree theses as learning spaces for achieving SDGs directly or indirectly in cooperation with firms, public organisations, and/or associations with which the HEIs are engaged (Winter et al., 2015). As business school students come from different fields and industries, including the public sector, presumes their organisational contexts and work environments shaped their theses. Focusing on master’s degree programmes, such as business administration (BA) (business and financial management) and hospitality management (tourism and hospitality management), helped the author identify how the SDGs were addressed in published master’s degree theses conducted in varying work-related settings and how they contribute to knowledge of pursuing sustainability with stakeholders.

Focusing on sustainable development goals and corporate social responsibility

Theoretically, the goal of the SDGs (UN, 2015) is SD. In this study, the term SD is referred to a holistic approach as it links economic development, social inclusion and environmental sustainability (Sachs, 2015). By applying a theoretical lens and focusing on the SDGs (UN, 2015), the themes investigated in business school through master’s degree theses published at the JAMK, school of business, from 2020 to 2022 were studied. The SDGs were applied as the main theory for review because they helped map themes and dimensions of SD and offered a holistic perspective on the material under review.

The Finland We Want by 2050 focuses on eight objectives for committing to SD including: equal prospects for well-being, a participatory society for citizens, sustainable work, sustainable local communities, a zero-carbon society, a resource-wise economy, life choices that respect nature’s boundaries and decision-making that respects nature as one of the key tools in implementing Agenda 2030 for SD and its principles, and 17 objectives in Finland. To investigate how the business school succeeded in promoting the achievement of Agenda 2030, SDGs featured in the theses using the framework of Finland’s eight objectives committing to SD were also examined (National report on the implementation of the Agenda for Sustainable Development Finland, 2016).

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) was first established as a concept (Carroll, 1999) focusing on whether corporations should go beyond their own shareholders’ value to support society’s needs, or whether such effort was beyond corporations’ responsibilities. CSR focuses on the environment, society, stakeholders, ethical behaviour and volunteering, whereas SD focuses on ethics, human rights, society, economy, environment and corporations (Behringer and Szegedi, 2016). The perspective of SDGs is far broader and more forward looking than that of individual corporations, and pursuing SDGs can make businesses both more socially responsible and sustainable, benefiting corporations directly and indirectly. Based on the triple bottom line theory of CSR, CSR is to consider a business model that embodies ethics by balancing economic interests, environmental needs and social expectations (Shayan et al., 2022).

This study focuses on 17 SDGs as a theoretical lens (UN, 2015) to map their appearance in published master’s theses and sought to understand the literature on SD and CSR and their potential interconnectedness (Arksey and O’Malley, 2005). This study offers a new perspective on how the UN SDGs are featured in master’s theses set in work–life contexts.

The research questions were as follows:

Context and criteria for sampling

The decision to select JAMK as an HEI was based on convenience sampling, with the aim of providing valuable information for educational development, particularly in refining curricula (Patton, 2015). A range of methods was used, adhering to a step-by-step research protocol, using various frameworks and applying specific sampling criteria, which are elaborated on below.

Several factors influenced the research strategy and methods chosen for this study, as well as the selection of Finnish language BA and tourism and hospitality management (THM) programmes as the study’s focus group (Patton, 2015). Consequently, the colleague of the master’s education department and the library information specialists at JAMK were consulted to agree on an appropriate sample for the study. The selected sample offered valuable insights for educational development, particularly in relation to upcoming curriculum renewals, because it also encompassed master’s degree programmes.

This study primarily aimed to identify the representation of the UN’s SDGs in master’s theses within work–life contexts. A secondary focus was the availability of information on SD and CSR as essential knowledge related to SDGs within university settings. Consequently, BA and THM master’s theses were selected to provide an overview of how sustainability and responsibility were conceptualised and implemented. This selection also aimed to illustrate how master’s students applied their learned skills and competences on sustainability and responsibility within their work–life settings, because one objective of master’s theses is to demonstrate student competences and their application in diverse work–life environments. The data collected offered faculty members insight into real work–life problems addressed in the BA and THM master’s theses, thereby encouraging both the academic community and its stakeholders to participate in sustainability efforts and enhance contributions towards environmental, social and economic sustainability (Frizon and Eugenio, 2022). As such, the selection of master’s theses constituted a further convenience sample.

Master’s theses are often student-selected and tailored to the educational objectives of their degree programmes. Both SD and CSR are incorporated into BA and THM curricula, because knowledge of SD is crucial for both master’s programmes in the context of the responsible management (RM) teaching course, which adheres to the principles for RM education (PRME, 2023), a common practice in management education programmes. However, the RM course is only compulsory in THM degree studies and is optional in BA degree programmes. Recent examples of this include global research on master’s degree programmes (Lopez, 2022) and degree theses related to SDGs (Sánchez-Carracedo et al., 2021).

This study was conducted a systemised literature review (Fink, 2005, p. 54) by applying elements of the descriptive review process (Xiao and Watson, 2019) to provide an overview of the master’s degree theses published during the review period at the JAMK, School of Business. To identify features of SD in theses conducted in work–life contexts, this study examined how the SDGs appeared in different sections of the master’s theses. The stepwise procedure is robust and repeatable and can be used to replicate this study (Borrego et al., 2014).

Selection of master’s degree theses

Three criteria were used to select the master’s theses (Arksey and O’Malley, 2005). The theses had to have been accepted for publication after receiving a grade, which was confirmed by the Board of Master’s Thesis Committee members of the JAMK, accessible to all in the Theseus service (Theseus, [Theseus service], 2023) (most theses were written in Finnish, and only abstracts were written in English) and set in the context of higher education – as part of a master’s education programme at the JAMK, School of Business. Accordingly, 431 master’s theses published at the JAMK between 2020 and 2022 (until April 22 2022) were examined. Of these, 84 related to the main criteria (search string), SD and were published at the JAMK, school of business. They were accessed from the Theseus service open collection (Theseus, [Theseus service], 2023) between 2020 and 2022 (until 22 April 2022).

Theseus service search filters and search strings “*” and Boolean logic via the connectors “OR” and “AND” (Fink, 2005), such as sustainable AND development* OR climat* AND sustainable* AND food*; sustainable* AND tourism and keywords such as “sustainable development”, “sustainable wellbeing”, “responsible enterprise”, “sustainable responsibility”, “sustainable management”, “sustainable development”, “sustainability”, “corporate sustainability”, “corporate responsibility” were used. These keywords were searched in the abstract and subject line of the theses, individually and in combination. The date of each search, the Theseus service searched, the coverage of the theses for the Theseus service explored and the number of theses found were recorded. After conducting this search, 39 theses in the fields of BA, tourism and hospitality management were identified. After reading the full text of the 39 theses, eight were excluded as they were only slightly connected to the SD literature, creating a final sample of 31 theses. For quality assessment, an information specialist cross-checked the search protocol and arrived at the same results. The theses selection process followed the standard approach described in the Prisma guidelines (Page and Moher, 2017).

Coding of theses

The theses (n = 31) were first read for a deeper understanding of the data under investigation. The theses’ key information based on the author’s interpretation was recorded (Arksey and O’ Malley, 2005). During the full-text analysis, five areas were identified: author name, publication year, title/topic and study purpose, methods used, findings and issues and themes found in the data; referring to the SDGs as mentioned. Subsequently, a broad conceptualisation of SDGs that comprises 17 different goals was used(Kubiszewski et al., 2022) to interpret which themes in master’s theses referred to the specific SDGs in the 31 theses (see Table 1a and Table 1b in Online Supplementary Material 1). Accordingly, the coding scheme also includes the number of observations.

The frequency of SDGs occurring in the 31 theses was summed to calculate their appearance in line with the definition of Finland’s objectives for committing to SD (National report on the implementation of the 2030 - Agenda for Sustainable Development Finland, 2016). Data-driven content analysis, as used in management and entrepreneurship studies (Rousseau et al., 2008), and theory-led lenses (SD as a theoretical lens) (UN, 2015), were used for content analysis. A coding scheme was developed based on the social, economic and environmental dimensions of the literature on SD. The appearance of these dimensions was identified in the study data (see Table 2 in Online Supplementary Material 2).

In the final phase of this study, the CSR model (Carroll, 1999) was applied to reflect on the content analysis (see Table 2 in Online Supplementary Material 2) by asking how the dimensions of SD examined in the theses reflected CSR dimensions as studied in specific business contexts (see Table 3 in Online Supplementary Material 3).

How many theses dealt with the sustainable development goals?

Data gathered from the theses (n = 31) were extracted into multiple Excel spreadsheets with basic publication information such as author name, publication year, title, research methods used, results/conclusions drawn, themes identified and SDGs mentioned (see Table 1a and Table 1b in Online Supplementary Material 1). Emergent coding, which uses data to be coded to create a coding scheme (Denzin, 1989), was conducted. SD dimensions were used as a lens for coding the themes identified in the theses (see Table 2 in Online Supplementary Material 2). Subsequently, the frequency counts of the theses referring to the SDGs were summed (Figure 1). SDGs are described and defined in Table 1c in Online Supplementary Material 1.

Figure 1 shows that SDG 8 “Decent Work and Economic Growth” (n = 21) appeared most often, followed by SDG 9 “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure” (n = 16), SDG 12 “Responsible consumption and production” (n = 18), SDG 3 “Good health and Well-being” (n = 17) and SDG 16 “Peace, justice, and strong institutions” (n = 12).

Each of the following were mentioned less than ten times: SDG 1 “No poverty” (n = 3); SDG 2 “Zero Hunger” (9); SDG 4 “Quality Education” (n = 9); SDG 5 “Gender Equality” (n = 4); SDG 6 “Clean Water and Sanitation” (n = 2); SDG 7 “Affordable and Clean Energy” (n = 7); SDG 10 “Reduced Inequalities” (n = 3); SDG 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities” (n = 4); SDG 13 “Climate action” (n = 4); SDG 14 “Life below water” (n = 2); SDG 15 “Life on Land” (n = 1); SDG 17 “Partnerships for the Goals” (n = 1). Figure S2 in Online Supplementary_material_4 reports a similar profile in the appearance of SDGs between BA (n = 5) and THM (n = 26) theses. The most significant difference was found in SDG16.

How were the sustainable development goals studied in the theses connected to Finland’s eight objectives for committing to sustainable development?

This study sought a deeper understanding of how the SDGs found in the theses were connected to Finland’s eight objectives for committing to SD (National report on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Finland (2016, p. 28) Figure 2 shows how Finland constructed these objectives to achieve the 17 SDGs.

In Figure 3, the appearance count of SDGs found in the theses were summed based on the operationalisation of the eight objectives of society’s commitment as described in Figure 2.

Notably, one SDG might be counted in more than one of the eight objectives.

The frequencies of the SDGs mentioned in the theses were added and calculated according to the framework of Finland’s objectives committing to SD to determine how they were anchored to the eight objectives. As seen from Figure 3, some SDGs were mentioned multiple times in Finland’s objectives. For example, SDG 8 (“Decent Work and Economic Growth”) was mentioned in equal prospects for well-being, sustainable employment, a resource-wise economy and lifestyles respectful of the carrying capacity of nature.

The highest appearance counts of SDGs in theses that constructed Finland’s objectives for committing to SD were: “Equal prospects for well-being” (n = 79), “Sustainable employment” (n = 76) and “Lifestyles respectful of the carrying capacity of nature” (n = 64). Although “Resource-wise economy” (n = 53), “Decision-making respectful of nature” (n = 51) and “Sustainable society and local communities” (n = 41) performed well, they had significantly lower counts than did the first three objectives. Objectives such as “A carbon-neutral society” (n = 36) and “A participatory society for citizens” (n = 24) scored weakly in our data.

It was interesting to explore in depth which of the SDGs appeared most frequently in the objectives “Equal prospects for well-being” (n = 79), “Sustainable employment” (n = 76) and “Lifestyles respectful of the carrying capacity of nature” (n = 64). Therefore, the data of (see Table 1a and Table 1b in Online Supplementary Material 1) total frequencies of SDGs mentioned in the theses were revisited and the following was found:

• Equal prospects for well-being: Five of the nine SDGs appeared most frequently, such as SDG 4 (n = 9), SDG 2 (n = 9), SDG 3 (n = 15), SDG 8 (n = 21) and SDG 16 (n = 12).

• Sustainable employment: Covered six SDGs of which five appeared most frequently, such as SDG 8 (n = 21), SDG 4 (n = 9), SDG 9 (n = 16), SDG 12 (n = 18) and SDG 16 (n = 12).

• Lifestyles respectful of the carrying capacity of nature: Covered five SDGs of which four appeared most frequently, such as SDG 8 (n = 21), SDG 4 (n = 9), SDG 9 (n = 16) and SDG 12 (n = 18).

Based on the examination of these three Objectives, SDG8, SDG9 and SDG12 were the most frequently mentioned.

How do the dimensions of sustainable development examined in the theses’ themes reflect the five dimensions of corporate social responsibility?

The CSR model was used to revisit the content analysis. The aim was to find out how the social, economic and ecological dimensions studied in the theses’ themes reflect the CSR dimensions as they were examined in the contexts of the theses. Table 3 (see Online Supplementary Material 3) shows that social, economic and ecological dimensions of SD reflect four out of the five dimensions of CSR.

SD reflects social responsibility, such as sustainable well-being and livelihood of citizens and employees, but also fair recruitment process as well as improving employment and responding to labour shortage. It also includes enhancing good governance and responsible communication within and between people, businesses and society. The economic and stakeholder dimensions shed light on “responsibility” and “resilience” perspectives implying context-specific issues, such as firms’ need to develop their businesses and industries to discover new business directions for survival and growth. Environmental responsibility paves the way for globally prominent issues, such as taking care of ecosystem functionality, trying to stop the reduction of biodiversity and destruction of ecosystem services by continuously enhancing ecosystem thinking in the service industry and within its environment. Volunteerism did not appear in this analysis in any manner. This may have been the result of data misinterpretation, a fault in data gathering or because the theses’ themes were not related to volunteerism.

How many theses dealt with the sustainable development goals?

Students of HEIs are powerful stakeholders as they transform their learning through their master’s theses. Considering the impact of universities on fostering SD (Findler et al., 2019; Leal Filho, 2011), this study contributes to commitments to integrate SD in master’s education studies in case business school (Kolb et al., 2017) by assessing master’s students’ SD competencies delivered via theses contexts (Dias Galleli et al., 2022; Talley and Hull, 2023), and benefiting from CSR and SDG tools and frameworks in master’s theses.

Only one thesis (Kauppi, 2021, see Table 1a in Online Supplementary Material 1) studied SD as a phenomenon and focused on all 17 SDGs in the city context. Furthermore, this study revealed that SDG 8 “Decent Work and Economic Growth”, SDG 12 “Responsible Consumption and Production” and SDG 3 “Good Health and Well-Being” appeared more often in theses reflecting social and economic dimensions of sustainability. Considering phenomenon through the contextual lens, as Watson (2013) suggests, more opportunities to observe the sustainability phenomenon in a new way considering theses studied were given in their specific contexts, such as the food industry, tourism sector, cleaning sector, nursing, hotel and restaurants, education exportation, catering, banking and investing, supply chains, network, services cities, municipalities and associations.

The SDGs featured in BA and THM degree programmes master’s theses contribute to HEIs, because their effect on SD, in terms of educational and research activities and key stakeholders such as students, is evident in the diverse contexts explored in these theses. This provides academia with valuable insights into the “lessons learned” about sustainability and SDGs in the context of management education at a university of applied sciences school of business (Figueiró and Raufflet, 2015).

When comparing the results with global studies, it was found that SDG11 and SDG13 are most frequently addressed in higher education worldwide (Leal Filho et al., 2019a). While some authors have found that SDG12 is explicitly covered in only one MOOC in Nordic countries (Hueske et al., 2022), studies of Portuguese public HEIs and a private German business school show that SDG12 is a central focus (Aleixo et al., 2020). Furthermore, a Canadian study emphasised the importance of SDG13 (Brugmann et al., 2019).

How are the sustainable development goals mentioned in the theses connected to Finland’s eight objectives for committing to sustainable development?

The results contribute to the ongoing sustainability and responsibility debate highlighting some evidence of JAMK and its business school’s engagement in promoting SD with its stakeholders to support the achievement of Agenda 2030 (Kohl et al., 2022; Leal Filho et al., 2018). Countries are committed to achieving the goals and targets under the SDGs in their individual contexts (Leal Filho et al., 2023b). At the national level, the study investigated how the business school succeeded in promoting the achievement of Agenda 2030 by examining SDGs mentioned in theses using the framework of Finland’s eight objectives for committing to SD (National report on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Finland, 2016).

The results show that JAMK and its business school are both working towards achieving Finland’s commitment to Agenda 2030 as well as pursuing ESD and quality education. Considering the national framework used, SDG 8 appeared multiple times. SDGs should be considered indispensable pieces in a large and complex puzzle (Rieckmann, 2018) reflecting Finnish national policy choices for promoting the achievement of Agenda 2030.

By fulfilling its mission, the university of applied science enhances research on sustainable strategies in specific HEIs. This contribution is notable at a national level (Farinha et al., 2019; Ramiso et al., 2019) and extends to delivering knowledge and innovation in local and global contexts (Leal Filho and Schwarz, 2008). The acquisition of sustainable competences in training professionals, particularly in management education programmes, aligns with the SDGs featured in this study, effectively responding to the needs of the business and society (Trechsel et al., 2023).

This study revealed that the execution of its mission by the school of business at JAMK significantly affects SD by offering substantial opportunities to deliver SDGs within a broader community of stakeholders and alumni, particularly in the context of many reviewed master’s theses environments (Findler et al., 2019). This study also showed that there are different ways of integrating and implementing sustainability at HEIs.

How do the sustainable development dimensions in the theses reflect the corporate social responsibility dimensions?

This study suggests that SD and CSR are overlapping and complementary regarding the business contexts of the studied theses. Firms need to function in a manner responsive and sensitive to the needs of their communities. A surprising finding was that voluntary actions, as they are understood in the literature, did not appear as such in this study, although it can be argued that they were intertwined with other dimensions.

This study proposes that by integrating PRME principles (PRME, 2023) and sustainable competences more deeply into the management education curricula at the school of business, future students, such as those in BA and THM, can be better equipped and motivated as future decision makers within their organisations to address global societal needs. This can further advance SD transitions (Hueske et al., 2022), whether in the context of master’s theses or workplace settings.