A Digitally Enabled Higher Education Sustainability Ecosystem and its Impact on Student Sustainability Behaviour: The Case of Bournemouth University
Authors: Abdelkareem, R.S., Olley, J., Augustyn, M.M., Roushan, G., Shrivastava, M., Rubio, M.C., Ford, T., Betts, L.
Publication Date: 01/01/2026
Volume: Part F2438
Pages: 395-417
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-22076-9_19
Abstract:This chapter investigates how a digitally enabled sustainability ecosystem impacts student sustainability behaviours within higher education, using Bournemouth University (BU) as a case study. As universities increasingly adopt digital technologies to support decarbonisation and institutional transformation, it becomes essential to understand their behavioural impact. Grounded in the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Transformative Learning Theory (TLT), the paper critically discusses how a digitally enabled ecosystem impacts student capability, opportunity, and motivation, which potentially leads to improved student sustainability behaviour. Methodologically, the paper adopts an exploratory case study approach, supported by a qualitative, literature-based design. Secondary data were gathered through document analysis, focusing on BU’s strategic plans, institutional reports, and sustainability frameworks. Sustainability initiatives were classified, based on their level of digital integration, while attention was given to the role of smart campus features, digital infrastructure, and artificial intelligence (AI) in advancing sustainable transformation. The analysis was informed by the Technology Acceptance Model, Transformative Learning Theory, and the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour model, offering a comprehensive lens on how digitally enabled environments shape student behaviour. Findings indicate that digitally enabled sustainability ecosystems can influence student sustainability behaviour in higher education. BU’s initiatives are categorised, based on their digital enablement: fully digital (e.g., podcasts, social media), partially digital (e.g., Carbon Literacy Training, Living Lab), and physical (e.g., beach cleans, Cycle Hub). In addition, BU demonstrates strong institutional commitment to sustainability, including a 50% carbon reduction target by 2030/31. Digital technologies could be effective enablers when used in blended formats which combine digital coordination with physical engagement.
Source: Scopus