Understanding political engagement in higher education waqf governance: a grounded theory study of accountability and sustainability in Malaysian public universities

Over centuries, the waqf (endowment) system has significantly contributed to the establishment and growth of Islamic educational institutions. However, it suffers from weak, dysfunctional governance, leading to a lack of accountability and sustainability. The primary objective of this study is to understand the management, governance, accountability, and sustainability of higher education waqf in Malaysian public universities by building upon existing nonprofit theories. This research examines current practices in these areas and highlights the challenges faced by public universities regarding higher education waqf. This study applies the qualitative interpretive approach and grounded theory methodology, specifically the Straussian variant, due to its flexibility and structure, which suit the research questions and help achieve the research objectives. Purposive sampling is used to select interviewees for a preliminary study and proceed with theoretical and snowball sampling. Data collection and analysis are undertaken concurrently; however, the interviews were divided into batches due to time, location, and cost constraints. Interviews were recorded and transcribed in batches. Data collection and analysis ended at 32 interviews, as theoretical saturation was reached. This study found three governance models applied by the higher education waqf. The ‘political engagement theory’ emerged from the empirically grounded data based on concepts, themes, and categories derived from the data. It was formulated based on five core categories of ‘robust financial management,’ ‘legal framework,’ ‘waqf efficient management and administration,’ ‘governance and accountability,’ and ‘sustainable growth and development.’ The two sub-core categories are ‘political power and connection,’ and ‘push factors for education waqf creation.’ Political engagement plays a vital role in the management and governance of the higher education waqf. There are multiple actors in the higher education waqf context. The complexities of the relationship nexus between public universities and the state Islamic religious councils, as waqf guardians, reflect the interwoven connections between the federal and state governments. The theory of political engagement helps public universities' higher education waqf understand their context. Waqf directors and managers must manage and govern carefully. This theory expands on the nonprofit's policy, social origin, and supply-side theories. It lays a foundation for future research to explore and refine strategies for waqf management, governance, and accountability in public universities. This study is among the first to use the grounded theory method to develop a substantive theory, offering a pioneering framework for future research and practical application. Future research may validate the theory of political engagement using different contexts and theoretical samples.