The influence of sustainability indicators on university performance: an analysis of global university rankings

Purpose This study aims to investigate how sustainability indicators influence universities’ performance by analyzing the configurations of such indicators in relation to global university rankings. Design/methodology/approach The authors applied a quantitative approach using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis to examine how combinations of sustainability indicators, based on the six dimensions from the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, relate to institutional performance in the Times Higher Education World University Ranking (THE WUR) and the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking. Findings The analysis reveals distinct patterns in how sustainability practices affect performance in different rankings. For the UI GreenMetric and THE WUR intersection, “Waste,” “Water,” “Transport” and “Education and Research” emerged as key elements. In the UI GreenMetric and QS intersection, “Settings and Infrastructure” and “Education and Research” were consistently associated with higher performance levels. Practical implications Universities should tailor their sustainability strategies according to the logic of each ranking system. The results show that sustainability is a multidimensional concept, with variable effects on institutional performance depending on the ranking’s focus. These insights provide guidance for university managers aiming to align their sustainability practices with performance goals. Originality/value This study presents a novel analysis using an asymmetric technique and an original interaction analysis between sustainability indicators of a global ranking (UI GreenMetric) and performance indicators of two other global rankings (THE WUR and QS World University Ranking).