Preparing sustainability-ready graduates: how identity and digital media literacy shape pro-environmental engagement in higher education

Purpose This study extends the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) by integrating ecomedia literacy and ecocultural identity to explain pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) among university students in Indonesia. It examines how cognitive, affective and socio-digital factors jointly shape sustainability engagement in higher education. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative, non-experimental cross-sectional design used an online survey distributed from 17 to 30 November, 2025 to 514 students across Indonesian universities. Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the extended TPB model; predictive validity was examined using the Cross-Validated Predictive Ability Test (CVPAT). Findings The results show that perceived behavioural control, social media norms and attitude are key predictors of pro-environmental intention. Environmental self-identity and group/global identity indirectly influence behavioural outcomes through attitudinal and normative pathways, while ecomedia literacy enhances both attitudes and subjective norms. The extended TPB model outperformed traditional alternatives, confirming that sustainable engagement results from the interaction of cognition, identity and digital competence. Practical implications Universities should integrate digital sustainability literacy and identity-based learning into their curricula to strengthen ecological awareness and critical engagement with online sustainability content. Originality/value This study introduces identity-driven and media-embedded extensions of TPB, offering empirical evidence from a developing, collectivist, and digitally connected context. It advances behavioural theory by demonstrating how ecomedia literacy and ecocultural identity foster intentional and sustained pro-environmental engagement in higher education.