SDG Implementation in Costa Rica’s Public Universities (2018–2023): Institutional Incorporation, Reported Actions, and Emerging Patterns

This study analyzes reported institutional engagement with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Costa Rica’s public universities, based on documented SDG-related actions and their coverage of specific SDG targets. The interest of this study lies in the fact that, in countries with a wealth of biodiversity, sustainability can represent a strategic focus for universities within institutional contexts characterized by regulatory frameworks, funding conditions, and participation in environmental rankings. The research covers the country’s five public universities. The methodology combines documentary evidence from OPES-CONARE reports for 2018–2023, organized into 510 university–year–SDG analytical cells, with a survey of university rectors (80% response rate) addressing their perceptions of institutional commitment, incorporation, and prioritization of the SDGs. The results show an increase in reported SDG-related institutional activity and broader documented SDG-target coverage during the period analyzed, with differences across universities. The University of Costa Rica (UCR) and the Technological Institute of Costa Rica (TEC) report the highest numbers of SDG-related actions and stronger positioning in the rankings considered, while the other universities display more gradual increases in reported activity and target coverage. SDG-related actions are distributed across multiple university functions, including research, teaching, and outreach and social engagement, university management, and student life. Furthermore, according to institutional, legitimacy, and stakeholder theories, factors such as the legal framework, institutional pressure, legitimacy-seeking practices, and stakeholder’ expectations may help interpret the differences observed among universities. The findings highlight the relevance of the geographical, cultural, and regulatory context for interpreting patterns of reported institutional engagement with the SDGs and proposes future research that includes private universities, other actors in the regional education system, and other institutions involved in the country’s development, as well as extending it to other countries with similar characteristics.