Investigating The Perception of Educationists in Promoting Affordable Clean Energy Towards Enhancing Sustainable Economic Growth in Malaysia

Abstract

The pursuit of affordable clean energy in the world has not only focused on the technological advancement but also on the educational sector whereby academic staff in higher education institutions (HEIs) have been identified to be the key drivers behind the adoption of clean energy. This study examines the role of educationists in the private institutions of higher learning (HEIs) in Klang Valley in Malaysia with regard to institutional policies, cultural norms, and educational structures in determining whether or not topics on clean energy issues are integrated into the curricula and sustainability practices. Although the Malaysian government has good policy frameworks, which include the Renewable Energy Act (2011) and MyRER (2021-2035), the policies have not been well implemented at HEIs. The paper has emphasized that the academic personnel in Klang Valley HEIs acknowledge the problem of sustainability, yet they are not provided with institutional backing, material, and professional capacity to enable them to effectively promote and incorporate the use of clean energy in teaching and campus life. The research objectives will be to investigate how the institutional policies, the awareness of technological innovation, the government support and the public participation will impact on the integration of clean energy in the private HEIs. Through exploration of these parameters, this research will be able to find all the gaps in policy implementation, faculty involvement, and institutional preparedness, with the end-result being the overall contribution to the overall objective of sustainable economic growth through clean energy education.