Building an Academic Climate to Enhance Student Performance in Higher Education

A positive academic climate is critical for improving learning outcomes and advancing sustainable development in higher education. Most existing studies examine individual dimensions of academic climate, while systematic and integrated research frameworks remain relatively limited. This study proposed and validated a comprehensive academic climate construction scheme integrating institutional norms, cultural immersion, interest cultivation, and innovation practice. A quasi-experimental design was adopted, with academic performance data from nine foundational courses being compared to three-year aggregated baseline data. Statistical analyses examined failure rates, make-up examination pass rates, and average scores. Results showed significant reductions in failure rates, notable increases in make-up pass rates and average scores across all courses (p < 0.05). The coordinated, systemic academic climate intervention effectively enhanced student academic performance. Practically, the proposed four-dimensional scheme provides a replicable, operable approach for higher education institutions to optimize disciplinary talent cultivation, foster students’ lifelong learning capacity, and advance the practice of sustainable higher education.