PurposeTo apply the concepts of lean and sustainability to higher education.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was developed, administered to 18 public and private universities and analyzed.FindingsThe focus in higher education is now on cost reduction or budget containment initiatives. Although these initiatives were not implemented with the knowledge that they were implementing “lean” practices, their application has often reduced waste, improved operational efficiency, and contributed to sustainability.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a preliminary study with a sample size of 18 universities in the northeastern United States. Future research should include more universities in the United States as well as in other countries.Practical implicationsThe participating universities in this study shared their beliefs about how “lean” thinking can contribute to the sustainability of higher education. Other universities can “learn from their lessons”.Originality/valueVery little past research, except in the area of green marketing, has focused on lean sustainability concepts in higher education.

PurposeBecause of the ever‐expanding commercialization and marketing of higher education, a need now exists to apply the concepts of business process improvement to colleges and universities. Aims to explore this issue.Design/methodology/approachAn open‐ended qualitative questionnaire was developed, administered to 18 public and private university representatives and analyzed.FindingsThe participants at these surveyed universities shared with the interviewers the institutional lean “best practices” that they feel will contribute to the sustainability of their universities.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a preliminary study with a sample size of 18 universities in the Northeastern USA. Future research should include more universities in the USA, as well as in other countries.Practical implicationsOther institutions of higher education may learn from the successful implementation of the lean sustainability efforts at the institutions in this study.Originality/valueVery little past research, except in the area of green marketing, has focused on lean sustainability concepts in higher education. In a recent article by the same authors, a quantitative approach was taken in assessing lean sustainability practices in higher education. This current study explores the application of lean sustainability practices using a more in‐depth qualitative approach.

The “lean manufacturing” paradigm, which is a philosophy intended to reduce cost and cycle time significantly throughout the entire value chain while continuing to improve product performance, was first identified by researchers associated with the international motor vehicle industry. In much the same way, the application of lean thinking and cost reduction strategies is becoming evident on college and university campuses. For example, the design of coursework is becoming more standardized and contracted out to part‐time instructors. The implementation of complex lean initiatives is critical for quality improvement and the sustainability of colleges and universities. However, the strategy for achieving sustainability is not clear to many decision‐makers. The intent of this paper is to provide a paradigm of how a lean sustainability initiative could be developed and implemented by colleges and universities. The research for this paper is based on a review of lean principles and practices and site visits to firms in the USA possessing best practices for long‐term sustainment.

The implementation of more complex lean initiatives in the public sector of the economy is critical for quality improvement and survival. Describes the development of an eightstep paradigm that is being used to assess and benchmark lean practices in the production and operation of military aerospace products. Traditionally, such efforts have been employed only in the private commercial sector of the economy and have focused on a five-step managerial process that is based on traditional planning, implementation, and control phases. This research expands the traditional process to provide an indication of how lean initiatives could be developed and implemented by other industries.

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