How can universities strengthen democracy by collaborating to develop participatory sustainability policies that can enhance trust in institutions?

This research explores the role of university-based Living Labs (Hossain et al., 2019) as enablers of participatory and sustainable policymaking. It compares two exemplary cases where student-initiated projects were adopted as formal municipal policies. In alignment with the shift toward democratic, participatory, and action-oriented educational models, the university is framed not only as a site for knowledge transmission but also as a space for co-creation and civic experimentation. The EducAction approach (Di Gerio et al., 2020) is presented as a transformative model that places students at the centre of shared knowledge production and collective responses to complex societal challenges (Lönngren & Van Poeck, 2021). The study addresses three key literature gaps: 1. Lack of operational models that integrate the Quintuple Helix (academia, public administration, business, civil society, environment) with youth-oriented Living Labs practices to create sustainable value and long-term solutions. 2. Limited focus on the active role of students and younger generations as prosumers (producers-users) in decision-making processes. 3. Scarce documentation of institutional mechanisms that translate bottom-up proposals into formal public policies. Research Approach and Methods Adopting the Quintuple Helix theoretical framework (Carayannis et al., 2012), the study adopts a double case study methodology to examine how two student-driven initiatives evolved into formal municipal policies through university-based Living Labs. These ideas originated from participatory processes at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, which function as Living Labs integrating experiential learning, collaborative planning, and engagement with external stakeholders. A qualitative, interpretative approach guides the analysis, focusing on educational and planning practices within the university setting. Main findings and Implications The findings reveal that action-oriented, cross-institutional educational practices enable the university to function as a civic lab and driver of social innovation. Integrating teaching with the university’s Third Mission activities supports a systemic reconfiguration in which students shift from passive learners to active agents of change. Through co-design experiences with public authorities and private entities, students not only acquire technical and transversal skills but also deepen their civic awareness and capacity to shape social and territorial transformation. The study thus proposes a renewed vision of the university as a democratic agent, generating public value through inclusive, participatory, and sustainability-focused education. The EducAction model emerges as a strategic framework for rethinking academic institutions as responsive and engaged components of democratic society.