In an extensive literature review, the article identifies various impact areas of sustainable development in which direct and indirect effects of higher education institutions can be expected. Based on this, a comprehensive framework of higher education institutions’ impacts on sustainable development is derived. The framework complements previous conceptualizations in the sustainability discourse around higher education institutions by broadening the perspective from activities within the organization (e.g., offering sustainability-related courses or saving emissions and energy) towards the contributions that higher education institutions have outside their organizational boundaries.

The derived framework provides researchers a basis for analyzing the contributions of higher education institutions to sustainable development in more depth and for designing appropriate assessment tools. It also helps decision-makers in higher education institutions to better understand how their activities affect society, the environment and the economy, and provides a basis for impact management.

The article was written as part of Florian Findler's dissertation and can be accessed here: The impacts of higher education institutions on sustainable development: A review and conceptualization