Planting sustainable futures: how a leading university advances social impact through education and innovation

Purpose This study aims to demonstrate how a leading university in sustainability and social innovation balances its traditional academic roles with its responsibilities as a change agent for social innovation and sustainable futures. By examining how the university actively embeds these principles across teaching, research and organisational policy, the study explores its efforts to advance sustainable futures aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Design/methodology/approach This study employs an integrated approach combining case study methodology and collaborative autoethnography. Insights are derived from teaching and research reflections, institutional document analysis and institutional organisational structures, providing a multidimensional perspective on how a university fosters sustainability and social innovation. Findings This study demonstrates the specific actions that a leading university undertakes to integrate sustainability and social innovation through three approaches: (1) teaching and assessments as capacity building, (2) research and stakeholder engagement for community building and (3) strategic vision and policies for an enabling environment. Through these integrated actions, this study demonstrates how universities can function as drivers of significant societal change, both locally and globally. Practical implications The findings offer actionable insights for universities seeking to adopt similar approaches to sustainability and social innovation. By sharing best practices, this study provides guidance for higher education institutions to become effective agents of social change. Originality/value This study offers a nuanced understanding of how a leading university practically integrates sustainability and social innovation across teaching, research and organisational policy.