Reframing sustainability governance in higher education: proposing the universal sustainability integration framework (USIF)

Purpose Universities are increasingly recognised as key actors in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. However, the integration of sustainability within higher education remains fragmented and inconsistently institutionalised across the governance, pedagogical and operational spheres. This paper aims to propose the Universal Sustainability Integration Framework (USIF), a theoretically grounded governance model designed to address fragmentation in sustainability implementation across higher education institutions (HEIs) and to support their contributions to the national and global sustainability agenda. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual framework is developed through a structured synthesis of systems theory, institutional theory and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), complemented by an integrative review of major sustainability frameworks. The framework was refined through expert consultation. Findings USIF connects four institutional pillars, namely, governance and policy, teaching and curriculum, research and innovation, and campus and community engagement, with three cross-cutting enablers manifested in monitoring-evaluation-learning, stakeholder participation and feedback and adaptation. The framework can be implemented along a staged maturity path (initiation, institutionalisation, transformation). Originality/value The paper advances sustainability governance scholarship by operationalising HEIs as adaptive learning systems and by providing a holistic, theoretically coherent framework that can guide policy design and institutional transformation across varied settings.