FOSTERING ACHIEVEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS THROUGH GREEN CULTURE AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM AN INDONESIAN EDUCATION HUMAN RESOURCES UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Amidst global calls for sustainable transformation, higher education institutions are urged to align their operations with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study investigates how green university culture and digital transformation contribute to SDG achievement within Indonesian education human resources universities (IEHRUs), focusing on financial, environmental, and human development outcomes. Utilizing a quantitative approach, a survey was conducted with 435 students from State University of Surabaya, a leading IEHRU. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The results reveal that green university culture significantly influences financial growth (β = 0.427, t = 5.662, p < 0.001), environmental quality growth (β = 0.510, t = 7.564, p < 0.001), and human development growth (β = 0.430, t = 7.123, p < 0.001). Similarly, digital transformation has significant positive effects on financial growth (β = 0.313, t = 4.294, p < 0.001), environmental quality growth (β = 0.203, t = 2.713, p = 0.007), and human development growth (β = 0.313, t = 5.447, p < 0.001). These three dimensions, in turn, significantly enhance SDG performance at the university level (R2 = 0.610). The study underscores the strategic role of green values and digital innovation in university sustainability. It offers empirical insights for educational policymakers to embed sustainability across institutional governance, pedagogy, and operations, particularly in teacher-training institutions poised to catalyze wider societal change.