Linking organisational learning, performance, and sustainable performance in universities: an empirical study in Europe

Universities are undergoing profound changes related to digitalisation, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and innovation and must adapt to remain effective. Organisational learning is a proven mechanism that facilitates adaptation, enhances change, and improves performance. While organisational learning has been examined across sectors, it remains under-studied within universities, particularly at the process level and in relation to sustainability outcomes. Drawing on the natural resource-based view (NRBV) and organisational learning theory, this study conceptualises organisational learning as a valuable, hard-to-imitate resource comprised of learning processes that improve routines or reframe problems. The study focuses on two key organisational learning processes relevant to universities—information acquisition and knowledge dissemination—and examines how an organisational learning culture (dialogue and inquiry; system connection) fosters these processes. The research investigates whether these processes, in turn, enhance university performance and sustainable performance (environmental and social). The study also tests whether organisational learning processes mediate the relationship between organisational learning culture and university performance. By empirically assessing these relationships in European public universities, the study addresses gaps concerning organisational learning processes in higher education and their linkage to sustainability.

The literature defines organisational learning as changes in organisational knowledge acquired through experience and embedded in systems and behaviour. Organisational learning encompasses intentional and unintentional learning and can be viewed as either processes or capabilities; this study treats it as processes (information acquisition and knowledge dissemination) identified as especially relevant for universities. Organisational learning culture—comprising values and assumptions that promote collective learning—is posited as an antecedent of organisational learning processes. Prior research suggests cultural elements such as participative decision making, openness, and leadership support learning, yet empirical work specifically linking organisational learning culture to learning processes in universities is scarce. Organisational performance has been frequently associated with organisational learning, though most studies examine learning as a capability rather than processes. Sustainability research indicates learning enhances environmental and social outcomes, but evidence in university contexts is limited. Hypotheses: H1: There is a positive relationship between the organisational learning culture and the organisational learning process. H1a: There is a positive relationship between system connection and dialogue and inquiry and information acquisition. H1b: There is a positive relationship between system connection and dialogue and inquiry and knowledge dissemination. H2: There is a positive relationship between organisational learning processes and university performance. H3: There is a positive relationship between the organisational learning culture and university performance. H4: The organisational learning process mediates the relationship between organisational learning culture and university performance. H5: There is a positive association between organisational learning and sustainable performance. H5a: There is a positive relationship between information acquisition and knowledge dissemination and sustainable environmental performance. H5b: There is a positive relationship between information acquisition and knowledge dissemination and sustainable social performance.

Design: Correlational study testing proposed relationships among organisational learning culture, organisational learning processes, university performance, and sustainable performance. Data collection and sample: Self-selection sampling of university teachers at 53 public universities across Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and Greece. Email invitations with an anonymous Qualtrics link were sent to 10,366 teachers across disciplines (business, psychology, science, engineering). Data were collected Oct 2022–Jan 2023 with two reminders. Responses: 525 received (5% response rate); 221 complete questionnaires retained. Sample profile: 36.7% associate professors, 22% full professors, 15.4% assistant professors, 6.8% lecturers/assistants, 3.2% invited faculty, 15.8% not declared; 65.2% worked >7 years at the same university; 66.5% worked >5 years in the same team; 49.9% age ≥50; 47.5% male, 37.6% female, 14.9% prefer not to say. Measures: - Organisational learning culture (adapted DLOQ for universities; Watkins & Marsick, 1993, 1997; Elbawab, 2022b): 8 items; subdimensions: dialogue and inquiry; system connection; 7-point Likert (1–7). Cronbach’s alpha: system connection 0.88; dialogue and inquiry 0.87. - Organisational learning process (adapted from Santos-Vijande et al., 2012; Elbawab, 2022b): 8 items; subdimensions: information acquisition; knowledge dissemination; 7-point Likert. Cronbach’s alpha: information acquisition 0.89; knowledge dissemination 0.79. - University performance (adapted from Jyothibabu et al., 2010; 7 items; 7-point Likert). Cronbach’s alpha 0.93 (original 0.90). - Sustainable performance (adapted from Iqbal & Ahmad, 2021): environmental performance (5 items; alpha 0.88) and social performance (5 items; alpha 0.82); 7-point Likert. Economic sustainability was not assessed due to limited relevance to public universities’ profit metrics. Factor loadings for all items were significant (p < 0.05); all loadings > 0.64 (Table 2 provides item-level loadings). Analysis: Descriptive statistics (means, SDs) and Pearson correlations computed. Multiple regression models tested hypothesised relationships using IBM SPSS 27. Mediation (H4) tested via Hayes’ PROCESS macro with bootstrap confidence intervals for indirect effects.

• Descriptive patterns: Highest means for university performance and sustainable environmental performance; lower means for system connection and dialogue and inquiry. - H1 supported: Organisational learning culture positively relates to organisational learning processes. Correlations: dialogue and inquiry with information acquisition r = 0.70 (p < 0.001); with knowledge dissemination r = 0.64 (p < 0.001). System connection with information acquisition r = 0.59 (p < 0.001); with knowledge dissemination r = 0.52 (p < 0.001). Regressions: predicting information acquisition from dialogue and inquiry (β = 0.520, p < 0.01) and system connection (β = 0.197, p < 0.01), R² = 0.522. Predicting knowledge dissemination from dialogue and inquiry (β = 0.544, p < 0.01) and system connection (β = 0.162, p < 0.01), R² = 0.429. - H2 supported: Organisational learning processes positively relate to university performance. Correlations: information acquisition r = 0.58 (p < 0.001); knowledge dissemination r = 0.64 (p < 0.001) with performance. Regression: performance on information acquisition (β = 0.250, p < 0.01) and knowledge dissemination (β = 0.381, p < 0.01), R² ≈ 0.451. - H3 supported: Organisational learning culture positively relates to university performance. Correlations: system connection r = 0.57 (p < 0.001); dialogue and inquiry r = 0.66 (p < 0.001) with performance. Regression: performance on system connection (β = 0.184, p < 0.01) and dialogue and inquiry (β = 0.440, p < 0.01), R² = 0.470. - H4 supported (mediation): Organisational learning processes mediate the effect of organisational learning culture on performance. Indirect effects (bootstrapped 95% CI excludes zero): Dialogue and inquiry → Information acquisition → Performance: IE = 0.1427; CI [0.482, 0.2423] (reported). System connection → Information acquisition → Performance: IE = 0.1800; CI [0.1104, 0.2548]. Dialogue and inquiry → Knowledge dissemination → Performance: IE = 0.2038; CI [0.1306, 0.2865]. System connection → Knowledge dissemination → Performance: IE = 0.1970; CI [0.1351, 0.2638]. - H5 supported: Organisational learning processes positively relate to sustainable performance. Correlations: Information acquisition with environmental r = 0.57 (p < 0.001) and social r = 0.559 (p < 0.001); knowledge dissemination with environmental r = 0.526 (p < 0.001) and social r = 0.550 (p < 0.001). Regressions: Environmental performance on information acquisition (β = 0.365, p < 0.01) and knowledge dissemination (β = 0.208, p < 0.01), R² = 0.362. Social performance on information acquisition (β = 0.299, p < 0.01) and knowledge dissemination (β = 0.252, p < 0.01), R² = 0.365. - Measurement: All factor loadings significant (p < 0.05), with item loadings typically ranging 0.64–0.92 across constructs.

Findings address key gaps by empirically demonstrating in public universities that a supportive organisational learning culture (dialogue and inquiry; system connection) enables core learning processes (information acquisition; knowledge dissemination), which in turn enhance university performance and sustainable performance. The mediation results show that culture affects performance both directly and indirectly through learning processes, underscoring the need to align cultural enablers with process execution. Results align with organisational learning theory (learning as embedded processes changing behaviour/knowledge) and with the NRBV, positioning organisational learning as a valuable, hard-to-imitate resource that supports sustainability-related outcomes. Practically, universities should cultivate dialogue/inquiry and external system connections to bolster information acquisition and effective knowledge dissemination, thereby improving performance and advancing environmental and social sustainability outcomes aligned with SDGs and ranking indicators. The study extends prior work by shifting the emphasis from learning capability to specific processes and by linking these processes to sustainable performance in higher education, a relationship previously under-examined.

This study proposes and empirically validates a model linking organisational learning culture to organisational learning processes and, subsequently, to university performance and sustainable performance in European public universities. It confirms that dialogue and inquiry and system connection foster information acquisition and knowledge dissemination; these processes, in turn, drive improved university and sustainable (environmental and social) performance, and mediate the culture–performance link. The study contributes theoretically by treating organisational learning as a process resource within NRBV and by evidencing both direct and indirect effects of culture on performance via learning processes. Practically, it offers actionable guidance for university leaders to build learning-supportive cultures and strengthen knowledge flows to enhance performance and sustainability outcomes. Future research should test the model beyond Europe, include private universities, and further explore additional predictors and outcomes (e.g., broader sustainability dimensions) to generalise and refine the framework.

• Correlational, cross-sectional design limits causal inference. - Self-selection sampling and a 5% response rate may introduce response bias. - Data rely on self-reported perceptions of university teachers. - Sample restricted to public universities in six European countries, limiting generalisability to other regions and private institutions. - Sustainable performance assessed only on environmental and social dimensions; economic sustainability was excluded due to contextual relevance for public universities.