Assessing the Enactus Global Sustainability Initiative’s Alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Lessons for Higher Education Institutions

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Reviewer 1 Comments

Corrections undertaken

The manuscript is quite extensive, making the connection between various ideas potentially tedious for the reader. Consider streamlining the content, eliminating redundancies, and ensuring a logical flow of ideas to enhance reader engagement.

(See page ) The following steps were taken to streamline the content:

1.       Page 6, third paragraph was condensed.

2.       Part of section 5, page 16 (Key lessons) has also been condensed.

The issue of resistance among faculty and students is touched upon, but more depth in understanding its roots might be beneficial. Delve deeper into the underlying reasons for this resistance and possibly offer more practical solutions to overcome it.

(see page 15) 5.7         

The outcome of this review indicates that students and faculty are resistant to change due to miscon-ceptions that Enactus projects are exclusively related to the field of commerce (Ram-passo et al., 2021). Universities can address this by partnering with organizations such as Enactus, Shwab Foundation, Awethu Project, Innovate South Africa, Ashoka, Ech-oing green, Acumen, and Active Change Drivers to reorient students and faculty. This collaboration has the potential to foster a transdisciplinary network, guiding students and faculty towards embracing sustainability competencies. Above all, raising aware-ness through "universities without borders" could further enhance this approach.

The anti-transdisciplinary approach is mentioned but requires clearer exposition. Discuss concrete examples of how a single-field focus hinders SDG implementation, and illustrate the benefits of a broader perspective with real-world applications.

(see page 13) SDG discourse is complex, covering multiple aspects such as environmental, economic, and social sustainability; therefore, a single-field focus might be regressive since it emphasizes one target over the others. According to Rohde & Muller (2015), coal-based electricity generation in China contributes to many deaths each year, this approach is unsustainable. In contrast, Lee (2021) highlights a group of universities in Australia, the United States, and New Zealand known as the "Sustainability Initiative Network" that appear to be making progress in translating the United Nations' development goals into local actions; their activities range from teaching stakeholders about the SDGs to housing cutting-edge research, community outreach, and public awareness based on multidisciplinary standpoint.

While the importance of SDG localization is emphasized, actionable strategies are somewhat lacking. Detail methods through which universities might effectively localize SDGs and foster productive inter-university collaborations.

(see page 15) "universities without borders" within the academic community is proposed on page 15.

Scope of Study: The exclusive focus on the Enactus initiative might limit the generalizability of the findings. Consider broadening the research scope or at least acknowledging other potentially relevant initiatives in South Africa, providing a more holistic perspective.

 (see page 15) Shwab Foundation, Awethu Project, Innovate South Africa, Ashoka, Echoing green, Acumen and Active Change Drivers, among others.

Systematic Addressing of Shortcomings: The identified challenges in SDG implementation are significant and demand comprehensive solutions. Rather than listing issues, propose a systematic, step-by-step strategy for HEIs to integrate sustainability effectively across all facets.

(see page 13) The following solutions have been proposed and discussed in details:

5.1. HEIs have a crucial task in achieving the SDGs, as education is linked to almost all of the SDGs.

5.2. South African higher education institutions need to urgently address knowledge gaps among their stakeholders regarding the implementation of SDGs.

5.3. Knowledge sharing is crucial to achieving the SDGs.

5.4. Motivating university stakeholders to adopt a flexible approach towards SDG implementation is crucial.

5.5. Adopting multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approaches to achieve the SDGs can assist HEIs in building partnerships.

5.6. Localisation of SDGs in every higher education institution is imperative.

5.7 Raising sustainability awareness across universities

Geographical Perspective: The focus on South Africa, while essential, might benefit from a comparative approach. Offer brief comparisons with HEIs in other developing countries to give readers a global context and highlight unique challenges or solutions within South Africa.

(see page 12) Figure 2, depicts an overview of notable Enactus initiatives across the globe, including a brief comparison.

(See page 12) Comparatively, the majority of Student-led Enactus projects in other parts of the world focus on the most vulnerable segment of the society such as the disabled and indigent women while Enactus teams in South Africa places emphasizes on job creation and poverty reduction which aligns with the two SDGs prioritized by South African Government (Fatoki, 2019).

Format and Presentation: Due to the density of content, the paper might be challenging for some readers to navigate. Consider incorporating visual aids like charts, graphs, or infographics to break up the text and make data or key points more digestible.

(see page 12) Figure 3: depicts an overview of Enactus projects across the globe.

(see page 14) Figure 4:Key Lessons HEIs, designed by authors.

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Reviewer 2 Comments

Corrections undertaken

The research structure is not the usual structure, introduction, Literature Review, methodology, Results, Discussion, Implications, Limitations and future studies, Conclusion.

(See page ) The author synchronised the specified research structure with the basic structure of FLR as recommended in literature available online.

In addition, the concluding aspects of the study such as limitation of the study and suggestion for further studies were combined and discussed since they were not lengthy enough to stand as separate sections. 

Also, the contribution and scientific addition are not clear

(see abstract) The study illuminates cogent approaches neccesary for HEIs to create a more sustainable world. It specifically highlights the multidisciplinary perspective and collaborative opportunities offered by SDG-driven organisations.

The abstract you provided appears well-written and informative, but there are a few potential weaknesses to consider: Lack of Specification: The abstract refers to "previous studies" without describing them. Giving readers a context summary of other studies in this field would assist them comprehend the gap this work is filling.

(see page 2) The previous studies conducted by Tshikovhi (2020); Vezi-Magigaba (2018); Ka-poor, Singh, Ray, Mattoo, Manwal, Katoch, Kapoor and Gupta (2022); Weik (2014); Da-libozhko & Krakovetskanya (2018) and Podolyanchuk (2017) did not explored Enactus student teams' sustainability practices in relation to global goals, and most of the SDG-related studies were limited to the context of a particular institution. As a result, there is a need for more well-rounded comparative research that will take into account the views and findings of scholars from a global perspective.

Limited Scope: The abstract concentrates on the South African setting, which may limit its applicability to other continents or nations. In order to provide readers with a clear understanding of the study's unique scope, this acknowledgement is crucial.

(see page 1-15) Although there is occasionally a specific focus on South Africa, the overall stance of the article has been modified with reference to a global viewpoint.

(see abstract) thus identifying critical lessons for South African higher education institutions as well as HEIs in other nations grappling with comparable circumstances

Overly Optimistic Language: The abstract concludes on a positive note, highlighting potential challenges while also declaring the goal to "motivate" higher education institutions to overcome these challenges. Although motivation is crucial, it might not be enough to overcome challenging sustainability issues. A more balanced viewpoint would be offered by a more nuanced examination of potential problems and solutions.

(see abstract) The sweeping statement has been replaced with “The study intends to spur higher education institutions as change agents, stimulating them to take the lead in overcoming obstacles to the attainment of the SDGs by 2030”

(see page 13) A more balanced perspective is offered that may reposition HEIs to play a major role in achieving sustainable development targets by 2030.

inadequate methodology Details: Although the abstract refers to a "focused review methodology," it offers no further information on the technique employed in the study. It would make the abstract more understandable to include one or two sentences that briefly discuss the research methodologies used.

(see abstract) A focused review methodology is used in this analysis to assess Enactus global sustainability initiative's alignment with the SDGs, which involves a comprehensive search of the Web of Science and Scopus databases to identify relevant articles.

Possibility of Bias: The abstract presents Enactus and its role in sustainability projects in a favorable light. When discussing the participation of certain groups in research, it is crucial to preserve neutrality and take into account any potential biases.

(see abstract) The sweeping statement “Enactus International is a key stakeholder in this endeavour” has been replaced with “There is a growing body of literature suggesting that Enactus International is a key stakeholder in this endeavour, as university students’ transformational innovations are developed and exported through Enactus-established collaborations. However, further investigation is required to identify how this phenomenon works”.

No Mention of Limitations: Despite highlighting potential barriers to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the abstract makes no mention of the study's inherent limitations. Readers might be interested to learn about any restrictions or limitations that affected the study process.

(see page 15) This study does not go without its limitation, specifically, it focused solely on the SDG-related practices of the student-led Enactus initiative, While the study evaluates the Student-led Enactus projects currently available in literature, there is a probability that some Enactus projects may have evolved without being made accessible online, which could be considered missing data. In addition, the scope of the study does not allow for in-depth analysis of other initiatives related to the Sustainable Development Goals in South Africa and beyond. This may limit the generalizability of the findings. As a result, the impact of other sustainability initiatives on SDG implementation on a global scale could be investigated by scholars in further studies.

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Reviewer 2 Comments

Corrections undertaken

Authors approach a very interesting and current issue, achieving the SGDs by a more decisive involvement of HEIs, as confirmed by Enactus sustainability projects initiated by students. It is true that most SDG s are linked and progress in one SDG can lead to progress in others, but some quantitative results might enrich the findings of the FLR.

(See page) The following empirical studies, some of which were quantitative, were analysed in this FLR:

 Tshikovhi (2020); Vezi-Magigaba (2018); Kapoor, Singh, Ray, Mattoo, Manwal, Katoch, Kapoor and Gupta (2022); Weik (2014); Dalibozhko & Krakovetskanya (2018); Raji & Hassan (2021); Reverte (2022); Tehrani, Rathgeber, Fulton and Schmutz (2021) and Podolyanchuk (2017).

On the other hand, as mentioned by authors, some findings might be typical for the South African context, but other might apply to more developing nations. A cultural comparison  (Hofstede or other models) might bring more light into the issue.

(see page 12) Based on Hofsede's cultural dimensions model, South Africa and other countries pursue sustainable development goals in distinct ways. Enactus teams in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Brazil emphasize individualism, focusing on the less fortu-nate in society (Zeng et al., 2102), while their South African counterparts place a strong focus on the creation of sustainable livelihoods (Tehrani et al., 2021). The au-thors infer that, South Africa's high score for collectivism and community-oriented culture correlates with the national development plans which emphasize poverty and inequality reduction. In contrast, "the sustainability initiative framework," which comprises Australian, New Zealand, and United States institutions, has been making strides to achieve the SDGs through a multidisciplinary approach (Reverte, 2022). This cultural dimension is required for sustainable development practices to thrive. However, In addition to cultural variables, institutional and human factors play a sig-nificant role in influencing sustainable development.

At page 2 there is a scholar cited in cyrillic, I think. Probably the name is Podolianchuk Kateryna Vasylivna

(see page 2) Podolyanchuk (2017)

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Reviewer 2 Comments

Corrections undertaken

Please check that all references are relevant to the contents of the manuscript. Any revisions to the manuscript should be highlighted, such that any changes can be easily reviewed by editors and reviewers.

(See page 18-23 – the references have been cheeked for relevance)

The second-round revisions were highlighted blue while the first round revisions were highlighted green.

Please provide a cover letter to explain, point by point, the details

of the revisions to the manuscript and your responses to the referees’ comments.

Cover letter has been uploaded.

I have noticed that the manuscript has been greatly improved. For my part, I can only congratulate you and recommend the reviewer to approve it for possible publication. Best regards

Thanks

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Reviewer 2 Comments

Corrections undertaken

Add the discussion in separate section: In this section, please provide a comprehensive discussion of the study's findings, emphasizing the alignment (or lack thereof) between Enactus initiatives and the SDGs. in addition, delve into the results of the study, comparing them with previous research and shedding light on the significance of these findings in the broader context of sustainability practices among university students. Moreover, discuss the transformative potential of Enactus collaborations and the implications for global sustainability.

(see page 13 for discussion in a separate section).

Please add the implications section; in this section try to explore the practical implications of the study's findings. In addition, discuss how higher education institutions can leverage the lessons learned to become agents of change in the pursuit of SDGs. Moreover, examine the potential impact of Enactus initiatives on fostering sustainable development on a broader scale.

(see page 14 for practical implications)

Add the Limitations and Future Research; In this section, please address the limitations of your study, acknowledging potential constraints in the research methodology or data sources. Additionally, please outline potential directions for future research, suggesting areas where further investigation is needed to enhance our understanding of sustainability practices in higher education and their alignment with the SDGs.

(see page 17 for limitations and future research)