Towards Sustainable Management of University Student Unrest through Internal Stakeholder Collaboration

Felix Njini
Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
Email: njinif@sid.adventist.org

Abstract: This study explores sustainable strategies for managing university student unrest in Zimbabwe through enhanced collaboration among internal stakeholders. Anchored in Stakeholder Theory (ST) and employing a qualitative research approach, this study explores how administrators, faculty, no-teaching staff and students perceive their respective roles in managing institutional unrest. It further identifies perceived barriers to collaboration among stakeholders and seeks to develop strategic interventions to mitigate these challenges. Findings reveal that while each group recognizes its role in conflict mitigation, communication breakdown, departmental silos, marginalization and lack of training hinder effective collaboration. The paper concludes with recommendations to foster inclusive decision-making, capacity-building, and trust-based communication structures as a sustainable framework for crisis management of student unrest in higher education.