Education for sustainable development in Nepal: assessment of higher education institutions’ stakeholder perspectives

Purpose This paper aims to assess the progress of implementing education for sustainable development (ESD) in Nepalese higher education institutions (HEIs). Design/methodology/approach The authors apply a mixed methods approach by integrating dichotomous assessment and a qualitative approach. Dichotomous questions were asked to 510 stakeholders on various indicators of ESD in Nepalese HEIs. The responses were analyzed by establishing percentage thresholds ranging from a “vast majority (VMa)” to a “vast minority (VMi).” These ranges only contain labels for the “yes” category of responses. Moreover, it creates 30 focus groups to evaluate, via a qualitative approach, the responses obtained from dichotomous questions. Findings Enhancing sustainability literacy, improving the curriculum and strengthening institutional commitment to sustainability are key priorities for Nepalese HEIs. By adopting a more sustainable approach, students will be better equipped to address future challenges in sustainable development. To achieve this, comprehensive institutional changes, increased expertise, resources and collaboration are necessary to tackle sustainability challenges in Nepalese HEIs effectively. Research limitations/implications This paper focuses solely on HEIs in Nepal, thus limiting the generalizability of the findings to other contexts. The reliance on self-reported information from respondents introduces the possibility of bias or inaccuracies. Practical implications This study provides valuable insights into the implementation of ESD in Nepalese HEIs, identifying practical areas and responsible institutions for its implementation. These include integrating sustainability content into courses, establishing nature clubs, adopting paperless administration, improving financial and institutional capacity and seeking support from the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission of Nepal. Originality/value This study contributes to the field by examining the implementation of SDGs for ESD in the context and culture of Nepalese.