Study on the Integration of the Sustainable Development Goals in Management Disciplines in Chinese Universities: A Content Analysis

Abstract

Under the guidance of the “Education 2030 Framework for Action”, China’s higher education is moving towards internationalization, and there is an upsurge in a movement to strive for the sustainable development of education. However, the level and condition of the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals in management disciplines in Chinese higher education are not well studied. In this study, the content analysis method was used to encode and analyze the curriculum standards of management disciplines in Chinese universities to provide empirical evidence regarding the sustainable development concept of higher education in China. We concluded the following: (1) In general, the SDGs are not embedded broadly and deeply in management disciplines in Chinese universities; however, SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) is the most significantly relevant element, being integrated broadly in many programs and courses of management disciplines. (2) There is a diverse concentration of the integration of SDGs in different management disciplines.