Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to offer an application of a system model for Senge's five disciplines in higher education (HE) institutions. Design/methodology/approach: The paper utilizes a conceptual framework for the analysis of antecedents and outcomes of Senge's five disciplines, focusing on specific factors unique to the HE sector. Findings: The explication of the model manifests its relevance and applicability for the HE sector: it represent how universities operate as learning organizations and posits the anticipated interactions among specific constructs associated with Senge's five disciplines within the HE sector. Practical implications: The paper manifests a causal model that links variables in the learning organization, a perspective that would be instrumental for HE institutions to achieve competitive advantage. Originality/value: The paper provides added value both for academics and executives interested in the analysis of the complexity of Senge's five disciplines for HE institutions.