Stakeholder Centric Governance for Green University Transformation using a Mixed Methods Framework with Empirical Validation

Background Higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide face unprecedented pressure to operationalize sustainability commitments, yet systematic governance frameworks that integrate stakeholder participation with measurable performance outcomes remain underdeveloped. Existing approaches often fragment sustainability initiatives across isolated departments, limiting institutional transformation potential. Objective This study develops and validates the Integrated Stakeholder-Centric Governance (ISCG) framework for green university transformation by synthesizing recent empirical evidence (2024–2025), analyzing governance architectures, and identifying critical implementation pathways with quantifiable performance metrics. Methods A systematic mixed-methods approach combined: (1) comprehensive literature review of 187 peer-reviewed publications from 2024–2025 across multiple databases (SciSpace, Google Scholar, Web of Science); (2) thematic analysis of governance models and stakeholder engagement mechanisms; (3) comparative case study analysis of institutions with documented sustainability outcomes; (4) synthesis of key performance indicators (KPIs) and assessment frameworks including UI GreenMetric, carbon footprint methodologies, and circular economy metrics. Results Analysis identified six dominant governance architectures emerging in 2024–2025: (1) KPI-driven administrative divisions with PDCA cycles (Plan-Do-Check-Act); (2) networked multi-institution coalitions; (3) digitalized integrated governance platforms; (4) bottom-up green commissions with staged financing; (5) whole-institution systems thinking approaches; (6) hybrid dedicated sustainability office models. Empirical case studies demonstrate measurable outcomes: Mahasarakham University (Thailand) achieved consistent waste management score improvements from 900 to 1,350 (50% increase) over 2019–2023 through KPI integration and stakeholder committees (Phrophayak et al., 2024); Universidad Católica de Córdoba (Argentina) projects 70% carbon footprint mitigation via integrated native forest conservation and clean energy infrastructure (Perfumo et al., 2024); Chinese green university digitalization initiatives show enhanced coordination across education, research, operations, and student life domains (Zou et al., 2024). Critical success factors include: strong leadership commitment, systematic KPI integration, multi-stakeholder engagement mechanisms, PDCA monitoring cycles, digital infrastructure for real-time tracking, and adequate resource allocation. Major implementation barriers comprise insufficient policy institutionalization, data collection gaps, limited cross-unit engagement, and resource constraints. Conclusions Effective green university governance requires a hybrid ISCG model integrating five core layers: strategic leadership, operational management, academic integration, community engagement, and continuous assessment. The framework provides actionable implementation pathways with validated metrics, stakeholder engagement protocols, and iterative improvement mechanisms. Evidence from 2024–2025 demonstrates that institutions combining distributed governance, dedicated sustainability offices, digital monitoring platforms, and data-driven KPIs achieve superior sustainability performance across environmental, educational, and operational dimensions. The ISCG framework offers HEIs a structured, evidence-based pathway to operationalize comprehensive sustainability transformation.