Innovative Partnerships Between Higher Education and Enterprises for Advancing Corporate Sustainability
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: sustainability; corporate social responsibility; sustainable campus; climate change education; energy efficiency
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In the context of mounting environmental, social, and economic challenges, the advancement of corporate sustainability increasingly depends on dynamic collaborations between higher education institutions and enterprises. These innovative partnerships serve as catalysts for translating academic research into practical, scalable solutions that enhance the sustainability performance of organizations across sectors and regions. As the global landscape evolves, universities and businesses are co-creating new models of engagement—ranging from living labs and co-developed curricula to ESG-focused talent development programs and cross-sectoral research initiatives—that foster knowledge exchange, drive technological and organizational innovation, and address complex sustainability challenges.
This Special Issue seeks to explore the diverse forms, impacts, and future trajectories of university–enterprise collaborations in relation to advancing corporate sustainability. We invite empirical and theoretical contributions that examine comparative and cross-regional perspectives, especially from the Global South and emerging economies; innovative partnership models and governance structures; methodological advancements in partnership evaluation; and the barriers and enablers shaping effective collaboration. Contributions are particularly welcome from scholars and practitioners working in management, higher education, sustainability studies, environmental sciences, and policy research, as well as from interdisciplinary teams bridging academia and industry. By integrating insights across these domains, this Special Issue aims to deepen our understanding of how such partnerships can accelerate the transition toward more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable business ecosystems.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- University–enterprise collaboration;
- Corporate sustainability;
- Innovative partnerships;
- Living labs;
- ESG talent development;
- Cross-sectoral research;
- Emerging economies;
- Partnership evaluation;
- Sustainability governance;
- Sustainable business ecosystems.
I look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Luis Velazquez
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- university-enterprise collaboration
- corporate sustainability
- innovative partnerships
- living labs
- ESG talent development
- cross-sectoral research
- emerging economies
- partnership evaluation
- sustainability governance
- sustainable business ecosystems
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
