Localizing sustainability competences in business higher education: a practice-based framework for contextual curriculum design in Egyptian business education

Purpose This study develops a practice-based framework for integrating sustainability competencies into business education in culturally specific contexts. Drawing on Social Practice Theory, the research conceptualizes sustainability not as abstract knowledge but as a lived practice shaped by meanings, materials, and competences. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a qualitative research design, using semi-structured interviews with students, faculty members, and curriculum developers at the American University in Cairo (AUC). Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to explore how sustainability competences are perceived, enacted, and localized within business education. Findings The findings reveal that sustainability is frequently perceived as an imported and abstract concept, disconnected from students' lived cultural and ethical contexts. Locally grounded ethical principles, such as fairness, moderation, responsibility, and social welfare, emerged as culturally resonant anchors for sustainability education. Effective integration was found to depend on shared pedagogical language, experiential learning opportunities, and institutional alignment. Based on these insights, the study introduces a Sustainability Terminology Matrix to support context-sensitive curriculum design. Practical implications The framework provides actionable guidance for curriculum designers and university leaders seeking to translate global sustainability frameworks into culturally grounded, value-driven learning outcomes through pedagogy, campus practices, and institutional systems. Social implications By linking sustainability to local ethical and social traditions, higher education can promote civic responsibility, accountability, and long-term behavioral transformation among future business leaders. Originality/value This paper advances sustainability pedagogy by integrating Social Practice Theory with local ethical frameworks, offering a novel model for contextualizing global sustainability goals in higher education in emerging markets.