INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF ESG GOVERNANCE MODELS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR UZBEKISTAN

Аннотация

The global diffusion of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into higher
education management has given rise to diverse institutional models across regional and
developmental contexts. This article presents a systematic comparative analysis of ESG
governance models in higher education institutions (HEIs) across four major global regions —
Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and developing economies — with the purpose of
identifying transferable lessons for Uzbekistan's expanding HEI sector. Three principal ESG
governance typologies are delineated: Institutional (full strategic integration), Functional
(dedicated but partially integrated units), and Reactive (externally-driven, episodic compliance).
The European model, characterised by top-down institutional integration and strong normative
frameworks, is contrasted with the bottom-up, endowment-driven North American model and the
technology-intensive, state-led Asian model. Drawing on a community-level 15-year longitudinal
case study of Bukhara State University [3] and its validated Pentagonal Integral Model (PIM), the
article demonstrates how resource-constrained HEIs in Uzbekistan can leverage international
ranking participation (UI GreenMetric) as the optimal entry point for ESG adoption, following the
I→G→A→S→E activation sequence. International benchmarking systems (THE Impact
Rankings, UI GreenMetric, QS Sustainability, STARS) are compared for their methodological
relevance to Uzbekistan's institutional context. The article advances a hybrid ESG governance
model for Uzbekistan's HEIs, combining European institutional design principles, North American
community engagement practices, and Asian digital monitoring technologies.