Delivering Social Impact in a Changing World: The Evolving Purpose of Higher Education

Editorial 

By Assoc. Prof. Betul Sekendiz, ICMS Associate Dean (Scholarship)

Introduction

Across two centuries of economic disruption, the purpose of higher education has shifted in ways that continue to shape the choices of today’s students. The story of why people go to university or college is, at its core, a story about how societies imagine work, financial security, opportunity and progress.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as industrialisation transformed economies, universities evolved from elite institutions into engines of professionalisation. Formal qualifications became gateways into teaching, engineering, public administration, health and scientific fields. Intellectual development mattered, but for many, attending university was also a pathway to growing knowledge‑based professions that were considered economically secure. In the mid‑twentieth century, the link between higher education and economic security became more explicit: study hard, earn a degree, and stable career would follow.

In Australia, policy entrenched this bargain and promoted higher education as a reliable pathway to prosperity and social mobility. In 1974, the Whitlam Government abolished university tuition fees, signalling education as a public good. Later in 1989, the Hawke Government introduced the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS), an income‑contingent model that reframed university as a shared investment between the individual and the government. This system was further consolidated in 2005 with the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP), which expanded HECS into a broader suite of income‑contingent loans.

Building on these reforms, in 2021 the Job‑Ready Graduates (JRG) package of the Morrison Government later reshaped the system by sharply increasing fees for many popular degrees and shifting a greater share of costs onto students, particularly in humanities, law, business and communications. As a result, students today face significantly higher degree debts, pushing many students to reconsider degree choices or avoid higher education altogether.

The 21st‑century reality: Relevance is no longer assumed, it must be proven

Globalisation, automation, financial troughs and the digital economy of the 21st century have eroded the job‑for‑life model, leaving stable full‑time work far less assured, even for higher education graduates. Careers now increasingly unfold in cycles of contract roles, continual upskilling, reskilling and portfolio work. Employers prioritise skills, adaptability and experience alongside qualifications, while students increasingly demand a clear return on investment for the time, debt and opportunity cost of study. Consequently, relevance is no longer assumed; it must be evidenced through employability and societal outcomes.

But this shifting landscape also opens a powerful opportunity for higher education. As careers become more fluid and skills‑driven, universities are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between an unpredictable job landscape with meaningful graduate pathways. This is where corporate social responsibility (CSR) becomes an employability engine. In education, CSR is an institution’s commitment to act ethically and sustainably in ways that benefit students, communities, and society, beyond its legal obligations.

Importantly, CSR in the higher education sector is no longer an abstract concept. Growing evidence shows that universities treating CSR as a strategic objective rather than compliance agenda enhance institutional reputation, student engagement and societal impact while, in the process, building capabilities employers value. This shift aligns with growing expectations that higher education institutions demonstrate leadership in achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aimed at addressing pressing global challenges by 2030, through governance, environmental sustainability, ethical behaviour and community engagement[1].  There are human factors too. Research indicates that students’ perceptions of their institution’s CSR initiatives are positively linked to wellbeing, organisational pride and perceived employability[2]. A recent study found university social responsibility is the psychosocial foundation for persistence, academic performance, learner engagement and transition to work[3].

Sector‑wide momentum is also visible. The 2025 SDG Accord Progress Report found most reporting higher education, and technical and vocational education and training institutions, have been actively embedding sustainability at an organisational level, with the majority maintaining endorsed policies and action plans. However, it was noted that learning and teaching, though being essential, remain the most challenging frontier for deeper integration. While this report’s focus was on formal learning (e.g., curricula, student assessment and staff training) and largely excluded informal or co-curricular activities, “a lack of time” remained as the main barrier to embedding the SDGs into learning and teaching [4], [5].

Turning strategic intent into societal outcomes

To transform CSR and SDGs from rhetoric to real societal impact, higher education institutions should prioritise five areas:

1. Integrate CSR and SDG literacy into curricula. Map course and subject learning outcomes to specific SDGs and aligned capabilities (e.g., systems thinking, ethical reasoning, sustainability literacy etc.) and assess them in authentic and applied contexts for stronger employability outcomes.
2. Make social impact central to assessment and WIL. Anchor internships, client projects and capstones in real societal challenges such as climate risk, inclusion, gender equality, and community safety, so students graduate with artefacts that demonstrate impact and job‑ready competence.
3. Embed CSR visibly and consistently in institutional operations. Students learn from the culture they experience. Adopting social sustainability strategies (e.g., wellbeing, inclusion, fair work, community partnerships) and progress builds trust and models the responsible leadership and civic behaviours they expect graduates to carry into their professions.
4. Develop leadership pathways. Integrate responsible management frameworks into academic and operational policies that guide students and staff to lead responsibly, think ethically across all disciplines, innovate with social and environmental awareness, and create long‑term value that employers increasingly expect in complex business environments.
5. Train and support academic and professional staff. Ensure effective and sustainable integration of CSR and SDGs into curricula, by equipping academic and professional staff with the knowledge, confidence, pedagogical skills and tools to teach and practice CSR and SDG concepts meaningfully.

A renewed social contract

Where the 20th century framed higher education as a pathway to security, the 21st century calls for a more adaptive approach. Higher education institutions need to prepare learners for multiple careers, continuous technological disruption, economic volatility and societal transformation. CSR provides the unifying reasoning for that identity. By weaving social responsibility into curriculum, assessment, partnerships and lifelong learning, higher education can deliver graduates who are not only work‑ready, but world‑ready and able to create long‑term value for organisations and communities. That is the new social contract. Institutions that honour their historic mission while embracing this CSR‑anchored, human-centred future will remain vital and relevant in the century ahead.

To cite this article:
Sekendiz, B. (2026, February 12). Delivering social impact in a changing world: The evolving purpose of higher education. Scholarly Impact. International College of Management, Sydney. https://www.icms.edu.au/scholarly-impact/delivering-social-impact-in-a-changing-world-the-evolving-purpose-of-higher-education/

References

[1] Singh, U. S. (2023). Future of corporate social responsibility and sustainability in higher education institutions: A systematic literature review. Library Progress International, 43(2), 2785–2789.

[2] Lessa, C., Coelho, A., & Santos, C. (2025). How corporate social responsibility affects the well-being of students through organizational pride and employability. Corporate Reputation Review. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41299-025-00232-7

[3] Khan, A., Fang, S., & Zeb, I. (2026). Relationship between university social responsibility and sustainable development goals in higher education: The mediating role of psychological capital. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-10-2025-1234

[4] Elsharkawy, H., Fonseca, T. D., & Sengupta, S. (2025). Building Capacity in Higher Education: Staff Perceptions on Education for Sustainability. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 18(2), 142-165. https://doi.org/10.1177/09734082251341042

[5] Weiss, M., Barth, M., Wiek, A., & von Wehrden, H. (2021). Drivers and barriers of implementing sustainability curricula in higher education: Assumptions and evidence. Higher Education Studies, 11(2), 42–64. https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v11n2p42