Innovative pedagogies for responsible management education: advancing the i5 framework and UKPSF across PRME business schools in the UK and Kazakhstan

Purpose This study investigates how the integration of the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Impactful Five (i5) framework and the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) can advance responsible management education in higher education. Drawing on PRME-affiliated universities in the UK and Kazakhstan, it examines how experiential, playful and innovative pedagogies influence student engagement, emotional climate and transformative learning. The purpose is to address gaps in translating responsible management education principles into teaching practice by developing an integrated pedagogical framework and scorecard that supports reflective, sustainability-oriented and context-sensitive educational approaches. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a qualitative, comparative multi-site case study design across PRME-affiliated business schools in the UK and Kazakhstan. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus groups and documentary analysis. A thematic analysis approach was employed to identify patterns relating to experiential learning, emotional climate, inclusivity and student transformation. Analysis was guided by an integrated PRME i5 and UKPSF lens, enabling cross-context interpretation of pedagogical practices. Insights from the analysis informed the development of a conceptual scorecard for evaluating i5-aligned responsible management education practices. Findings Findings indicate that experiential and playful pedagogies support student engagement, motivation and positive emotional climates, while sustained learning outcomes depend on effective scaffolding and reflective integration. The study highlights the role of educators as facilitators of inclusive and psychologically supportive learning environments, with culturally responsive (“glocal”) adaptation shaping how i5 principles are enacted across UK and Kazakhstan contexts. The findings also identify challenges in operationalising the PRME i5 framework, including measurement complexity, institutional constraints and risks of superficial implementation. In response, the study develops a preliminary benchmarking scorecard to support i5–UKPSF alignment and responsible management education practice. Research limitations/implications This study is limited by its qualitative, interpretive design and focus on a relatively small number of PRME-affiliated institutions in the UK and Kazakhstan, which may limit transferability across wider institutional and disciplinary contexts. While the cross-country comparison provides contextual depth, further research across diverse higher education settings is required. Additionally, the proposed benchmarking scorecard remains conceptual and requires empirical validation. Despite these limitations, the study advances responsible management education by demonstrating how experiential pedagogies can be aligned with professional teaching standards and by identifying indicators that support the evaluation of student transformation. Practical implications The study offers practical insights for higher education institutions seeking to advance responsible management education through context-sensitive pedagogical innovation. Findings from UK and Kazakhstan PRME-affiliated institutions highlight the importance of adapting experiential and playful pedagogies to different cultural and institutional contexts. The study underscores the need for staff development that aligns PRME i5 principles with UKPSF professional standards while supporting inclusive and culturally responsive teaching. The proposed benchmarking scorecard provides a reflective tool for evaluating i5-aligned practices, identifying areas for pedagogical enhancement and informing evidence-based approaches to student engagement and transformation. Social implications This study highlights the societal role of higher education in developing responsible, reflective and sustainability-oriented graduates. By demonstrating how PRME i5 principles can be embedded through experiential, inclusive and culturally responsive pedagogies, the study illustrates how learning environments can promote student agency, equity, participation and ethical awareness across diverse cultural contexts. Insights from UK and Kazakhstan institutions emphasise the importance of adapting pedagogical approaches to different educational experiences and expectations. Strengthening alignment between responsible management education and professional teaching standards can support graduates in addressing complex social, environmental and ethical challenges in global contexts. Originality/value This study advances responsible management education by developing an integrated pedagogical framework that connects the PRME i5 with the UKPSF across higher education contexts in the UK and Kazakhstan. Its originality lies in translating i5 principles into observable pedagogical dimensions through a comparative qualitative inquiry and developing a scorecard that enables structured evaluation of responsible management education practices. The study extends UKPSF discussions by incorporating sustainability, experiential, emotional, inclusive and culturally responsive dimensions of teaching practice. Its value lies in providing institutions with a context-sensitive approach for embedding responsible management education and supporting transformative student learning.