Beyond mitigation agendas: climate adaptation, institutional responses and resilience in higher education institutions facing extreme climate events

Abstract

This study aims to examine how higher education institutions (HEIs) adapt and respond to extreme climate events and identify the climate resilience approaches reported in the literature. A systematic literature review following the Knowledge Development Process–Constructivist (ProKnow-C) protocol was conducted using the Scopus and Web of Science databases. After applying eligibility criteria, 34 articles were selected and analyzed through descriptive and systemic approaches. Institutional responses are heterogeneous. Reactive and incremental approaches predominate, whereas planned and collaborative strategies are associated with stronger adaptive capacity. Climate resilience is conceptualized as an institutional process, a measurable performance outcome or an infrastructural attribute. The review was limited to the portfolio selection phase of the ProKnow-C protocol and reflects a predominance of studies from Global North contexts. The findings support the strengthening of institutional planning, climate governance and risk-informed decision-making in HEIs. The proposed framework can assist institutional managers in assessing preparedness, identifying vulnerabilities, developing more coherent adaptation strategies and integrating climate risk into institutional planning. By supporting more structured institutional responses, the study contributes to reducing vulnerabilities, strengthening territorial resilience and reinforcing the social role of HEIs as actors that support communities facing increasing climate risks and extreme events. This study integrates dispersed evidence on climate adaptation, institutional responses and resilience in HEIs and proposes a conceptual framework linking climate risk, governance, adaptation responses, adaptive capacity and institutional learning. By connecting these dimensions, it provides a structured analytical model for understanding resilience-building processes in higher education and for examining how governance and learning shape adaptation trajectories over time.