Analysing Higher Education Institutions' Role in Sustainable Development Goals: A Systematic Literature Review Analysis and Future Directions

ABSTRACT This paper examines the current state of the art regarding the contribution of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We conducted a Systematic Literature Review Analysis (SLRA), which integrates a traditional Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with Bibliographic Analysis (BA), on a final sample of 78 articles retrieved from the Scopus database. Using MySLR, a digital platform designed to assist researchers in carrying out SLRs, we categorized the articles into clusters based on the most frequently occurring words. Our analysis identified three primary research clusters reflecting how SDGs are addressed within the context of HEIs. The first cluster includes studies focusing on the implementation of SDGs through academic research. The second encompasses analyses evaluating the integration of SDGs into university curricula. The third cluster concerns universities' contributions to SDGs via initiatives aimed at fostering environmentally sustainable campuses. The study provides valuable indications on the need for integrated, context‐specific frameworks to guide SDG implementation in HEIs, highlighting their multi‐mission role in sustainability. It also offers practical strategies to incentivize and align institutional efforts across teaching, research, and operations.