What Do Freshmen Know about Sustainability? Analysing the Skill Gap among University Business Administration Students

Abstract

This study aims at creating and validating an instrument to assess the level of mastery in sustainability competencies of freshmen students in business-related studies. To reach this goal, a questionnaire that captures the level of acquisition of the competencies in sustainability is provided. A three-step process has been followed to analyse the results gathered among first-year students in two Spanish universities. First, eight confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to verify the grouping of the dimensions included in the questionnaire, resulting in 10 competency units in sustainability (CU). Next, we averaged the values of the items included in each CU to facilitate interpretation and then calculated the skill gap; that is, the difference between the level that CU students are expected to achieve on graduation compared to the current level. Third, a series of ANOVA tests were run to investigate potential differences in the level of acquisition due to gender, prior training and educational background, which according to the literature might influence current student knowledge of sustainability. Our results reveal that freshmen enter university with a heterogeneous level of development, both in terms of breadth (different CUs) and depth (the extent to which each CU is developed). The original value of this work stems from the creation of an instrument which is expected to be applicable in a variety of contexts. Additionally, the information it provides assists us in the identification of the CUs that should be further emphasized at university level, and therefore helps professors to prioritise those teaching strategies targeted at overcoming this deficit.

What is the role of economics and business studies in the development of attitudes in favour of sustainability?

“…In terms of training received on sustainability, the difference between students in the first years of the degree course and those in higher courses is lower if they have received economic training before university entrance. When students are younger, they are more concerned about sustainability and its initiatives, so in high school the training received on sustainability in economics subjects is highly valued (Manresa et al , 2021). Later, when students think they already know a lot about the subject, they give less importance to it, because they have internalised it.…”

“…Social science students tend to have a more favourable attitude than pure science students (Talay et al , 2004). Manresa et al (2021) conclude that the introductory courses in economics that students receive in high school allow them to have an initial understanding and awareness of ethical implications. On the other hand, individuals who believe that their own efforts can solve environmental problems have more pro-sustainability attitudes and behaviours (Tobler et al , 2012).…”

“…Some researchers have pointed to gender as one of them (Vicente-Molina et al , 2018; Cifuentes-Faura et al , 2020). Other studies have considered the influence of certain disciplines and the number of years of study (Manresa et al , 2021), as well as social and cultural factors (Cordano et al , 2010).…”

Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education-Introduction to a Special Issue

“…Some papers present experiences in educational activities or program design [1][2][3], teaching-learning sequences [4], learning contexts that facilitate ESD [5][6][7][8] or a person-centered approach to professional soft skills development [9]. Others analyze the sustainability competence status at the study level [10][11][12] and faculty level [13,14], student perception and knowledge of sustainability learning [15][16][17][18][19], or likewise propose strategies at the university level for the integration of sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [20] in degree curricula [21][22][23].…”

“…Manresa and colleagues [16], members of the aforementioned UMU-UIC working group, presented in an additional work an instrument to assess the domain level of sustainability competencies with which students begin university studies. In the specific case of business-related studies, the results revealed a highly heterogeneous freshmen level of development of sustainability competencies.…”