International Journal of Emerging Trends in Management

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Sustainable Energy Management Practices in HEIs: A Practice-Oriented Cross-National Analysis

FULL ARTICLE TEXT (PDF)
  • Dajana Kopuz,
  • Ivana Manevska,
  • Federico Mallei,
  • Jelena Mazaj,
  • Eleonora Bosio,
  • Maria Rottensteiner,
  • Asta Radzeviciene,
  • Frédérique Carcaillet
Dajana Kopuz
Climate Adaptation Services South East Europe, Novi Sad, Serbia
Ivana Manevska
Minds Europe – Institute for Research Excellence and Technological Advancement, Novi Sad, Serbia
Federico Mallei
CESIE ETS – European Centre for Studies and Initiatives, Palermo, Italy
Jelena Mazaj
CESIE ETS – European Centre for Studies and Initiatives, Palermo, Italy
Eleonora Bosio
University for SDGs, Brescia, Italy
Maria Rottensteiner
World University Service (WUS), Graz, Austria
Asta Radzeviciene
Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Faculty of Business Management, Vilnius, Lithuania
Frédérique Carcaillet
Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France

Published 17.07.2026

Keywords

  • HEIs,
  • sustainable energy ,
  • energy management ,
  • sustainability practices ,
  • sustainability transition barriers

Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Emerging Trends in Management

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Sustainable Energy Management Practices in HEIs: A Practice-Oriented Cross-National Analysis. (2026). International Journal of Emerging Trends in Management, Ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.65984/br60gk15

Abstract

This study examines sustainable energy management practices in higher education institutions (HEIs) through a cross-national practice-oriented comparative analysis. The study is based on data collected from project partners involved in the ABCinEnergy consortium, representing Italy, Austria, Serbia, Spain, France, and Lithuania, complemented by additional cases from the Netherlands and Greece. It assesses how HEIs approach sustainable energy transition and sustainability performance using a framework based on effectiveness, measurability, innovation, stakeholder engagement, and transferability. The study also identifies key structural, financial, technological, policy-related, and socio-cultural barriers influencing the implementation of sustainable energy practices in HEIs. The results show that HEIs primarily prioritize measurable and performance-oriented approaches, particularly emissions reduction and energy efficiency improvements, while innovation and stakeholder engagement remain less developed. In contrast, transferability emerges as a relatively strong dimension, suggesting potential for application across different institutional and policy contexts. The findings further reveal that sustainable energy practices are constrained by interconnected institutional barriers, particularly financial and structural limitations, as well as socio-cultural resistance. Overall, the study highlights the need for more inclusive, adaptive, and transferable approaches to improving sustainability performance in HEIs.

 

Article history: Received (May 30, 2026); Revised (July 12, 2026); Accepted (July 12, 2026); Published online (July 17, 2026)

 

FULL ARTICLE TEXT (PDF)

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