Bridging gaps in sustainability: HEI-industry collaborations for accelerating SDGs

The global pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) faces significant challenges, with current progress critically lagging behind the 2030 agenda targets. This study addresses the urgent need for more effective collaborations between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and industry to accelerate SDG attainment. It aims critically to analyze the current landscape of these partnerships, identify key gaps and governance deficits, and propose a comprehensive governance framework. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates a bibliometric analysis from 2015 to 2024, complemented by illustrative case studies, which are analyzed from a theoretical perspective focused on the HEI-industry gap inside within a Quadruple Helix societal framework and guided stakeholder theory for governance. Key findings reveal a growing research interest in HEI-industry SDG linkage, but also significant geographical and technological disparities, alongside persistent governance challenges in practical collaborations. Successful partnerships demonstrate strong engagement and clear SDG alignment, while others falter due to misaligned incentives and inadequate societal consideration. The principal contribution of this study is a novel governance matrix, designed to provide an actionable framework for structuring, managing, and evaluating HEI-industry collaborations, thereby enhancing their strategic focus and tangible impact on the SDGs. This research offers critical insights for policymakers, academic leaders, and industry strategists seeking to build more impactful and sustainable partnerships.