In the global pursuit of sustainability, higher education institutions serve as powerful actors, leveraging their multifaceted contributions to advance the implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study employed a multi-dimensional analysis to evaluate the prioritization of these goals within the institutional framework of Arab universities and identify the key factors that drive their involvement with these goals. The methodology used involved a quantitative approach, utilizing a survey questionnaire to collect data from faculty members representing 30 public universities across the Arab region. The results of the study regarding prioritization analysis reveal that SDG4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) are top priorities across all universities, with prioritization scores exceeding 65.4. Furthermore, the results of the ordinal logistic regression analysis demonstrate that institutional governance and research productivity are significant factors that influence Arab universities’ engagement with the SDGs. The findings of this study have important implications for higher education policies, practices, and interventions, aimed at fostering university engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The global shift toward sustainable transportation has gained increasing interest, promoting the use of electric vehicles (EVs) as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional vehicles as a result of a complex interaction between economic incentives, social dynamics, and environmental imperatives. This study is based on the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) to understand the key factors influencing consumers’ intentions in the Sultanate of Oman toward adopting electric vehicles. It is based on a mixed methodology combining quantitative data from a questionnaire of 448 participants, analyzed using ordinal logistic regression, with qualitative thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 18 EV owners. Its results reveal that performance expectations, trust in EV technology, and social influence are the strongest predictors of EV adoption intentions in Oman. These findings suggest that some issues related to charging infrastructure, access to maintenance services, and cost-benefit ratio are key considerations that influence consumers’ intention to accept and use EVs. Conversely, recreational motivation is not a statistically significant factor, which suggests that consumers focus on practical and economic motivations when deciding to adopt EVs rather than on their enjoyment of driving the vehicle. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for decision-makers and practitioners to understand public perceptions of electric vehicles, enabling them to design effective strategies to promote the adoption of these vehicles in the emerging sustainable transportation market of the future.

The aim of this study is to explore the key factors that motivate visually impaired college students to develop data analytics skills. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates quantitative data from binary logistic regression analysis and qualitative insights from focus group discussions with undergraduate social science students. The quantitative findings reveal that the strongest motivators are the availability of adapted learning materials, teacher support and encouragement, and the perceived usefulness and relevance of statistics. In contrast, peer influence, gender, and type of impairment were not found to have significant impacts. The qualitative analysis underscores two primary barriers: technological and administrative challenges, as well as instructional and learning obstacles. These findings suggest that addressing these barriers and leveraging motivators can help create more inclusive educational programs. The study concludes with actionable recommendations for higher education institutions and instructors to better support visually impaired students in their pursuit of data analytics skills.

The renewable energy transition has become one of the vital pathways for approaching climate change and promoting sustainability. The success of this transition, however, does not depend only on technical and economic considerations, but is mainly influenced by social and institutional factors that form acceptance and support. This study aims at measuring the contribution of social capital, the awareness of the energy transition, and the institutional context in increasing the level of public support for the energy transition among Sultan Qaboos University students. It adopts a cross-sectional quantitative approach, and data are collected through a multi-section questionnaire from a sample of 437 male and female students from different colleges, majors, and academic years at Sultan Qaboos University. These tools of the study measure the dimensions of social capital: trust, social networks, bridging, institutional linking, and student participation. They also evaluate objective knowledge and self-perceived awareness of the renewable energy transition, in addition to components of the institutional context within the university: the sustainability climate on campus, opportunities for participation, and trust in governance/procedural justice. The indicators of internal consistency (reliability) also show significant values: the Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients range approximately between 0.715 and 0.893 for the independent variables and reach 0.864 for the dependent variable. The results of this study show that most of the students fall within the high level of support (77.3%), with no statistically significant differences based on gender, college type, academic year, or previous volunteering experience. The ordinal logistic regression results indicate that the campus sustainability climate is the strongest factor influencing higher levels of support followed by trust in governance/procedural justice and general trust (TR). The bridging dimension (BB) does not have a significant independent influence after accounting for the other variables. This study emphasizes that increasing support for the renewable energy transition in the university environment requires strengthening an institutional climate which supports sustainability, promoting fair and transparent governance, expanding participation opportunities, and investing in building trust and strengthening institutional connections to encourage pro-sustainability behaviors.

Objectives: This study assesses the quality of academic programs in the College of Arts and Social Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University from the students' perspective. It examines variations in perceived program quality among the college's scientific departments. Methods: The study employs a descriptive survey approach, utilizing a questionnaire with 48 items across five dimensions to gauge the quality of academic program performance from the perspective of first-stage undergraduate students. A five-point Likert scale measures students' attitudes. The study population comprises all first-stage undergraduate students with a minimum of 75 credited hours across various programs, totaling 761 students for the spring semester of 2020. It consists of 336 students. Results: The overall evaluation of the quality of academic programs in the college, from the students' perspective, was rated as "moderate." It revealed that the quality levels of academic programs in the departments of Media, Arabic Language and Literature, English Language and Literature, and Geography were higher than the remaining departments: History, Information Studies, Tourism, Music, and Musicology. It identified significant differences in response means across all dimensions of academic program quality based on scientific department. No statistically significant differences were found in student responses across quality dimensions when considering the variable of gender. Conclusions: The study suggests implementing targeted programs in scientific departments to maximize the advantages of academic accreditation and improve academic program quality. It also recommends creating effective monitoring programs to address feedback from accreditation bodies and international evaluators, focusing on identifying strengths, weaknesses, and optimal methods for enhancement.