The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Achieving SDG 11

This study examines the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in advancing SDG 11, considering the size and population of HEIs as ‘small cities’ and as pivotal platforms for educating individuals across various levels. Integrating SDGs into Malaysian HEIs is still a relatively recent initiative, as the Ministry of Higher Education has not yet established specific guidelines. Accordingly, this research aims to investigate the efforts undertaken by Malaysian HEIs in achieving SDG 11 within their campuses. The study employed a comparative analysis of existing assessment tools used to evaluate sustainable HEIs. Subsequently, the semi-structured interview was conducted at six (6) public HEIs and the analysis was supported by ATLAS.ti software. The result revealed five main themes that shall impact SDG 11 in HEIs from the education perspective namely 1) Curriculum design, 2) research and innovation, 3) Campus setting and infrastructure, 4) Community engagement, and 5) Teaching. This research highlights that achieving SDG 11 can be realized through curriculum integration, research initiatives, campus design, community engagement, and teaching practices. These findings aim to inspire other HEIs in Malaysia to enhance their education systems and contribute further to the development of sustainable cities.