Guest editors
Dr. Anadi Trikha, Manipal University Jaipur, India, anadi.trikha@jaipur.manipal.edu
Dr. Konstantina Skritsovali, Liverpool John Moores University Business School, United Kingdom, K.Skritsovali@ljmu.ac.uk
Dr. Katherine Neary, Liverpool Business School, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, K.R.Neary@ljmu.ac.uk
Prof. Paul Dunn, Goodman School of Business, Brock University, PDunn@brocku.ca
Introduction
This Special Issue aims to critically examine the evolving role of Business Schools as anchor institutions driving sustainable development beyond the 2030 agendas embodied in global frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Existing literature has increasingly recognised Business Schools as key actors within regional innovation ecosystems, civic infrastructures, and sustainability transitions, while highlighting the importance of partnerships that span government, industry, civil society, and local communities (Carayannis & Rakhmatullin, 2014; Barnett, 2018; Goddard & Kempton, 2016). And yet, they have often contributed to unsustainable systems through marketisation, disciplinary silos, and a narrow focus on knowledge production rather than wisdom and societal impact (Steward et al, 2022). Examples of climate disruption, widening inequality, technological transformation, and declining trust in institutions have exposed the limitations of traditional institutional boundaries and reinforced the need for universities to act as agile, socially responsive, and place-based anchors that can generate both local and global public value. As such, this Special Issue responds to growing calls for Business Schools to move beyond a teleological and performance-driven adaptation of sustainability agendas that relies on a handful of individuals and undertake a leading role in shaping sustainable and just futures (see Dobson and Owolade, 2025; Fazey et al 2021).
Drawing on traditions of "feasible utopianism" (Barnett, 2018) and future thinking, the Special Issue encourages ambitious yet attainable visions for the future of responsible management education. Scholars are invited to submit manuscripts that explore how Triple, Quadruple and Quintuple Helix collaborations can and should build, develop and sustain relationships among universities, industry, government, civil society and other stakeholders that contribute to sustainable, just and inclusive futures. Particular attention is given to relational perspectives on place and space, sustainable civic partnerships facilitated by Business Schools, and cross-sector collaborations that generate lasting social value and drive societal transformational change (see Shutt et al, 2026).
This special issue contributes to existing discussions and advances understanding of how Business Schools can move beyond knowledge dissemination to purposefully embed and operationalise the PRME principles of Purpose, Values, Method, Research, Partnership, Dialogue and Practice, creating value for multiple stakeholder groups. Building on existing theoretical, philosophical, and empirical debates and discussions, we invite scholars to consider the role of Business Schools as drivers for societal transformation and consider the following questions:
What does a proactive Business School look like and how should it act as real anchor institutions in shaping regional and global sustainability transitions beyond 2030?
How can cross-sector collaborations in the form of Triple, Quadruple, Quintuple Helix frameworks contribute to sustainable and just futures?
What role can Business Schools play as anchor institutions in fostering societal resilience, recovery, and transformation during times of crisis, and how can alignment with global standards provide direction whilst avoiding the risks of standardisation?
How should universities prepare to contribute to sustainability governance, policy engagement, and evidence-based decision-making at local, national, and global levels to support transition beyond 2030?
How can transformative learning, AI-enabled education, and innovation within Business Schools be harnessed to support ethical, responsible, and sustainable societal futures beyond 2030?
References
Barnett, R. (2018) The Ecological University: A Feasible Utopia. London: Routledge.
Carayannis, E.G. and Rakhmatullin, R. (2014) ‘The Quadruple/Quintuple Innovation Helixes and Smart Specialisation Strategies for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in Europe and Beyond’, Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 5(2), pp. 212-239.
Dobson, J. and Owolade, F. (2025) Civic Capitals at Risk: The Fragile Foundations of the Civic University. Sheffield: Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. Available at: https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/civic-capitals-at-risk (Accessed: 17 September 2026).
Fazey, I., Schäpke, N., Caniglia, G., Patterson, J., Hultman, J., van Mierlo, B., Säwe, F., Waddell, S., Wyborn, C., Aldunce, P. et al. (2021) ‘Transforming Universities in the Midst of Global Crisis: A University for the Common Good’, Frontiers in Sustainability, 2, Article 677904.
Goddard, J. and Kempton, L. (2016) The Civic University: Universities in Leadership and Management of Place. Newcastle upon Tyne: Newcastle University.
Shutt, L., Chaytor, S., Green, L., Kempton, L. and Tomaney, J. (2026) ‘Reimagining the civic university: from local leadership to civic partnership’, Contemporary Social Science, 21(1), Article 2712318.
Stewart, I.S., Hurth, V. and Sterling, S. (2022) ‘Editorial: Re-Purposing Universities for Sustainable Human Progress’, Frontiers in Sustainability, 3, Article 859393. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2022.859393.
List of Topic Areas
Responsible Management Education and Future Skills
Responsible management education and operationalisation of PRME principles
Transformative learning for sustainability
Future-oriented approaches to responsible management education
Green skills and capabilities for sustainable futures
AI-enabled education and responsible innovation
Ethical and sustainable applications of emerging technologies in education
Governance, Leadership and Institutional Transformation
Sustainability governance and policy engagement
Innovative governance models for sustainable universities
Institutional responses to climate change and societal challenges
Evidence-based decision-making for sustainability transitions
Global sustainability standards and the risks of standardisation
Business Schools as anchor institutions for sustainable futures beyond 2030
Partnerships, Innovation and Societal Impact
Triple, Quadruple and Quintuple Helix frameworks for innovation and collaborations
Cross-sector partnerships for sustainable and just futures
University-industry-government-community collaboration
Business Schools and regional innovation ecosystems
Stakeholder value creation and societal impact
Business Schools, societal resilience, recovery and transformation
Submissions Information
Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available at: 28 September 2026
Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Please see: https://www.emerald.com/rme/pages/author-guidelines
Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to “Please select the issue you are submitting to”.
Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.
Key deadlines
Opening date for manuscripts submissions (if agreed with publisher): 08/10/2026
To facilitate the timely publication of this Special Issue, manuscripts will be reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received, rather than waiting until the submission deadline. Authors are therefore encouraged to submit their manuscripts as early as possible. Once this capacity has been reached, the Guest Editors reserve the right to close submissions before the stated deadline and decline further manuscripts for consideration. Early submission is therefore strongly recommended.
Key dates are as follows:
Submission portal opens: 8 October 2026
Final submission deadline: 1 June 2027 (or earlier if the Special Issue reaches capacity)
Peer review and editorial decisions: Conducted on a rolling basis throughout the submission period
Publication: March 2028
Closing date for manuscript submissions: 01/06/2027
Guest Editor contact details: anadi.trikha@jaipur.manipal.edu; k.skritsovali@ljmu.ac.uk, k.r.neary@ljmu.ac.uk; PDunn@brocku.ca
