Value-based education: an exploration of its role in the built environment curriculum

The evolving landscape of higher education calls for pedagogical frameworks that balance intellectual development with ethical, social, and environmental awareness. Value-Based Education (VBE) has emerged as a key approach to cultivating holistic graduates who demonstrate professional integrity, civic consciousness, and moral accountability. Within Malaysia’s Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF 2024), higher education institutions must integrate ethics, values, and professionalism into program learning outcomes. This study explores academic staff’s awareness, understanding, and implementation of VBE in Built Environment disciplines, focusing on their perceptions, pedagogical practices, and the challenges they encounter. Using a quantitative descriptive design, data were collected from 151 academic respondents through a structured survey instrument. Descriptive and ranking analyses were conducted to determine the extent of VBE integration within curriculum delivery. Findings indicate a generally high level of awareness and positive attitudes toward VBE, with project-based learning and community engagement emerging as the most effective pedagogical approaches. However, challenges remain in assessment design, curriculum alignment, and institutional support. The study highlights the importance of institutional leadership, educator training, and value-oriented curriculum reform to align Built Environment programs with MQF 2024 standards. The results contribute to the growing discourse on ethics and values in higher education, offering practical recommendations for embedding VBE across technical and professional programs.