Towards Sustainability: A Quantitative Inquiry into Chinese University Students’ Perceived Learner Empowerment and Innovative Behaviour

Abstract

Innovation is universally acclaimed as the crux of organisational sustainability in the current dynamic and competitive market and knowledge economy, and psychological empowerment provides a more comprehensive pathway to human creative performance. However, the pivotal role of students’ innovation in driving sustainability has been largely overlooked within the context of higher education for sustainable development (HESD). This study investigated the relationship between university students’ perceived learner empowerment and their innovative behaviour from a multistage perspective. An online survey was conducted among 868 Chinese university students from 21 institutions. The results indicated that Chinese students’ self-perceived level of empowerment and innovative behaviour was relatively high, but that they viewed themselves as less competent in generating innovation outputs. The results of structural equation modelling revealed that competence was positively related to all factors of innovative behaviour, the impact was positively associated with six factors of innovative behaviour, and meaningfulness was positively related solely to involving others. The findings have significant implications for stimulating students’ innovative behaviour towards sustainable development.