Social motivation, civic skills and environmental sustainability: the mediating role of student community engagement initiatives

Purpose This study examines the role of student community engagement initiatives in higher education by analyzing how social motivation in cleanliness and civic skills influence environmental sustainability outcomes, with community engagement programs acting as a mediating mechanism. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative cross-sectional research design was adopted. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to 325 students from higher education institutions in the Delhi NCR region of India. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the maximum likelihood estimator was employed using R to test the direct, indirect, and total effects. Mediation effects were assessed using bootstrapped estimates, and model adequacy was evaluated using standard goodness of fit indices. Findings The results indicate that social motivation for cleanliness and civic skills significantly predict participation in community engagement programs. Civic skills have a strong direct effect on environmental sustainability, whereas the direct effect of social motivation on sustainability is insignificant. Mediation analysis revealed that community engagement programs fully mediate the relationship between social motivation and environmental sustainability and partially mediate the relationship between civic skills and environmental sustainability. These findings highlight the central role of structured engagement initiatives in translating student motivation and skills into sustainable outcomes. Research limitations/implications The study was based on cross-sectional data collected from a single geographical region, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs and extend the analysis to diverse institutional and regional contexts. Practical implications The findings suggest that higher-education institutions should institutionalize community engagement programs within academic curricula to strengthen civic skills and promote sustainable behavior among students. Such initiatives can enhance the effectiveness of national cleanliness and sustainability campaigns through student participation. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence of the mediating role of student community engagement initiatives in higher education, demonstrating how motivation and civic skills jointly contribute to environmental sustainability outcomes. This study contributes to the literature by positioning community engagement as a critical educational strategy for sustainability.