The purpose of this study is to understand how do formal structures and the hidden curriculum act as barriers or drivers for the contribution of higher education institutions (HEIs) to sustainable development. HEIs, as institutions, are formed by formal structure, from institutional plans to course projects. However, practices noted by empirical research contradict what was planned to happen, evidencing the hidden curriculum concept. From that gap, the research problem is: how do formal structures and the hidden curriculum act as barriers or drivers for the contribution of higher education institutions to sustainable development (SD)?
The authors performed an exploratory qualitative study. To observe the phenomenon, the authors chose two Brazilian public universities that are similar in their framework. The sample is composed of primary and secondary data. The primary data are semi-structured interviews with 25 professors and focus groups with 19 students. Secondary data refers to 17 institutional documents. The authors applied the thematic analysis using data triangulation supported by ATLAS.ti software.
The evidence showed intensity and diversity of mechanisms. First, while there are fewer incentives compared to barriers, the incentives tend to be meaningful. Second, the barriers are varied, presenting different types of impediments, although it is less significant. The performance of formal structures and the hidden curriculum largely depends on how well the norm is institutionalized in practice. When actions disproportionately favor one side over the other, the concepts can act either as a driver or as a barrier. The authors used a pendulum analogy to illustrate these dynamics.
The authors used thematical analysis, assisted by ATLAS.ti. Future research must use another method (e.g. ethnography) or another’s qualitative software to provide new findings from the concepts once the methods can lead to different results.
As a practical implication, pendulum analogy may help HEI managers to look for a balance point by managing efforts between formal structures and hidden curriculum using the drivers in favor while avoiding barriers.
This study contributes to the sustainable development goals – quality education and the development of Principles of Responsible Management Education. It contributes to managers’ formation to resolve SD problems in organizations and society by using administration courses as an example.
Developing the concepts of formal structures and the hidden curriculum of the HEIs is an advance in the theoretical area, as is the resumption of the discussion of the hidden curriculum, since few studies are observing the phenomenon.
