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Quality of Higher Education Mission Statements and Relevance to SDGs: The Case of African Business Schools

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Title: Quality of Higher Education Mission Statements and Relevance to SDGs: The Case of African Business Schools
Language: English
Authors: Edward Akoto, Eunice V. Akoto
Source: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 2026 27(2):340-360.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Educational Quality, Higher Education, Institutional Mission, Position Papers, Sustainable Development, Business Schools, Content Analysis, Guidelines, Access to Information, Institutional Characteristics, Universities
Geographic Terms: Africa
DOI: 10.1108/IJSHE-07-2023-0322
ISSN: 1467-6370
1758-6739
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the quality of African business schools (ABSs) mission statements (MSs) based on the number and types of elements and the relevance of the elements to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). MSs are ubiquitous in higher education, but research on ABSs MSs quality and relevance to SDG is non-existent. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach with content analysis was used to systematically examine ABSs MSs retrieved from institutional websites. The MSs were analyzed based on an adopted ten-element framework of MSs for quality and relevance to sustainability. Findings: This study revealed that only 39.4% of the MSs of the top 200 ABSs reviewed were publicly accessible via institutional websites. The examined MS shows a moderate quality (number of elements used) that varied partly by the institutional structural characteristics. On sustainability, six elements of the MS framework were found to be conceptually relevant to SDGs 4, 5, 8, 13 and 17. However, the analysis of ABSs MSs revealed a weak contribution to the SDGs. Research limitations/implications: Data on some ABSs MSs may have been missed because they are inaccessible, and this study did not measure actual but potential contributions to SDGs via MS elements. A qualitative follow-up study with interviews is necessary to assess how institutions implement the MS elements relevant to the SDGs. Practical implications: Guidelines for developing and enhancing MSs of African higher education institutions are prescribed to ensure quality and relevance to the current societal needs and for sustainable quality education. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to examine the quality of the ABSs MSs and their comparability across Africa. This study is also the first to operationalize a ten-element framework of MSs and conceptualize how MS elements are linked to the SDGs.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503506
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Quality of Higher Education Mission Statements and Relevance to SDGs: The Case of African Business Schools
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Edward+Akoto%22">Edward Akoto</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eunice+V%2E+Akoto%22">Eunice V. Akoto</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Sustainability+in+Higher+Education%22"><i>International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 27(2):340-360.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: 21
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Label: Education Level
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Quality%22">Educational Quality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+Mission%22">Institutional Mission</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Position+Papers%22">Position Papers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainable+Development%22">Sustainable Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Business+Schools%22">Business Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Content+Analysis%22">Content Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Guidelines%22">Guidelines</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Information%22">Access to Information</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+Characteristics%22">Institutional Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities%22">Universities</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Africa%22">Africa</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1108/IJSHE-07-2023-0322
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1467-6370<br />1758-6739
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the quality of African business schools (ABSs) mission statements (MSs) based on the number and types of elements and the relevance of the elements to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). MSs are ubiquitous in higher education, but research on ABSs MSs quality and relevance to SDG is non-existent. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach with content analysis was used to systematically examine ABSs MSs retrieved from institutional websites. The MSs were analyzed based on an adopted ten-element framework of MSs for quality and relevance to sustainability. Findings: This study revealed that only 39.4% of the MSs of the top 200 ABSs reviewed were publicly accessible via institutional websites. The examined MS shows a moderate quality (number of elements used) that varied partly by the institutional structural characteristics. On sustainability, six elements of the MS framework were found to be conceptually relevant to SDGs 4, 5, 8, 13 and 17. However, the analysis of ABSs MSs revealed a weak contribution to the SDGs. Research limitations/implications: Data on some ABSs MSs may have been missed because they are inaccessible, and this study did not measure actual but potential contributions to SDGs via MS elements. A qualitative follow-up study with interviews is necessary to assess how institutions implement the MS elements relevant to the SDGs. Practical implications: Guidelines for developing and enhancing MSs of African higher education institutions are prescribed to ensure quality and relevance to the current societal needs and for sustainable quality education. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to examine the quality of the ABSs MSs and their comparability across Africa. This study is also the first to operationalize a ten-element framework of MSs and conceptualize how MS elements are linked to the SDGs.
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  Data: 2026
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        Value: 10.1108/IJSHE-07-2023-0322
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Quality
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      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
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      – SubjectFull: Institutional Mission
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      – SubjectFull: Position Papers
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      – SubjectFull: Sustainable Development
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      – SubjectFull: Business Schools
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      – SubjectFull: Content Analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Guidelines
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      – SubjectFull: Africa
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      – TitleFull: Quality of Higher Education Mission Statements and Relevance to SDGs: The Case of African Business Schools
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