Higher education falling short on digital ethics and sustainability integration

Higher education institutions around the world are under pressure to align education with the demands of Industry 5.0, which stresses not only advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics but also the ethical and sustainable use of innovation. Yet progress remains uneven, with many institutions only partially embedding sustainability and digital ethics into their teaching.

A new study titled The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Shaping Sustainability and Digital Ethics in the Era of Industry 5.0: Universities as Incubators of Future Skills, published in Sustainability, turns the spotlight on Polish universities. The research provides the first nationwide analysis of how Poland’s higher education system is responding to this global challenge.

Uneven progress in integrating sustainability and ethics

The findings reveal a fragmented picture. While 62 percent of Polish universities reported some level of integration of sustainability and digital ethics, only 11 percent had fully embedded these values into their curricula. More than a quarter of institutions admitted to having no integration at all.

This imbalance reflects a wider problem confronting higher education globally: the challenge of keeping pace with rapid technological change while also preparing graduates to act responsibly in an increasingly digital and interconnected society. Industry 5.0 demands that future professionals not only master advanced tools but also understand the ethical consequences of their use. According to the study, Poland’s higher education sector is far from delivering this at scale.

The research shows that public and private institutions alike struggle with full adoption, highlighting that the barriers are less about ownership and more about strategy, leadership, and institutional priorities.

Key drivers of progress

The study identifies two factors that strongly influence whether universities achieve higher levels of integration: the introduction of specializations linked to Industry 5.0 and regular cooperation with enterprises. Universities that offered such programs were more than four times as likely to report full integration, while those engaged in consistent collaboration with businesses were over three times as likely.

These drivers suggest that practical exposure and specialization encourage institutions to modernize curricula and weave ethical and sustainable dimensions into learning. Conversely, universities without strong ties to industry or without future-oriented specializations tended to remain at the stage of partial adoption.

By pointing out this divide, the research points to a crucial lesson for Polish universities and others worldwide: integration depends less on structural features, such as whether an institution is public or private, and more on how willing it is to innovate and align with future labor market needs.

Policy and educational implications

Industry 5.0 is expected to reshape the labor market, demanding professionals who can blend technical skills with ethical awareness and sustainability practices. Without deeper integration, graduates may lack the competencies needed to address the social and environmental impacts of advanced technologies.

The study highlights the need for stronger policy frameworks and accreditation standards to ensure sustainability and ethics are not treated as optional extras but as fundamental components of higher education. Suggested approaches include the introduction of interdisciplinary modules, such as courses on artificial intelligence and society or sustainable technology futures, that embed ethical reflection into technical training.

Partnerships also play a decisive role. By working with enterprises, public institutions, and civil society groups, universities can ground sustainability and ethics in real-world challenges. This, in turn, equips students with skills to balance innovation with responsibility, a necessity in an era when technological advances can bring both benefits and risks.

While the study focuses on Poland, its findings echo debates across Europe and beyond. Universities are expected to serve as incubators of future-ready skills, but many remain only partially committed to integrating ethics and sustainability into their programs.